Drag Illustrated Issue 118, February 2017 | Page 103

TheHOTTEST2017 ADVANCING FORWARD Courtney Force I t doesn’t seem possible that Courtney Force already has 121 races under her belt and is entering her sixth sea- son in Funny Car. But what’s not hard to believe is the continued impact Force has on younger fans. Pick any race on the NHRA tour and Force’s pit area will be packed with an adoring crowd. But check the demographic and you’re likely to find it skews younger and more gender-bal- anced. It’s not something lost on Force, who is Funny Car’s all-time winningest female and had the unique distinction of earning the 100 th win by a female driver in NHRA competition. She takes the responsibility of female ambassador-slash-role model serious- ly, determined to make an impact with young female fans in any way she can, even if it stretches outside of racing. “As a female in a male-dominated sport, it feels good to show other females that you’re capable of anything,” Force said. “I’ve picked up eight wins so far in my career, and it’s made me a stronger person and more motivated to go out there and do well, especially against all these guys. But, really, it’s about showing all these young girls they can do any- thing. “I’ve had some come up to me at the ropes, and it’s very encouraging knowing that there are young girls who look up to me and have told me they want to grow up to be a race car driver like me. And they told me they didn’t know it was possible that girls could drive these cars until they saw me drive it. That’s definitely encouraging. I have the same type of story of when I grew up, watching females race. It’s not just me; it’s all the females in our sport setting a good example for the young ones who are interested in doing what we do.” Force, though, continues to prove she has plen- ty of substance to back up the inspiring messages. Sure, she has the celebrity, has been featured on the cover of ESPN’s Body Issue, and even the famous husband – IndyCar standout Graham Rahal – but Force is still driven by on-track success. That’s why a world championship, which has eluded her during the first five years of her Funny Car career, remains a major motivation. “For myself as a driver, I’ll keep push- ing myself harder to get better at driving, to get better at reaction times,” Force promised. “Every pass we make out there, you learn something new. I still don’t consider myself a veteran, but I definite- ly have fun and love what I do. I think we have a championship-winning team. To be in the seat in that car, knowing the consistency we’ve built makes me feel good. My focus is definitely for that championship, and I feel confident in saying that because of the team, the crew chiefs and the car we currently have.” Courtney, the youngest of Funny Car legend John Force’s daughters, impressed in 2017 preseason testing, running a 3.804-second elapsed time at 333.33 mph, unofficially the quickest run in Funny Car history. Her new-look Advance Auto Parts Camaro continued the strong performances once the season started, advancing to the final round in Pomona and laying down an official career-best 3.838 at 332.67 mph in Phoenix at the second race. Combined, it’s a clear indication that the best may be yet to come for Force. “You can’t win every time, but knowing we have a quick race car makes you feel more confident,” Force pointed out. “I know we’ve got a good car through two races; we just didn’t show it in the first round in Phoenix. But I definitely think we’ve got a good setup.” - JOSH HACHAT DI DI DI DI DI DI DI DI DI DI D r a g Il l u s t r a t e d . c o m 103 Dr ag Illustr ated