There are times when John Force gets choked up watching the nostalgia Funny Cars.

“The old Funny Car days were a piece of my life, that’s where I came from,” said the 14-time champion from Yorba Linda, Ca. “I used to look back there in the truck and I’d see Laurie and Adria holding little Ashley …”

Then he choked up, and apologized.

Force was the Grand Marshal at the 52nd Bakersfield March Meet two weekends ago.

There are times when John Force gets choked up watching the nostalgia Funny Cars.

“The old Funny Car days were a piece of my life, that’s where I came from,” said the 14-time champion from Yorba Linda, Ca. “I used to look back there in the truck and I’d see Laurie and Adria holding little Ashley …”

Then he choked up, and apologized.

Force was the Grand Marshal at the 52nd Bakersfield March Meet two weekends ago.

“I got to see all of the guys I grew up with,” he continued.

Would Force ever drive a nostalgia flopper?

He’d love to. However, as much as big business has become a part of his racing business, it also dictates whether he’ll ever be able to race again just like he did back in the day.

“I’ll never say never,” Force said. “There are a lot of things I’d have to address like the insurance and contracts with my sponsors. I loved it. I ran around on the starting line and had a ball. I enjoyed cheering for ole Ron Capps and Gary Densham. It was just a blast. It was like re-living a part of my life.”

If the moons and stars, and the legalities ever line up, which one of his classic cars would it be?

“It would have to be the Blue Monza,” Force admitted.

Force won’t have to look far for one to drive, thanks to current NHRA world champion Robert Hight, his son-in-law and teammate at John Force Racing.

Hight, along with his co-workers, pooled their financial resources and spare time to deliver a near identical rendition of the Brute Force Monza to Force.

The idea for the Monza dates all the way back to 2006 when a fan approached Force with a classic version of the Chevrolet Funny Car for sale.

According to Hight, Force was excited and immediately made contact with the seller, agreed with him on the price and just as quickly as it fell into place – reality set in.

“It all hit him that we were in the midst of the Western Swing and everything we had going on,” explained Hight. “And he understood that, and put the idea away. But he did point out that car [blue Brute Force Monza] was the one he really wanted to reproduce because it was the first real race car he ever owned.”

Hight, unbeknownst to Force, obtained the seller’s phone number and made contact.

“I found out how much it cost, and we passed the hat at the shop and pooled in to buy the car,” Hight explained. “We donated our spare time, working evenings and vacation time to build the car. John had no clue because we built it in someone else’s shop.”

Hight and the team orchestrated the donations of time and product. Victory Race Cars mounted the body while regarded graphics man Kenny Youngblood painted the scheme.

The plan was to surprise Force with the car for Christmas last year.

Those who know Force are clearly aware he doesn’t care much for surprises.

The team sneaked the car into the second floor of the shop and built a big box around the present.

“Force wasn’t happy, because he doesn’t like surprises,” Hight recalled. “He kept asking questions all day long.”

The car was unveiled and Force didn’t mind his team had surprised him.

“He started crying,” Hight said. “It looked exactly like the original down to the wheels and injector. He just stood there bawling.”

Always the opportunist, Force has already put in his order for next Christmas.

“He told us that if we wanted to, he’d like to put in an order for a Chi-Town Hustler,” said Hight.