ASHLEY FORCE TICKLED PINK FOR INDY
Sat, 2008-08-23 12:28
The special-edition Castrol GTX Ford Mustang in which Ashley Force this
week will try to become the first woman to win a Funny 
Car title at the
Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, the world's oldest, largest, and most
prestigious drag racing event, definitely is pretty in pink.
Nevertheless, rivals aren't likely to be fooled by the distinctive paint that celebrates the 25-year-old's 2007 rookie-of-the-year season.
That's because they know that beneath the feminine facade beats the mechanical heart of one of the world's most potent race cars, one in which Force not only became the first woman in drag racing history to win an NHRA Funny Car race, but also the first to reach a final round, the first to lead the points, and the first to earn a starting berth in NHRA's Countdown to 1.
The graduate of Cal State, Fullerton picked the color for the car. For her, it recalls an era of empowerment for women in drag racing, an era in which Shirley Muldowney's hot pink Top Fuel dragster shook the very foundation of the sport. The special-edition Castrol GTX Ford Mustang in which Ashley Force this week will try to become the first woman to win a FunnyCar title at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, the world's oldest, largest, and most prestigious drag racing event, definitely is pretty in pink.
Nevertheless, rivals aren't likely to be fooled by the distinctive paint that celebrates the 25-year-old's 2007 rookie-of-the-year season.
That's because they know that beneath the feminine facade beats the mechanical heart of one of the world's most potent race cars, one in which Force not only became the first woman in drag racing history to win an NHRA Funny Car race, but also the first to reach a final round, the first to lead the points, and the first to earn a starting berth in NHRA's Countdown to 1.
The graduate of Cal State, Fullerton picked the color for the car. For her, it recalls an era of empowerment for women in drag racing, an era in which Shirley Muldowney's hot pink Top Fuel dragster shook the very foundation of the sport.
"This is my first specialty car," she said, "and I love the color pink. I asked my team about having a pink car since it's their rookie of the year car as much as it is mine, but they were fine with it. They actually thought it would be intimidating since, while they will never admit it, most guys don't want to lose to a girl much less a girl in a pink race car.
"There will never be another rookie-of-the-year car for me, and I'll only race it one time, so that will be doubly special," she said.
As a youngster, Force was inspired by Muldowney, who, after becoming the first woman licensed to drive in Top Fuel, won world championships in 1977, 1980, and 1982.
"When we went to the races with my mom, we always wanted Dad to win, but I used to cheer for Shirley and the other girls in racing, too. They were an inspiration just like I hope I can be to girls from this generation."
In her second season, Force has begun to come into her own, and that has led to a not-so-subtle change in perception among race fans.
Whereas she once was identified solely as "John Force's daughter," more often, people who gather around the John Force Racing compound point to the elder Force signing autographs next door and identify him as "Ashley's dad."
John characterizes it as "a changing of the guard." At 59, the 14-time world champion acknowledges that he is in the twilight of his career. Nevertheless, he has said he will continue to race vicariously through Ashley and her younger sisters, Brittany, 22, and Courtney, 20, who also are competing at O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis, though not in Funny Car.
"Our car has been running good," Force said of her Dean Antonelli- and Ron Douglas-prepared Ford. "It just hasn't happened for us on race day, at least not lately. We just have to keep doing what we're doing. If we stay consistent like we've been, it'll come back around."
A winner in April in Atlanta, where she beat her famous father in the final round of the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals, Froce was runner-up at two races and started from the No. 1 qualifying position at two of the last three races.
Car title at the
Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, the world's oldest, largest, and most
prestigious drag racing event, definitely is pretty in pink.Nevertheless, rivals aren't likely to be fooled by the distinctive paint that celebrates the 25-year-old's 2007 rookie-of-the-year season.
That's because they know that beneath the feminine facade beats the mechanical heart of one of the world's most potent race cars, one in which Force not only became the first woman in drag racing history to win an NHRA Funny Car race, but also the first to reach a final round, the first to lead the points, and the first to earn a starting berth in NHRA's Countdown to 1.
The graduate of Cal State, Fullerton picked the color for the car. For her, it recalls an era of empowerment for women in drag racing, an era in which Shirley Muldowney's hot pink Top Fuel dragster shook the very foundation of the sport. The special-edition Castrol GTX Ford Mustang in which Ashley Force this week will try to become the first woman to win a Funny
Car title at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, the world's oldest, largest, and most prestigious drag racing event, definitely is pretty in pink.Nevertheless, rivals aren't likely to be fooled by the distinctive paint that celebrates the 25-year-old's 2007 rookie-of-the-year season.
That's because they know that beneath the feminine facade beats the mechanical heart of one of the world's most potent race cars, one in which Force not only became the first woman in drag racing history to win an NHRA Funny Car race, but also the first to reach a final round, the first to lead the points, and the first to earn a starting berth in NHRA's Countdown to 1.
The graduate of Cal State, Fullerton picked the color for the car. For her, it recalls an era of empowerment for women in drag racing, an era in which Shirley Muldowney's hot pink Top Fuel dragster shook the very foundation of the sport.
"This is my first specialty car," she said, "and I love the color pink. I asked my team about having a pink car since it's their rookie of the year car as much as it is mine, but they were fine with it. They actually thought it would be intimidating since, while they will never admit it, most guys don't want to lose to a girl much less a girl in a pink race car.
"There will never be another rookie-of-the-year car for me, and I'll only race it one time, so that will be doubly special," she said.
As a youngster, Force was inspired by Muldowney, who, after becoming the first woman licensed to drive in Top Fuel, won world championships in 1977, 1980, and 1982.
"When we went to the races with my mom, we always wanted Dad to win, but I used to cheer for Shirley and the other girls in racing, too. They were an inspiration just like I hope I can be to girls from this generation."
In her second season, Force has begun to come into her own, and that has led to a not-so-subtle change in perception among race fans.
Whereas she once was identified solely as "John Force's daughter," more often, people who gather around the John Force Racing compound point to the elder Force signing autographs next door and identify him as "Ashley's dad."
John characterizes it as "a changing of the guard." At 59, the 14-time world champion acknowledges that he is in the twilight of his career. Nevertheless, he has said he will continue to race vicariously through Ashley and her younger sisters, Brittany, 22, and Courtney, 20, who also are competing at O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis, though not in Funny Car.
"Our car has been running good," Force said of her Dean Antonelli- and Ron Douglas-prepared Ford. "It just hasn't happened for us on race day, at least not lately. We just have to keep doing what we're doing. If we stay consistent like we've been, it'll come back around."
A winner in April in Atlanta, where she beat her famous father in the final round of the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals, Froce was runner-up at two races and started from the No. 1 qualifying position at two of the last three races.
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