Ashley Force

Ashley Force Hood made history as the first woman to win an NHRA Funny Car event, defeating her legendary father John Force in a dramatic father-daughter final that changed drag racing forever.

EARLY YEARS

Born November 29, 1982, in Yorba Linda, California, Ashley Corinne Force grew up breathing racing fuel and tire smoke as the second of four daughters born to 16-time NHRA Funny Car champion John Force and his wife Laurie, herself an NHRA licensed racer[1][2]. Raised in California, she wasn’t exactly destined for a quiet life—though being a varsity cheerleader at Esperanza High School did provide a brief detour from the family business[3]. While her classmates worried about prom dates, Ashley was learning machine shop skills and welding, the kind of résumé line that makes other girls jealous and boys nervous[3]. For her 16th birthday, she received what most teenagers get—except instead of car keys, her parents gave her a trip to Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School[4]. Because nothing says “Sweet Sixteen” like learning to handle 8,000 horsepower.

OTHER INTERESTS

Ashley proved she could balance books as well as she could balance a Funny Car, earning a bachelor’s degree in communications from California State University-Fullerton in 2004[5][6]. She managed the impressive feat of spending weekdays studying and weekends racing, presumably running on adrenaline and coffee like every other college student—though her study breaks involved considerably more horsepower[5]. Her degree emphasized TV and film, skills that would serve her well when the family became subjects of the reality TV series “Driving Force”[7]. She’s also known for her love of animals, particularly her American Bobtail cats Simba and Gizmo, proving that even the fastest women in motorsports appreciate something that purrs without burning nitromethane[8].

EARLY SUCCESS

Ashley launched her motorsports career in Super Comp before advancing to the professional ranks[9]. She cut her teeth in Top Alcohol Dragster, learning the craft in the sportsman categories where she became a fan favorite for her approachable personality and fierce competitiveness[10]. The progression from sportsman to the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series wasn’t just a step up—it was a rocket launch into one of the most demanding, dangerous, and male-dominated categories in all of motorsports[10]. By the time she moved into Funny Car competition in 2007, driving for John Force Racing in a Castrol GTX Ford Mustang, she had already proven she belonged[11][12]. Her early professional career wasn’t without challenges—2007 brought tragedy when teammate Eric Medlen died from injuries sustained in a testing crash, and her father suffered a devastating accident at Dallas that hospitalized him for a month[13][14]. Yet she came back, because Force women don’t quit.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 2004: Won her first NHRA event at Indianapolis in Super Comp[15].
• 2007: Voted Hottest Athlete by AOL Sports Poll, because apparently speed is sexy[16].
• 2008: Made history on April 27 at the NHRA Summit Southern Nationals in Atlanta, defeating her father John Force in the final round to become the first woman ever to win an NHRA Funny Car event[17][18]. She ran a 4.073 at 310.05 mph, and the win wasn’t just historic—it was deeply emotional after the difficult losses of 2007[19][20].
• 2008: Won her second career Funny Car victory at the O’Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals in Houston, beating Jack Beckman with a 4.122 at 306.19 mph[21][22]. Along the way she improved to 3-3 against her father in head-to-head competition[21].
• 2009: Set the record for top speed in a Funny Car at 312.13 mph[23].
• 2010: Won back-to-back at the prestigious Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis, her second consecutive victory at the sport’s biggest event[24][25]. She finished the season fourth in Funny Car points with 2,388 points[26].
• 2010: Qualified number one at Atlanta with a 4.073 at 310.05 mph[27].

INSPIRATIONS

Growing up Force meant racing wasn’t optional—it was the family language. With a father who’s a 16-time champion and a mother who held an NHRA license, Ashley had role models who showed her that women could compete at the highest levels[1][2]. The 2007 season, marked by Eric Medlen’s death and her father’s near-fatal crash, tested her resolve but ultimately strengthened it[13][19]. “That’s why we came back—because we could make it safer,” she reflected, showing the kind of determination that defined her career[13]. Racing alongside and against her father created a unique dynamic—competitive, supportive, and occasionally awkward when you have to beat your dad on national television[17][18].

REPUTATION

Ashley Force Hood was described as “a study in contradictions”—an inherently shy person who drove one of the world’s most outrageous machines[28]. She raced from 2007 to 2010, earning four career wins in the NHRA’s premier Funny Car category[29]. Fans loved her not just for being John Force’s daughter, but for carving out her own identity in a sport that doesn’t hand out participation trophies[10]. She married Daniel Hood, her crew chief at John Force Racing, in Lake Tahoe on December 13, 2008, proving that love can bloom even when covered in racing fuel[30][31]. After retiring from driving following the 2010 season, she stepped away to start a family, welcoming sons Jacob John Hood on August 18, 2011, and Noah William Hood on May 22, 2013[32][33]. Her contributions helped pave the way for future female Funny Car drivers, including her younger sisters Brittany and Courtney Force[34].

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

Ashley transitioned from the driver’s seat to the executive suite, taking on the role of Vice President of John Force Racing[35][36]. She remains deeply involved in the family business, helping guide the team that carries on the Force legacy while raising her two sons[35][36]. While she’s taken a sabbatical from driving, she hasn’t left the sport that made her a pioneer[37]. Whether she’ll return to competition remains an open question, but for now, she’s focused on shaping the future of John Force Racing from behind the scenes—which, let’s be honest, might be just as demanding as driving a Funny Car.

References:

Ashley Force Hood – Wikipedia
Ashley Force-Hood – San Diego State University
Ashley Force Born in Yorba Linda, California – November 29, 1982
Ashley Force Hood Facts for Kids
Race Car Driver Ashley Force Hood Emcees Front & Center Gala
Ashley Force on a Fast Track in Castrol GTX Ford Mustang
Ashley Force – WomenInRacing.org
Ashley Force Hood: NHRA Racing Pioneer
Force Family – John Force Racing
Ashley Force Hood Reflects on First Win Ten Years Later
TOPEKA – Ashley Force Preview
NHRA Today: Ashley Force Hood Interview
NHRA, Outlaw Drag Racing Show Signs of Safety Progress
John Force Tries Again to Tame Texas – ESPN
Indy’s Funny Car Heroes – NHRA
World’s Fastest Women Eye Countdown to the Championship
Ashley Force Hood – Famous Birthdays
Gainesville NHRA and Ashley Force-Hood – Horsepower & Heels
ATLANTA – JFR Wrap Up
Force Hood Races to Funny Car Victory
Ashley Force Hood Wins Second Funny Car Race at Houston
Ashley Force Hood Wins US Nationals
2010 NHRA Drag Racing Standings – ESPN
DALLAS – Ashley Force Hood Preview
Ashley Force-Hood – The Capital Sports Report
Ashley Force Hood Has Her New Baby! Will She Return To Racing?
20 Facts About The Force Sisters Every Racing Fan Should Know
Ashley Force-Hood Named Vice President of John Force Racing, Inc.
Ashley Force Hood Part of John Force Racing NHRA Reorganization