At 61 years of age, John Force is in the toughest fight of his racing career as he battles for a 15th career NHRA Funny Car title.

Force assures he is up to the challenge inside the race car, but in his mind there is an equally tough battle raging on. In order to hoist the 15th trophy of his career, Force must best his daughter, his son-in-law, and in his own words, “two of the nicest guys; Beckman and Hagan. Just the best guys!”

While Force shows a softer side of his competitive spirit, it doesn't take much to jolt him back into a “killer” mode.

“I have to keep my mind right,” admits Force, who agrees he has to keep his objectives in focus. “You have to stay focused. You have to keep in that fighting mode.

At 61 years of age, John Force is in the toughest fight of his racing career as he battles for a 15th career NHRA Funny Car title.

Force assures he is up to the challenge inside the race car, but in his mind there is an equally tough battle raging on. In order to hoist the 15th trophy of his career, Force must best his daughter, his son-in-law, and in his own words, “two of the nicest guys; Beckman and Hagan. Just the best guys!”

While Force shows a softer side of his competitive spirit, it doesn't take much to jolt him back into a “killer” mode.

“I have to keep my mind right,” admits Force, who agrees he has to keep his objectives in focus. “You have to stay focused. You have to keep in that fighting mode.

“I know Ashley is fighting for (this title) and I know her mother would love to see her get it, but I am fighting for it too and that's where I am going. I may not get another chance.”

Almost three years after his near fatal accident in Dallas, Force is still in recovery mode. He has a regimen which is critical to his maintaining his fighting form. He also has at least one injury from his youth which threatens to derail his career.

“I think my health is back to where I can drive,” explained Force. “I have been worried a few times. (Doctors) have talked about another surgery on my knee, because I can't run. I can't go 4.2 (minutes) on a treadmill. Once it goes from a real fast walk, that's a sweat, but once it becomes a run the knee doesn't last three minutes and I am in pain.”

Doctors have talked to Force about fixing the knee with surgery to cure damage which dates all the way back to his football days in high school. Force's suffered knee problems from a bout with polio as a kid, and then blew it out while playing high school football. At that time, with his family unable to afford the surgery to fix the problems, Force wore a special brace until the knee was healed enough to support normal activity.

Several years later, Force damaged the knee further when, while at a drag strip in El Paso, he jumped out of a trailer. At that time, Force has arthroscopic surgery to repair it. Force showed up the next weekend at Gainesville wearing a special knee brace and remembers during the first burnout, “I couldn't get off the throttle. So, they had to build a stirrup to help me.

“But, I wasn't winning championships in those days.”

After his accident in Dallas, doctors ask him if he was aware of how much damage had been done to his knee over the years and to fix it wasn't going to be just minor surgery.

“They told me they would have to take pieces from other parts of my body to re-attach the muscles, tendons, ligaments to give you strength again; but it could go bad and if it goes bad you could lose your knee permanently.”

Force immediately nixed any thought of going under the knife. He would use exercise and willpower to overcome the issues.

“Now,” added Force, “It seems to be getting worse. So, I am saying, 'maybe I will do it.' So, if I was to win a championship I might go under the knife. I might go in and say, 'let's take the chance.'”

Into his sixth decade of life, Force is realizing opportunities are not nearly as boundless as they were 20, over even 10 years ago.

“I might never get another chance,” Force candidly admits. “I had a great run. But, at the end of the day I am in better shape now then I was at 40 and I am 61.”

The difference now is Force has to work a lot harder just to maintain the gains. In the gym at his hotel Thursday night, Force remembers being so tired he just sat down. “Antron Brown came by and looked in and asked, “what are you doing?” I was exhausted and I got back up and started exercising again.”

Force, who says he needs to be in the gym working out at least every other day, knows time is running short on his famed career. It could go another year or another five years, but he feels the time to strike is now; right now.

“I wish there were three championships to win. Robert wants to repeat. Ashley wants her first and I want my 15th. It's not even about a 15th title; I believe if I stay like I am I could race another ten years. But, I am deteriorating, and the knee is the biggest problem, or I may just not have a car that will go next year. How many opportunities do you get at 61?”

Amazingly, it takes Force more than a few words to admit winning another NHRA Full Throttle Funny Car Championship would be personally satisfying. He lists his grandchild, his children, his wife, his sponsors, his employees and the fans before he grudgingly admits “truthfully, I want to show myself. The nights I have cried in the gym, like I am crying now; I want to show myself that I can still win a title.”

{source}
<div style="float:left; padding:5px;">
<script type="text/javascript">
sr_adspace_id = 2000000613807;
sr_adspace_width = 300;
sr_adspace_height = 250;
sr_ad_new_window = true;
sr_adspace_type = "graphic";
</script>
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://ad.afy11.net/srad.js?azId=2000000613807">
</script></div>

<div style="padding:5px;"><script type="text/javascript">
google_ad_client = "pub-8044869477733334";
/* 300x250, created 4/3/09 */
google_ad_slot = "2028912167";
google_ad_width = 300;
google_ad_height = 250;
</script>
<script src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
</div>{/source}