BRITTANY FORCE Steps Away From NHRA Top Fuel at Peak to Start Family

November 15, 2025

• BRITTANY FORCE, drag racing’s most accomplished woman with 19 career wins and two NHRA Top Fuel championships, is stepping away from racing at 39 to start a family with husband Bobby Lyons. The “Queen of Speed” who holds the NHRA speed record at 343.51 mph made the difficult choice between continuing her dominant career and expanding her family – a crossroads that male drivers rarely face with the same urgency.
• Her sister ASHLEY FORCE, who also retired from Funny Car racing in 2011 when expecting her first child, speaks candidly about the impossible choices women in motorsports face. “We don’t have that luxury like men do in this sport,” BRITTANY explains, echoing the sentiment Serena Williams expressed about choosing between career and family. The demanding nature of Top Fuel racing – pulling 6-7 G’s in four seconds – requires complete dedication that’s difficult to balance with motherhood.
• BRITTANY’S impact extends far beyond her record-breaking performances and speed achievements. Teammate Jack Beckman witnesses young girls’ reactions at autograph sessions: “Their eyes light up when they see her… what happens in that instant is they’re like, ‘I can do whatever I want to do.'” From a 6-year-old who discovered women could drive race cars by watching SHIRLEY MULDOWNEY to becoming the inspiration for the next generation, BRITTANY has opened doors that can never be closed again.

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