The NHRA announced Saturday morning that it had fined John Force Racing $5,000 for a pit incident that took place on Wednesday, Aug. 24, at O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis.
The fine, which is payable immediately and not eligible for appeal, was issued after one of the Force Racing teams improperly operated their car in the pit area. NHRA rules specify that Funny Cars must be in a raised position, fully situated in its assigned space and utilize cradles and jackstand devices that attach to the frame when servicing or starting the car’s engine while in the pit area. The team must pay the fine in full before it can continue to compete in any future NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series events.
Force did pay the fine Saturday morning at the U.S. Nationals and said why NHRA imposed the fine.
“Let me clarify first of all, I’m trying to teach my youngest daughter Courtney and for two months we have been towing her in the Funny Car around at the shop at home, just so she can learn the visuals,” Force said. “We finally started her in the car and all went really well because she drove Super Comp and A-Fuel. All I did, this wasn’t a race, this wasn’t a test session, there was nobody here in the parking lot except my crew and there was a few people out here because they dug the track up. I just didn’t think anything about it, putting it on the ground, to let her back it up and come forward to teach her how to stage it and lift the body and the process. So, when we do take her out there, she knew it.”