Force, who has won more races (126), more championships and more rounds (1,024) than anyone in history, hasn't fired a shot since the NHRA opted, three years ago, to add the Summit Nationals to its schedule.

A 2008 inductee into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America, Force started his Castrol GTXR High MileageT Ford Mustang from the No. 12 and No. 10 positions in his first two Summit Nationals starts. On both occasions, he was a spectator by noon, losing in the first round to Jack Beckman in 2007 and Del Worsham a year ago.

Although he considers his anemic performance an embarrassment, the 60-year-old icon also believes he has a chance this year to give the folks in "his" grandstand something more to talk about than just the track's pound of ice cream promotion.

"We're getting better," Force said. "New chassis, new engine, new clutch, new rules. Everything's different than it was before Eric's crash (a fatal testing accident in March, 2007), my crash (September, 2007, at Dallas, Texas) and Scotty Kalitta's (June, 2008, at Englishtown, N.J.).

"Some have been able to adjust a little quicker, but some, like us, have struggled. We're a lot better than we were a year ago, but we're not where we want to be yet. Every week, I think we're going to turn the corner. Maybe this is the week."

Force currently occupies the No. 8 position in Funny Car points but is less than a round ahead of reigning series champion Cruz Pedregon and Rookie-of-the-Year contender Matt Hagan.

"I've fought with my guys off and on this year," Force said of the frustration that has mounted during the longest stretch of his career in which he has failed to reach an NHRA final round (25 straight events).

"I'm so used to winning that I tend to get kind of panicked (when we're struggling)," he said. "We've won 15 championships (as a team) and it wasn't all me, trust me. (My crew is) the best and that's what I told them when I apologized for the way I've been acting.

"They really dug into their hot rods and they're finding stuff (that needed to be addressed) from body tin to chassis flex to clutches everything you can imagine. We've had seasons where we were off two or three months, even six months, but not this far off, but I can see it starting to turn around."

Although his qualifying effort has improved dramatically from 2008, when he failed to qualify for a career high four events including the biggest race in the sport, the Labor Day Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis, Ind., Force has not yet been able to string together the three-or-four solid runs necessary to get him to the winners' circle.

Since winning last year at Topeka, Kan., Force has advanced to the semifinals five times, but hasn't been able to go any further. He hopes to change that Sunday.

"We've got a great history with the Bader family," he said. "This would be a great race to win."

At Summit Motorsports Park:
- John has been a fixture at the track's independently-produced "Night Under Fire" event for 14 years. He'll return for the 32nd renewal on Aug. 1 with another "theme car," this one an updated version of "The Nightstalker" Ford Mustang he drove early - and briefly - in his career. As usual, 1/25 scale replicas of the car will be available for sale during the event along with other JFR team collectibles.
- In recognition of John's lengthy relationship with the Bader family and the racetrack, the primary grandstand at Summit Motorsports Park bears his name.

Did You Know?
- John is trying to extend to a record-setting 23 the number of consecutive seasons in which he has won at least one NHRA tour event. He currently shares that record with Warren Johnson.
- John hasn't qualified No. 1 since Sept. 1, 2006. That's 62 races, the longest drought of his career.

Force and Coil:
- Over the 25 years they have been together, John Force and Austin Coil have gone to the final round in 198 of 476 NHRA events (41.6 per cent).
- Force and Coil were winless in their first 31 races together, finally earning a breakthrough win on June 28, 1987 at Montreal, Canada.
- En route to 14 NHRA championships and 126 tour victories, there have been three constants - Force, Coil and Castrol.

http://www.johnforceracing.com
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Courtesy of Dave Densmore