Brittany Force
Special to FOXSports.com
Known as the “Queen of Speed,” Brittany Force is a two-time Top Fuel world champion (2017, 2022) who owns the record for fastest run in NHRA history at 343.51 mph and the quickest run in NHRA history at 3.623 seconds. She recently announced her decision to step away from racing at season’s end to focus on starting a family. This is a first-person piece in which she reflects on her career.
I fell in love with the sport of drag racing when I was a kid. But it was from the spectator point of view. I remember sitting in the stands with my mom and sisters watching my dad [16-time champion John Force] race down racetracks all throughout the nation. I watched him win races, wreck, catch on fireplace and win championships. He’s, and has all the time been, the world’s biggest driver within the sport.
Rising up on the planet of drag racing, I by no means imagined myself behind the wheel. These automobiles are violent and it takes a troublesome individual to drive one. It wasn’t till my older sister Ashley bought within the seat that I noticed there’s a place for females to compete and achieve success in a area stuffed with males. And as a youthful sister, I wished to do every part my older sister did, so I adopted in her footsteps and my father’s footsteps as nicely.
Wanting again, I keep in mind the primary time I noticed a girl blaze down a racetrack. My sisters and I have been sitting within the stands ready for my dad to run. A dragster with a pink stripe down the facet of the automobile caught my consideration. I’ll always remember my sister Ashley telling me there was a woman driving that automobile. It was Shelly Payne (previously Anderson) that was behind the wheel. I grew to become a fan in that second. I couldn’t imagine a feminine was driving a race automobile similar to my dad. Drag racing was a male-dominated sport, however not that day and never in that lane. After that, I all the time paid consideration to feminine drivers. Shelly Payne, Erica Enders, my sister Ashley — I used to be in awe of them.
My sisters and I had essentially the most fantastic childhood. We have been racetrack youngsters. Summertime meant packing our suitcases and occurring the highway with my dad. We have been in a distinct metropolis each week. We drove from racetrack to racetrack. These racetracks grew to become dwelling and my dad’s crew guys grew to become large brothers to us women!
My dad wrecked and caught on fireplace extra instances than I may rely. And he would all the time climb out of the automobile, throw his arms up within the air for the followers, after which give an interview about how spectacular the explosion was. He was Superman to me. He all the time did the not possible, and the followers cheered him on by way of all of it, and so did I!
My workforce and I’ve set the nationwide ET file, nationwide MPH file, received races and received championships collectively. We’ve completed a lot through the years and that’s one thing I am actually happy with.
I’ve labored with so many alternative crew chiefs and crew guys through the years. I’m grateful for the relationships I’ve constructed, the individuals I’ve realized from and the recollections I’ve made. I’ve been with my crew chief, David Grubnic, since 2019 and I’ve beloved having the ability to push the boundaries with him. He is among the most proficient crew chiefs within the trade. My crew this 12 months are a number of the hardest working, most devoted guys I’ve ever teamed up with. We’ve are on the highway collectively 20 plus weekends throughout our season, they usually’ve made being on the highway really feel like dwelling.
It does take a singular particular person to drive one among these automobiles. I imagine you must be a bit of loopy to get behind the wheel of an 11,000-horsepower race automobile. However I’ve all the time been the adventurous kind. I bought licensed in a brilliant comp automobile at 16, made some passes and licensed in a Humorous Automobile, jumped out of an airplane and gone skydiving. It’s all the time been laborious for me to say no. I’ll all the time strive something as soon as.
That “I’ll strive something as soon as” mindset is definitely what bounce began my profession. I used to be competing in an A/Gasoline dragster again in 2012 and had the chance to get within the seat of a Prime Gasoline dragster and go testing. John Pressure Racing was re-building our security program and making an attempt to construct a safer racecar. I agreed in that second I’d be the one to check the Prime Gasoline dragster. It was months getting a automobile constructed, placing a workforce collectively and getting fitted for all the best security gear. When it truly got here all the way down to on the point of go testing, I keep in mind asking myself “what did I simply get myself into?”
I’ll always remember driving out to the racetrack in West Palm Seaside, Fla, and remembering how fully terrified I used to be. I used to be going to climb right into a race automobile that reached speeds of 330 mph and pulled 6-7 Gs. I used to be terrified as a result of climbing within the automobile was climbing into the unknown.
The primary run I drove to about 60 toes after which lifted. After that first step on the throttle pedal, I used to be able to go a bit of additional. I made many testing runs, working my manner down the racetrack all year long. On the finish of the season, I made my first full go down The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and I used to be hooked! I knew in that second that’s what I wished to do.
This 2025 season has been an incredible one for my workforce and me. We introduced dwelling a win in Epping, New Hampshire at the start of the season. We’ve re-set the nationwide pace file with a 343.51 mph run in Indianapolis. We’ve continued to run within the 340s all through the season, re-setting monitor data. It took each single one among my guys, myself and my crew chief to make these runs occur. We’re all very proud to have the quickest automobile on the monitor. That’s one thing that has made fairly an influence this season.
The most effective components about my job is assembly the followers. There’s nothing extra heartwarming than when I’ve a bit of lady come as much as me on the ropes and inform me she needs to be a racecar driver similar to me. I all the time give any recommendation I can and provides the little women a hug and want them good luck. These moments are some I’ll always remember.
If I can encourage any individual, that actually means one thing to me. If I can inspire any individual to step outdoors their consolation zone and chase down their dream, even when it’s in opposition to the percentages, that could be a win in itself.
After dedicating the final 13 years of my life to driving and the game of NHRA drag racing, I’ve made the tough choice to step out of the seat on the finish of the season to deal with beginning a household with my husband Bobby. I’m so grateful for such an incredible profession and all of the alternatives that got here with it. I’m grateful for my workforce and all our success collectively. I’m not closing the door on driving sooner or later, however that’s a choice for additional down the highway as soon as I get there.
The choice to step away hasn’t been a straightforward one. It’s all the time been behind my thoughts since I first made the choice to get within the seat. As a girl, I don’t have the luxurious that males need to proceed driving whereas beginning a household.
I used to be all the time so targeted on my profession that I knew if I ever wished to begin a household, it could come later in life. Watching my sisters begin their very own households has actually opened my eyes the previous couple of years. I really like spending time with my little nieces and nephews at any time when I’m dwelling. They arrive to the races sporting Brittany Pressure shirts and are my largest followers.
Coming into this season, I knew it was time. One of the best ways to explain my choice is bittersweet. It’s tough saying goodbye to one thing I really like a lot however, with the assist of my husband, my household and my workforce, I’ve determined that this would be the 12 months to create space for one thing new and see the place this subsequent chapter takes me.
