Courtney Force

Courtney Force became the winningest female Funny Car driver in NHRA history before stepping away from driving at age 30 to explore the next chapter of her life—a decision that shocked fans but reflected her characteristic thoughtfulness and determination.

EARLY YEARS

Born around 1989 in Yorba Linda, California, Courtney grew up in drag racing royalty. Her father, John Force, is a 16-time NHRA Funny Car world champion and owner of John Force Racing, while her sisters Ashley and Brittany both raced professionally—Brittany claiming the 2017 NHRA Top Fuel championship. The Force family became NHRA’s answer to NASCAR’s Earnhardts and Allisons: a dynasty built on nitromethane, noise, and an almost pathological need for speed.

From her earliest memories, Courtney dreamed of piloting a Funny Car and competing against her father. Not alongside him—against him. It was the kind of ambition that sounds sweet until you realize she was talking about hurling an 11,000-horsepower missile down a quarter-mile at over 330 mph while trying to beat the most decorated driver in the sport’s history. Growing up on the race track wasn’t just her childhood; it was her education, her social life, and her future all rolled into one smoky, ear-splitting package.

Before trading her pom-poms for parachutes, Force was a cheerleader at Esperanza High School—proof that you can absolutely be both perky and terrifying, depending on the context. At 16, she made the leap from Friday night football games to legitimate drag racing, starting in Super Comp dragsters and Top Alcohol dragsters. While most teenagers were figuring out parallel parking, she was learning to manage a vehicle that could cover the length of a football field in less time than it takes to sneeze.

OTHER INTERESTS

Outside of racing, the public record on Courtney’s hobbies is frustratingly sparse—either she’s intensely private or genuinely spent every waking moment thinking about elapsed times and reaction lights. What we do know is that she trained at Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School, where she sharpened the technical skills that would eventually make her one of the most consistent drivers in the Funny Car class. Beyond that, her interests remained largely behind the scenes, overshadowed by a professional life lived almost entirely in the public eye and at speeds that make commercial airplanes look lazy.

EARLY SUCCESS

Force made her professional NHRA debut in 2012, stepping into the Funny Car category with the kind of pressure that would flatten most rookies. Racing for her father’s team meant every run was scrutinized, every mistake magnified, and every win attributed—at least partially—to family connections rather than raw talent. She handled it with the kind of grace that suggested she’d been preparing for exactly this her entire life.

Over seven professional seasons from 2012 to 2018, she racked up 12 NHRA Funny Car wins across 167 races—a winning percentage that established her as a legitimate threat, not just a feel-good story. She reached 28 final rounds, finishing runner-up 17 times and making it to the semifinals 29 times. More impressively, she qualified in the No. 1 position 28 times, including 11 times in 2018 alone—just two shy of the class record. Her career-best elapsed time of 3.815 seconds and top speed of 338.85 mph weren’t just numbers; they were evidence that she belonged in the conversation with anyone piloting a Funny Car.

Perhaps the most telling statistic: she finished in the top 10 of the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series standings in six of her seven professional seasons, with a career-best sixth-place finish in 2018. That kind of consistency doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because you’ve mastered the intangibles—reaction time, timing, mental toughness—that separate pretty good from legitimately great.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 2012: Made professional NHRA Funny Car debut with John Force Racing.
• 2012-2018: Secured 12 NHRA Funny Car wins over seven professional seasons, becoming the winningest female Funny Car driver in NHRA history.
• 2012-2018: Earned No. 1 qualifier position 28 times across career, including 11 in 2018 season alone.
• 2012-2018: Finished in top 10 of NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series standings in six of seven professional seasons.
• 2018: Achieved career-best sixth-place finish in series standings and led points after seven events.
• 2018: Recorded four wins including second victory of season at Atlanta Dragway.
• Career: Posted career-best elapsed time of 3.815 seconds and career-best speed of 338.85 mph.
• Career: Competed against father John Force with 13-16 head-to-head record.

INSPIRATIONS

Her primary inspiration was obvious and unavoidable: John Force. From childhood, she’d dreamed of racing against him, and she got her wish—though she admitted the reality came with a 13-16 career record in their head-to-head matchups. Still, the fact that she competed against a 16-time champion and held her own says everything about how far she’d come.

Her family provided not just inspiration but infrastructure. Racing for John Force Racing meant access to world-class equipment, crew chiefs, and technical support, but it also meant living under constant comparison to her father’s legend and her sisters’ accomplishments. Ashley had already paved the way as a female racer in the family, and Brittany’s 2017 Top Fuel championship raised the bar even higher. The Force sisters didn’t just support each other—they pushed each other to be better, faster, and tougher.

REPUTATION

Courtney earned a reputation for being humble, respectful, thoughtful, and determined—qualities that don’t always get headlines but absolutely get noticed in the pits. Competitors pushed her to improve, and she responded by becoming one of the most consistent drivers in the class. Her consistency wasn’t flashy, but it was the kind of thing that wins championships and earns respect from people who know what they’re watching.

When she announced her decision to step away from driving in January 2019, the response was telling. Her sister Brittany noted that sponsor Advance Auto Parts had “exceeded expectations when working with Courtney, building her as their brand ambassador”—a comment that highlighted not just her on-track performance but her professionalism and marketability off it. The media coverage was universally positive, focusing on her status as the winningest female Funny Car driver and the grace with which she’d handled the pressures of racing in a family dynasty.

Force herself was characteristically thoughtful in her final statement as a driver: “I am so thankful that I have had the opportunity to have such a successful career at John Force Racing and the privilege of working with so many incredible people while racing against competitors who pushed me to be a better driver.” It was the kind of quote that reflected who she’d been throughout her career—grateful, grounded, and genuinely appreciative of the opportunities she’d been given, even as she’d worked relentlessly to prove she deserved them.

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

On January 24, 2019, Courtney announced she was stepping away from driving duties, effective immediately. It wasn’t framed as retirement—she was careful about that—but as a “personal choice” to explore the next chapter of her life while spending more time with family. She’s married to IndyCar driver Graham Rahal, and their demanding schedules had kept them apart for much of the racing season. The decision suggested that after seven years of piloting an 11,000-horsepower Funny Car at speeds that defy common sense, she was ready to see what life looked like at a more reasonable velocity.

She made clear her intention to “remain involved in the industry I love and continue to work with a few select partners” moving forward, maintaining ties to John Force Racing and supporting her teammates. What exactly that involvement looks like remains her business, but given her track record of thoughtfulness and determination, it’s safe to assume whatever comes next will be handled with the same professionalism and grace that defined her driving career. Some racers leave the sport because they have to. Courtney left because she wanted to—and that might be the most badass move of all.

References:

John Force Racing Official Announcement, January 24, 2019
ESPN: Courtney Force Steps Away from NHRA, January 2019
The Drive: Courtney Force Retires from NHRA Drag Racing, January 2019
The Podium Finish Interview with Courtney Force, 2018
Los Angeles Times: Courtney Force Profile, June 24, 2013
Advance Auto Parts: Let’s Meet Funny Car Driver Courtney Force
John Force Racing Fan Site Biography