Ashley Force became NHRA’s first female Funny Car winner by defeating her father, 14-time champion John Force, in the NHRA Summit Racing Equipment Southern Nationals in Commerce, Ga.
While John Force spun his tires at the start, his 25-year-old daughter clocked 320 mph in a Ford Mustang to win to stay atop the standings.
“I’m just like any other driver who wants to get a win, especially that first one, since we’ve come so close,” said Force, whose win came a week after open-wheel’s Danica Patrick became the first woman to win an Indy-car race. “This is great for women in racing, but I’m glad to have done it in drag racing. … I was so focused I didn’t see my win light.”
Ashley had a run of 4.837 seconds at 320.36 mph at Atlanta Dragway in her Castrol GTX Ford Mustang to take a 59-point lead over Tim Wilkerson in the season standings.
“I’m just happy to win an event; that was the main thing,” said Ashley. “Being a female, that’s exciting as far as the records and everything, but my team, we just wanted to get our first win. We went a whole year last year and got close a few times. To finally get it done, we’re just so excited.
John, seeking his 1,000th career round win, lost traction at the start, finishing way behind Ashley with an 11.223-second run.
“It’s great for her that she gets that win and gets that out of the way,” John said. “I’m a little disappointed that my car didn’t run a little bit better.
“I’m proud of her. She did her job. She didn’t do anything stupid at the starting line. ... I love her.”
“At the top end, Dad just came over and congratulated me and told me and my team, ‘Good job.’ I think Dad’s done this enough years that he has the same routine and doesn’t care who’s next to him, whether you’re related to him or not. I’m the one who needs to practice and not be thinking about that. He wants his 1,000th [round-]win as well. Mom and I had it figured out, though: He can get it next week on his birthday — that will be special — and I can get my first win here.”
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