Ashley prevails in full-Force final run

On the day racing legend John Force was going for his 1,000th round victory in his 500th career event, he was beaten by a woman. His daughter.

Ashley Force faced off against her famous drag racing dad in the final round of the 28th Summit Racing Equipment Southern Nationals Sunday in Atlanta and became the first woman in National Hot Rod Assn. history to win in the sport’s marquee funny car class.

With her victory, Force, 25, remained in the lead in the Powerade Drag Racing standings by 59 points through six events. She has reached the final round in the last three races but was conflicted about having to face the sport’s winningest driver. It was John’s first final round since the horrifying crash last season that nearly ended his career.

“This is why I chose funny car, to race him,” said Ashley, who lives in Anaheim Hills just a short distance from the John Force Racing shop in Yorba Linda. “My whole life, I’ve always been rooting him on and been excited to have him win. It’s strange to not be rooting for him.

“It’s the most relieving day of my career, just to have it be done and be able to enjoy it with my team. We’re excited we finally got here, and we hope to have many more. . . . I’m not screaming and jumping up and down because I think I’m a little overwhelmed right now. A lot’s going on. I can’t believe this is happening.”

Atlanta Dragway is the same site where Ashley had beaten John last year in their first race against each other. As they pulled to the starting line, they were told to shut down their 7,000-horsepower engines because of rain. After about a 20-minute delay, they got down to business.

Ashley’s Dean Antonelli-tuned Ford Mustang clocked 4.837 seconds at 320.36 mph over the quarter mile. John spun the tires at the start and was never a factor. She would have been tough to beat anyway because her time was the second-quickest of the day.

“This was my proudest day ever,” said John Force, who owns four teams. “I didn’t win, but it was the greatest win I’ve ever had, watching her.”

John Force, with 125 career victories, can win his 1,000th round this coming Sunday in St. Louis on his 59th birthday. He didn’t win a pro race until his 75th event, in 1987.

Ashley had qualified 11th in her 27th professional event and defeated Del Worsham, Jim Head and Ron Capps to reach the final round. Her toughest victory came in Round 2 against Head, when she pulled the car back into the groove and clocked 4.945 seconds at 261.67 mph to nip hard-charging Head’s 4.996. She had made a solo run against Worsham, who broke at the starting line, and neither Capps nor John Force got down the track cleanly. Three of her four runs were below 4.9 seconds.

“She’s so gifted,” said Antonelli, Ashley’s crew chief. “Her dad’s blood definitely runs through her veins because she’s a ham in front of the camera and she can wheel this car like anybody out here.”

It is the second week in a row a woman had a historic racing victory. Danica Patrick, 26, became the first woman to win an IndyCar Series race with a victory in Motegi, Japan, in her 50th race. Patrick finished 19th Sunday at Kansas Speedway. Force did it in about half the time, her 27th race.

The NHRA has had female winners and champions in its top fuel and pro stock motorcycle classes, but not even a finalist in funny car until Ashley Force debuted last season. Eleven women have competed in the class.

In top fuel, Shirley Muldowney won 18 times and three championships; Shelley Anderson and Lori Johns won four events; Melanie Troxel won three; and Lucille Lee and Cristen Powell one each. Angelle Sampey has won 41 times and three pro stock motorcycle championships.

Henderson reported from Los Angeles.

--

martin.henderson@latimes.com