Image × By: Jeff Birchfield The International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) joins the motorsports world in celebrating the career of John Force, one of drag racing’s most iconic figures. Force, 76, announced his retirement as a driver on Thursday, November 14, on the John Force Racing social media accounts. The legendary champion had not raced since suffering a traumatic brain injury in a 2024 crash at Virginia Motorsports Park in Dinwiddie, Virginia. Among the many great accomplishments of his amazing career, Force finished in the top 10 of the 1988 IHRA Funny Car standings. Force has been recognized worldwide for his career, earning the title of 16-time Funny Car World Champion and 23-time champion car owner. He was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2008, the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2012, the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame in 2023 and the Canadian Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2024.