John Force is alive and well.

The legendary 16-time NHRA nitro Funny Car champion, who has had his share of struggles this season, proved that Sunday at the Mile-High Nationals.

Force clocked a 4.075-second elapsed time at 315.42 mph to defeat Ron Capps, who came in at 4.067 seconds at 308.71 mph at Bandimere Speedway.

The difference was at the starting line as Force had an .037 reaction time, while Capps’ reaction time was .057.

“I found myself here with all the crashes and everything that happened that I was probably at my lowest,” Force said. “I was fighting to get back. I never let on to anybody, but it showed that I looked like a mess. After my last crash, I had four of them, John Bandimere calls me and says we have to talk, and said you have to listen and he sent me stuff and I started reading and it took me down this road. I told him I didn’t know if I would get back ever and win a race. He said, ‘you can.’ You know where he goes from there and I will not stand here and preach the gospel. He said when you get to Denver you will be fixed. He didn’t say I was going win Denver. He said when I get here I would be fixed and go out there and show me who John Force is. I found myself.”

This was John Force’s 252nd appearance in a nitro Funny Car final round. Force has won a record 149 NHRA national events. Force arrived in Denver eighth in points and his season has been highlighted by two-runner-up finishes at the Four-Wide Nationals in Charlotte, N.C., and Richmond, Va.

Force is now the king of Thunder Mountain. He has won the Mile-High Nationals a record eight times (1994-96, 2001, 2003, 2011 and 2016, 2018).

Force was tied with Pro Stock stars Bob Glidden and Allen Johnson with most wins in any Pro class at the Mile-High Nationals as Glidden and Johnson each had seven.

Force qualified fifth and then ousted Matt Hagan, Cruz Pedregon, and his daughter, Courtney Force before culminating with his holeshot victory over Capps. The win against Hagan was significant as it was his 1,300th competitive round win.

Force already knew where his latest Wally was going to reside. He gave it to Kirstie Ennis, a Marine who fought overseas, and is part of Building Homes For Heroes and was a special guest of Courtney Force’s Advance Auto Parts team this weekend.

“The fire was in me, I’m fighting because I got tired of (how I was acting),” said Force, who pilots the PEAK Coolant and Motor Oil Chevrolet Camaro SS. “My wife didn’t even want to talk to me. I know you more than that. I know what you’re going through and then (Kirstie) she shows up here. I knew all about the show and all the houses and stuff they are doing with Advance. Then, I thought I need to find myself. I don’t know why I won this race. Maybe God’s is just showing me. I love Bandimere and I love NHRA.”