Following a hard 2024 season, NHRA icon John Force expressed his heartfelt gratitude to his crew and Chevrolet.
In a touching video on the John Force Racing YouTube page, he expressed his gratitude to Chevrolet’s personnel and fans. This comes at a bittersweet moment for Force, who has elected not to return to the racing track for the time being while he recovers from a horrific crash in Virginia earlier this year.
Force explains:
“Hey everybody, John Force here. I just want to say, look at this beautiful Christmas tree. It’s fun. It’s that time of year. So, we’re going to take all of our Yorba Linda staff out to a lunch and to enjoy the day and the Christmas spirit, but I want to take a moment to thank Chevrolet, all their employees, all their fans, all their buyers for everything that they do for you and what they do for us. So God bless you and let’s enjoy Christmas.”
Force’s decision to step back from racing follows a traumatic crash that occurred during the NHRA Virginia Nationals in June 2024. The accident, which happened at speeds exceeding 300 miles per hour, resulted in a Traumatic Brain Injury for Force.
Following weeks in the hospital, Force was transferred to a specialized neurological rehab center in July.
Force boasts an impressive 16 Funny Car championships and 157 career wins, earning him a venerable place in NHRA history. His decision not to participate in the 2025 racing season is driven by his need to focus on rehabilitation and health.
Following Force’s decision, Jack Beckman has been appointed to take over Force’s duties for the upcoming season. Beckman, a former Funny Car champion with a solid history with John Force Racing, recently stepped in after Force’s accident.
“I’m still going to therapy every week and working as hard as I can to get back out there with the sponsors and the fans in a sport I love and I miss. I’ve still got a lot of things I want to do, so I don’t want anybody thinking they’ve seen the last of John Force. We’ll have a lot more to talk about after the holidays.”
Beckman also commented on he upcoming season when he steps in for Force:
“I am thrilled to continue a partnership with PEAK and BlueDEF and look forward to returning to JFR in 2025. As a car enthusiast, I believe in using the best products available for both personal and professional applications. PEAK and BlueDEF products are trusted for our support vehicles and haulers, ensuring reliability and performance.”
