UPDATED: FORCE'S LONG TERM DEAL WITH FORD
Sun, 2010-03-28 01:20
Ford and John Force Racing officials announced Saturday that they will partner to supply parts and pieces to 
all Ford teams in NHRA, with Tasca Racing and Bob Tasca III the first beneficiaries of the new program.
Force has a parts-building operation near Indianapolis that could expand to service other teams, including Tim Wilkerson’s.
“All the jointly developed parts between us and John Force, around the engine, chassis and the body are equally available to any Ford team, starting with Tasca,” said Ford North America Motorsport director Jamie Allison said. Ford and John Force Racing officials announced Saturday that they will partner to supply parts and pieces toall Ford teams in NHRA, with Tasca Racing and Bob Tasca III the first beneficiaries of the new program.
Force has a parts-building operation near Indianapolis that could expand to service other teams, including Tim Wilkerson’s.
“All the jointly developed parts between us and John Force, around the engine, chassis and the body are equally available to any Ford team, starting with Tasca,” said Ford North America Motorsport director Jamie Allison said.
JFR has fielded four Funny Cars in the past, and Force said he needs four cars to make his parts-manufacturing business make sense. The economy forced the 14-time champion to cut back to three cars this year. Now, with the addition of Tasca, it makes four Fords for Force to supply.
“Then in time we will evolve to the next team with Ford, which would be Wilkerson,” Force said. “I’ve got a lot of dragster guys calling me, but I had to put the brakes on: ‘Let me make sure I can supply these guys.’”
Force said his team’s job is to supply safe and competitive cars to Ford teams. He said he doesn’t mind having to race against the same teams.
“When Ford said it’s time to partner up, even though we’ve got to race against each other, we know that they data comes from Ford, and we owe that help to all of their cars,” Force said.
Tasca said his team will begin testing the “Boss platform” on Monday after the 4-Wide Nationals. He hopes to race that platform by the middle of next month.
“These parts just don’t fall out of the sky,” Tasca said. “John has invested an unbelievable amount of money in that shop in Indianapolis, building arguably the most competitive parts, with Ford’s assistance, in Funny Car racing. The numbers don’t lie.
“So to have our team be able to tap in to those resources and long-term leverage … and our program working with his program and Ford Motor Company clearly will make the Ford teams even more competitive.”
Tasca’s team had a data-sharing program with Wilkerson, but that appears to be ending. Wilkerson, though, remains in Fords and will be the next team to receive parts from JFR, should he want them.
“We’ve had numerous conversations with Tim,” Tasca said. “To convert over to a different platform is very expensive. Clearly it has an adverse affect to our data sharing because he runs all different stuff. There’s no point in sharing any more data. That element has been kind of side-stepped.
“We’ll evolve our car. John has to spool up to feed his three teams, plus ours. (Wilkerson) would be the next person, if and when he’s ready financially to make that switchover.”
all Ford teams in NHRA, with Tasca Racing and Bob Tasca III the first beneficiaries of the new program.Force has a parts-building operation near Indianapolis that could expand to service other teams, including Tim Wilkerson’s.
“All the jointly developed parts between us and John Force, around the engine, chassis and the body are equally available to any Ford team, starting with Tasca,” said Ford North America Motorsport director Jamie Allison said. Ford and John Force Racing officials announced Saturday that they will partner to supply parts and pieces to
all Ford teams in NHRA, with Tasca Racing and Bob Tasca III the first beneficiaries of the new program.Force has a parts-building operation near Indianapolis that could expand to service other teams, including Tim Wilkerson’s.
“All the jointly developed parts between us and John Force, around the engine, chassis and the body are equally available to any Ford team, starting with Tasca,” said Ford North America Motorsport director Jamie Allison said.
JFR has fielded four Funny Cars in the past, and Force said he needs four cars to make his parts-manufacturing business make sense. The economy forced the 14-time champion to cut back to three cars this year. Now, with the addition of Tasca, it makes four Fords for Force to supply.
“Then in time we will evolve to the next team with Ford, which would be Wilkerson,” Force said. “I’ve got a lot of dragster guys calling me, but I had to put the brakes on: ‘Let me make sure I can supply these guys.’”
Force said his team’s job is to supply safe and competitive cars to Ford teams. He said he doesn’t mind having to race against the same teams.
“When Ford said it’s time to partner up, even though we’ve got to race against each other, we know that they data comes from Ford, and we owe that help to all of their cars,” Force said.
HOW MUCH LONGER FOR FORCE? - John Force Racing and Ford jointly announced Saturday the extension of their partnership for five more years through 2014. Does that mean 14-time NHRA Funny Car champion John force will drive five more years?
“You bet,” Force said slyly at zMax Dragway during a break in qualifying for the 4-Wide Nationals. “The wife won’t let me come home. This is what I do, I really love it.”
Force did mention that Top Fuel could be a destination for his team and daughter Courtney in the future.
“My youngest, Courtney, we’ve already started the process – we don’ t know if we’ll go to Funny Car or if we’ll go to Top Fuel.” Force said. “We are addressing Top Fuel. That’s the first time I’ve mentioned it. It’s really about the next generation of drivers.”
“These parts just don’t fall out of the sky,” Tasca said. “John has invested an unbelievable amount of money in that shop in Indianapolis, building arguably the most competitive parts, with Ford’s assistance, in Funny Car racing. The numbers don’t lie.
“So to have our team be able to tap in to those resources and long-term leverage … and our program working with his program and Ford Motor Company clearly will make the Ford teams even more competitive.”
Tasca’s team had a data-sharing program with Wilkerson, but that appears to be ending. Wilkerson, though, remains in Fords and will be the next team to receive parts from JFR, should he want them.
“We’ve had numerous conversations with Tim,” Tasca said. “To convert over to a different platform is very expensive. Clearly it has an adverse affect to our data sharing because he runs all different stuff. There’s no point in sharing any more data. That element has been kind of side-stepped.
“We’ll evolve our car. John has to spool up to feed his three teams, plus ours. (Wilkerson) would be the next person, if and when he’s ready financially to make that switchover.”
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