It’s been 30 years since 16-time Funny Car champion John Force crossed the finish line to score his first national event win at the 1987 Molson NHRA Grandnational in Montreal.

There were no television crews to document the monumental victory, no overwhelming celebrations, just a couple of French-Canadian men sporting Speedos and holding fire extinguishers speaking a foreign language to the fast-talking Force.

This was 148 wins ago, and there have been times when time has both flown by and stood still for drag racing’s most decorated driver.

“I didn’t know it was 30 years ago,” Force said. “Feels more like 50.”

Force, 68, was a much younger 38 then, but many moons later he’s reminded how many seasons have passed.

"You know what it’s like when a fan runs up and says, ‘I’ve got to have my picture with you," Force beamed.  "Makes you feel kind of good, my chest bowed out. And then she says, ‘My grandpa loves you."

"Your age starts showing."

This season, NHRA is honoring the first responders. Next year, it's the legends of drag racing.

"It’s going to be a lot of the pros, the Bernsteins, the Prudhommes, the McEwens on our tour next year in ’18 about the Legends. And it was really funny, I was getting heckled by drivers next to me, ‘You should be with them."

"I may have to quit at the end of this year and go on that Legend’s tour next year, but I’ll still bring the race car. Yeah, I’ve been out here a long time. But I see growth, and that’s what really excites me."

Force admits he still has a penchant for getting confused, and for a man who wears so many hats of responsibility, it's understandable. He's never met a deal he didn't like to broker, but at the end of the day, the cagey veteran will tell a VIP, get the heck out of the way, I'm going drag racing.

"If I could focus more, I could be a lot better," Force admitted. "My wife said, ‘Let’s go into this Countdown this time and not be talking about problems, or financial, or some building being built somewhere in America. Let’s focus on getting these teams motivated and getting them winning."

"As a kid, I had two nicknames, Dog Head, and the other one was Scatterbrain. That’s what they called me. I’ve always lived with a million things in my head. But you have to find the music on race day. You see ol’ Capps and Schumacher in there serious with their headphones on, and I’m running around on a motorcycle all day long trying to make deals, ‘Better get in the car."

"But that’s the way I’ve lived, so it’s too late for me to change it. I’ll go down this way. When I get in that car and put on the helmet, and I get in the seat, I love to get into that battle. I just have a key, and I turn it, and I’m into the race. That’s what I do."