The 16-time Funny Car champion confirmed the decision Thursday, more than a year after suffering a traumatic brain injury in a fiery crash.
“It’s been over a year but I’ve been under doctors’ care and I still am so if I say anything wrong, please excuse me,” Force said in a video on social media.
“But it’s time for me to retire. It all made sense to me even though I knew I had medical stuff that I had to address, that, ‘do I want to get back in the car and get hit in the head?’ And I don’t.”
John Force Announces Retirement pic.twitter.com/4MOzgVdgxC
— John Force Racing (@JFR_Racing) November 13, 2025
Force’s career ended at the Virginia Nationals in June 2024 when his car’s engine exploded after a first-round win. The impact sent his car into the outside wall multiple times, leaving him hospitalised in intensive care.
Force spent 15 days in hospital before moving to a specialised neurological facility for ongoing treatment. His team described the initial recovery as challenging, with Force unable to respond to commands for several days and exhibiting “extreme agitation and confusion,” which doctors humorously likened to “a raging bull.”
A native of California, Force’s NHRA career spanned more than three decades. He won his first Funny Car title in 1990 and claimed 12 championships between 1991 and 2004. His final title came in 2013, though he remained a title contender up to the time of his crash, finishing his career with a record 157 NHRA victories.
Force also faced significant injuries earlier in his career, including a broken wrist and dislocated ankle sustained in a 2007 crash that occurred months after his driver Eric Medlen was killed in an on-track accident.
Force’s influence extends beyond his own driving. All three of his daughters have competed in NHRA, with Brittany Force currently in her final year of Top Fuel competition, stepping away to start a family.
“It was time for me with Brittany stepping out of the seat and I don’t want to get hurt,” Force said.
“I’ve said it many times, I’m going to stay in the car until my race car gets me and I always meant that.”
While Force will no longer race, he plans to remain active through John Force Racing, which fields cars in both the Funny Car and Top Fuel divisions.
Longtime NHRA driver Jack Beckman has filled in for Force in Funny Car alongside Austin Prock, the 2024 champion and current Funny Car points leader.
Reflecting on his career, Force said, “I’m excited where it’s going,” signaling his intent to continue growing the operation he has built over decades.
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