Busy John Force
(A Candid Interview)
"You have to be a great loser to be a great winner."
Photos by Gary Larsen and Dwight Drum
Web-work by Gary Larsen
Story and questions by Dwight Drum
I recently prepared questions for my fourth interview with John Force at the Mac Tools NHRA POWERade Gatornationals. We arrived in Gainesville the night before the race and sought food at the popular Gainesville Alehouse. I bumped into Force at the restaurant and mentioned the newest interview. Force is cordial and accessible even in private moments like dinner. When I returned to my seat I decided to buy dinner for Force, Densham and a crew member seated several rows away.
The Alehouse is full of NHRA racing team members during the Gatornationals prompting many networking opportunities. When I returned to my seat from a business chat about an hour later I was surprised to see John Force talking to Webmaster Gary Larsen. Force went out of his way to personally thank me. His presence drew hundreds of eyes from Alehouse patrons as they seemed to take on the appearance of an audience.
I explained to Force that the dinner was a simple courtesy. After our first interview with Force everything got easier for us. Big team NHRA and NASCAR press releases came in. Big name interviews followed. I thanked John for that. I also mentioned that I've interviewed more than 300 drivers, owners and crew chiefs in the past five years and whenever I mention John Force I show credibility that creates curiosity. Fans always want to know about John Force, but it's no surprise to me that many drivers want to know more about John Force.
Knowing more about Force happens fast when questions are posed. Join a busy John Force as he answered my newest questions while signing autographs for a crowd of fans.
Force's brain is as swift as his Funny car. The first question below I devised especially for him, a question I'd be hesitant to answer myself. Force ripped off a great answer as if he were launching at the tree.
Let me take you to a forest where the trees don't know John force. The air is fresh, the ground moist. You feel the privacy. In a private moment like that, what does the world need to know about John Force that's important to John?
"That the tree that has my type of personality is a weeping willow, because if there was nobody there to see me...no fans...I'd be a weeping willow."
More Questions to John Force by Dwight:
You seem to have fun even when you don't win. When did drag racing start being fun for you?
"Drag racing has always been fun for me."
Drive is more than a "D" on a steering column. Drive is more than shifting gears. Can you describe the drive within you?
"I've always been very competitive. I think competitiveness is inside you when you are born. I think it's hereditary."
When you get time to yourself, do you sigh, laugh, scream or prefer silence?
"I prefer silence."
It seems all champions have gritty goals. Can you define your best goals?
"Be happy, win races…take care of the fans."
Does winning soothe the emotions you had during the runs when you almost won?
"You have to be a great loser to be a great winner. I hear all the guys say I don't lose right. They all have a theory. As you learn the sport and you lose, you don't have to like losing, but you need to have to take it. That will teach you to be a better winner."
If you could give away pieces (attributes) of John Force for fans to share. What piece or attribute would you start with?
"Be true to what you do...if it's racing or whatever you do. I don't care if you are a janitor, be the best. If you're the president, be the best. That's my philosophy on life. Be the best you can. No Matter what the pay is. If you take the job, be the best at it."
If you could share all of the energy of your finest moments, what moment would you start with?
"The birth of my first daughter Adria."
What question would you most like to ask the media?
"Will you continue to keep doing a great job? (Don't screw with the media)."
You travel thousands of miles to race a quarter mile. What do the miles ahead mean to you?
"It's a journey. I'm just on journey in life. Everyone makes their own path and I'm making mine. It's not about just winning and losing. I've won twelve championships and I'm still motivated. It's about fun in life, meeting people, doing a job for the people who pay you and be fun with the team. We're on a journey. We'll never get out of here alive."
(A fan question from George Wright)
What's the physical sensation when you race past 300 mph?
"Well right now after gall bladder surgery, you hope there is no sensation when you hit the parachutes. I can only explain speed when I hit the guardrails."
Speed is not easily controlled. Why can you control speed?
"It's all in the foot."
What's the difference between a good driver and a great driver?
"A good crew chief! The guy with the most luck. The guy with the will to win. The guy who will stay out there and never give up. There are a lot of great drivers out here. They just never have the funding. Opportunity meets preparation. I was there."
Additional Comments:
"I love the show you guys put on. You get on the Internet and let everybody know what we are doing."
"I'm excited about the future of NHRA racing. I think Tom Compton has done a great job. I think POWERade is a big opportunity for us to move like NASCAR, and I thank ESPN especially for the coverage they give us. Tell the fans that we are going to continue to give them great races and be what we are paid to be…good drivers respectful for each other while taking care of the fans. That's the bottom line.
"I'm just happy to have a job in a real tough economy. With Castrol, Ford and Mac Tools bumper to bumper, they all make sure I have that opportunity.
Dwight's Additional Comment:
First: We again thank John Force and Team Force.
Next: We get abundant requests from racers seeking sponsors and frequent inquiries about how to get a sponsor. Some think you order them, but most are simply perplexed about the acquisition process. Welcome to Force 101. You have just experienced John Force demonstrating how to keep sponsors. If you can grasp all that Force says and the way he says it and at the speed he says it…your next question might be heard by a sponsor.
