Bio
Although a majority of her accolades last season came away from the track (including her coronation as AOL sports Hottest Athletes (a designation earned at the expense of New England Patriot’s quarterback Tom Brady), the 25-year-old daughter of drag racing icon John Force showed enough promise at the wheel of the Castrol GTXAA® Ford Mustang to win the Automobile Club of Southern California’s Road to the Future Award as the Rookie-of-the-Year in the NHRA POWERade pro series.
Based on what she initially learned in the harnesses of one of the world’s most powerful race cars, one capable of zero-to-330 mile-an-hour acceleration in just 4.6 seconds, the Cal State-Fullerton graduate is optimistic about a sophomore season in which she hopes to build on 2007 success that included a runner-up finish in the ACDelco Nationals at Las Vegas, Nev.
In between appearances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and ABC’s Good Morning, America, photo shoots for ESPN The Magazine, Men’s Journal, Men’s Fitness and Penthouse (in full firesuit, by the way) and work as a spokesperson for the Auto Club, Oakley, BrandSource and Ford Motor Co., Ms. Force proved last season to be more than just another pretty face.
Q & A
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When did you turn pro?
Funny Car in 2007
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What are the events, wins, memories that stand out most throughout your career so far?
I’ve been lucky to have some really big wins in my career including back to back Indy wins in funny car, and winning the same event with my dad at our home track in Pomona at the final race of the 2004 season. However one of my favorite wins, for whatever reason, was winning Houston, Texas in 2009. Every round was a tough one, yet we just kept moving along. I remember it was a beautiful day, and my team and I were just really having fun. We weren’t nervous or stressed, just enjoying ourselves and ended up getting to celebrate in the winner’s circle (followed by a win dinner at Hooter’s of course!)
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If there’s one thing that people in the industry would recognize you by, what would that be?
My father is John Force, 15X Funny Car Champion, and one of the winningest drivers in motorsports. He has been competing for my entire life yet is still very competitive and the current Champion.
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Word Association:
Fun= Christmas time Vision= crucial to my career Friend= my sisters Foe= Try not to have them Greenhouse= vegetable garden (we are growing chili peppers in the backyard!) Gas= bad airport food
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When did you first start riding/racing? Where/why?
For my 16th birthday I got to go to Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing school in Pomona, CA. I raced a Super Comp dragster at 150 miles per hour, and that is where it all started. I grew up around drag racing so it’s been a part of my life since I was in my mom’s womb while she mixed fuel and backed up the car. It’s in the blood!
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What drives you to be sicker than everyone else?
I’m a competitive person, and I really enjoy getting to be a part of a team. There is strength in numbers, and I believe I have the best team in drag racing-we are friends, and we are also serious about what we do. We support each other through the good days and the bad and that makes for a strong team. They motivate me to always try to improve and enjoy the journey.
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If you weren’t ripping on the track or dirt, what kind of menial task would you want to do?
I love movie trailers/previews, and always wanted to make them. My college counselor said that wasn’t a job so I moved on. I just found out a few years ago from the producer of our reality show, Driving Force, that it IS a job!
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If you had to date one person who would it be: Pamela Anderson after Tommy Lee, Snookie from Jersey Shore or your mom in the past like Michael J. Fox from Back to the Future?
I’d become a nun.
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Tell me a funny story about an Oakley rider/driver...(We’ll never tell)
This ironically also falls under silly bathroom humor. Last year during our Sonoma event, we stayed in a motor home at the track and were parked next to Ron Capps and his family. Saturday night before the race we noticed they were celebrating a birthday. Knowing Ron was my first round opponent the next day, I sent over a LARGE can of beans as a birthday gift hoping they might hit Sunday, oh around 11am. I think he beat me anyways which proves Karma will come back to bite you!
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If you had to share a bathroom with one Oakley rider/driver, who would it NOT be and why?
Ron Capps seems like a jokester, so I would NOT want to share a bathroom with him. Lord knows what kind of pranks he would pull on me!
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Talent…other than doing no handed pushups:
I can hear a song, and figure out how to play it on the piano. I know this will not help me in any way in my life, but it’s still a talent, right?
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Your Favorite…(Start with your favorite music artist or something):
Favorite movie- Trapped in Paradise Favorite TV Show- CSI Las Vegas, Grey’s Anatomy, Favorite Food- Chinese food, Favorite beverage- Coca Cola Favorite place- Lake Tahoe
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Oakleys are…
stylish and do their job (protect from sun and race track crap!)
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Best song to race to:
‘Adrenaline’ by Bush
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First thing you do when you get back from a trip is…
See what my two cats got in to when I was gone (they’ve eaten my yoga ball, got stuck behind our bar wall unit, got into the Halloween candy and knocked a little glass vile of gold I mined as a kid off the shelf, and ate the gold.)
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A lot of riders never get to go to Prom, did you go, who did you take or who would you ask if you could go today?
I didn’t want to go with anyone I knew, so while eating lunch with a girl friend at Lampost Pizza I asked the waiter since he was cute and he said yes. Then I had to get approvals from the school because he was older!
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What is something that you wouldn't normally tell someone about yourself?
I’m actually not a very social person. I’m kind of a loner…unless margarita’s are involved- then I’ll talk to anyone!
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Fist pumping? Head Banging? C-Walking? Or Funky Chicken? Which one? Or all of the above?
The fact that I don’t know what this question is asking answers the question (is this how we celebrate? How we dance?)
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Dream vacation spot:
Tahiti- in a little hut over the water…with no bugs
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Would you rather get punched in the gut by Mr. T. or super roundhouse kicked in the face by Chuck Norris?
The fact that I was about to get into it with either of these people, I’d probably already have passed out from fear. Though I did get in a few fights with boys as a kid. I got the wind knocked out of me by one, and I slapped a guy in high school for being crude. He had a welt across his face until 7th period! Bring it on Chuck!
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If the most interesting man in the world wanted to take you out would you let him?
Is this the guy in those Dos Equis beer commercials? He can take me AND my hubby out! He’s cool.
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People would be super surprised if they knew that you…
I am deathly afraid of trains. I saw Fried Green Tomatoes at a young age and never recovered.
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What tricks are you working on?
I’m giving birth in 5 weeks so I’m working on my breathing and lunges :)
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You’ve been mistaken for…
Other female drag racers. It’s really interesting when people do this when I’m standing on the starting line and that girl is actually in her car about to run. Sometimes I wonder about people…
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Food…
Sure! I’m pregnant- is that a trick question?
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Last words…
Oakley rocks!
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