When John Force, 13-time NHRA POWERade National Champion, puts on a party, everyone shows up. For the past nine years Force has been opening his Force Racing facility (located in Yorba Linda, California) to the public to celebrate the holiday season. Working with the California Highway Patrol's "ChiPs for Kids" toy drive, the admission is an unwrapped gift for a child.
This year's participants, spectators, and fans were treated to chamber of commerce weather, with sunny blue skies and mild temperatures. (The past two years Force's holiday shows were hampered by rain.) As an added bonus, each year Force invites some of his close drag-racing friends to stop by and sign autographs. A line of eager race fans wound around the building twice waiting for their favorite driver/celebrity signature. This year fans were blessed with a surprise visit from racer/designer/legend Carroll Shelby, kingpin of the Cobra and Gen I Mustang. Carroll was recently involved in the redevelopment and re-release of the '06 Ford Mustang GT program. But stay tuned to Carroll's latest venture, the Shelby CS 6 Mustang, featuring a modified V-6 engine, with a NOVI-1200 Supercharger from Paxton, producing some 350-plus horsepower.
The rest of the "Go Fast" autographers included John Force; his longtime crew chief Austin Coil; Force team drivers Eric Medlen (Castrol SYNTEC Ford) and Robert Hight (Force's son-in-law and driver of Force's Team Castrol/Automobile Club of Southern California Ford). And Team Force's next generation was there, represented by daughters Ashley, 22, (top alcohol dragster), Castrol/Mattel Hot Wheels sponsor; Brittany, 19, (super comp); and Courtney, 17, (super comp), who will be sponsored by Brand Source and compete in NHRA Division 7. Also in attendance were Brandon Bernstein, pilot of the King Budweiser Top Fuel dragster, and designer, custom car builder, and host of OVERHAULIN' Chip Foose. Also, the team from the nationally syndicated Speed Freaks radio and television shows was there. Originally, the autograph session was scheduled for two hours, but due to the tremendous turnout it was extended to four hours.
Force's enormous racing facility is surrounded by industrial complexes with a maze of side streets. Every curb was lined with colorful custom cars, trucks, and sprinkled with full-blown nostalgia dragsters (front engine), funny cars, and drag boats. Thousands strolled down memory lane, lined with predominantly early-model American Detroit iron. Timeless tunes from Mad Man Billy echoed rock 'n' roll of the past. The John Force Race Station was open for business, stocked with an overflow inventory of drag racing memorabilia. The Force race shop was also a popular attraction, giving fans guided tours of the immaculate facility.
It was a day of gifts, customs, folks, and fun. You didn't want it to end. Everyone left with lightened hearts and smiles on their faces. What a way to start the holiday season!
After the John Force gathering drew to a close, the festivities saw 1,000-plus custom cars, trucks, boats, motorcycles, and some 20,000 spectators. The "ChiPs for Kids" gift drive topped out at 10,709 gifts!
Great job, John Force, crew, and friends. A real class act!
Definitely, Two Thumbs Up!