GAINESILLE, FL – Jordan Vandergriff heads into this weekend’s AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway as a rookie in the already talent-stacked Funny Car ranks but that doesn’t mean the driver of John Force Racing’s Cornwell Quality Tools Chevrolet doesn’t have a large target on his back at the same time.

The California native and Atlanta-area resident has taken over the reins of the Cornwell Tools program which has won the previous two NHRA Funny Car championships for John Force Racing. That’s a tall order for any driver, let alone one with just 13 Top Fuel starts, but the confidence Vandergriff exudes during his on-the-job Funny Car training leaves little doubt he’ll be up to the task in front of him.

The third-generation drag racer has spent the time since his hiring was announced last December solely focused on being as prepared as possible for the Gatornationals. He attended Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School at Gainesville Raceway, learning the specifics of driving a Funny Car as opposed to the dragster, and spent six days testing at the central Florida facility getting into a rhythm with his new crew lead by Chris Cunningham and Jason Bunker. Continue reading →

GAINESVILLE, FL – Gainesville Raceway holds a very special space in Alexis DeJoria’s nitro Funny Car career which will only expand as she prepares to make her John Force Racing debut in the Bandero Premium Tequila Chevrolet SS Funny Car at the AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals.

It was her new car owner, 16-time NHRA Funny Car Champion John Force, who signed off on her Funny Car license prior to her 2011 rookie season. And it was the same John Force whom she lined up against at the 2012 Gatornationals, beating her hero to the finish to earn her first Funny Car round win.

The six-time Funny Car race winner and six-time No. 1 Qualifier now has the opportunity to compete for her legendary racing hero and she’s made the best of it in pre-season testing, already eclipsing her personal career record speed with a lap of 337.24 mph two weeks ago. DeJoria has every reason to believe her 13th season of NHRA Funny Car competition will be her best ever and just the beginning of a successful new chapter of her career. Continue reading →

GAINESVILLE, FL – One year ago, Jack Beckman was looking forward to beginning his first full season as the driver of the PEAK Chevrolet SS but 2026 finds the 2012 NHRA Funny Car Champion as John Force Racing’s most tenured driver and just as motivated, if not more so, to earn victory in this weekend’s AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway.

Beckman finished third in the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing point standings on the strength of two victories. It was his first full season of competition since taking over for the injured John Force midway through 2024 and not racing at all the previous three seasons.

The California native and drag racing historian knows how to get it done at the Gatornationals, winning the 2018 Funny Car title and earning No. 1 Qualifier spots in 2016, 2018 and last season. But this season’s Funny Car field is as strong as ever, including John Force Racing newcomers Alexis DeJoria and Jordan Vandergriff. Continue reading →

GAINESVILLE, FL – For a man driven to stay busy and achieve success in every aspect of his life, Josh Hart couldn’t be happier to be just the driver for John Force Racing’s Burnyzz Speed Shop / Speedmaster Top Fuel Dragster team headed into the season-opening AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway.

Hart was an owner-driver the first five seasons of his Top Fuel career but sold his racing operation at the end of last season when the opportunity arose to drive for Force’s 24-time championship organization after two-time NHRA Top Fuel Champion Brittany Force put her racing career on hold to start a family.

He found success early with his own team, winning the Gatornationals in his class debut in 2021 and once more his rookie season but, with the growth of his Burnyzz Speed Shop and the addition of two children to his family, Hart realized he couldn’t devote enough time and energy as a team owner to make it the success he strove for. Continue reading →

Global leader in high-performance automotive parts will also serve as an associate sponsor for JFR’s three Funny Car teams

BROWNSBURG, IN – John Force Racing (www.johnforceracing.com) and Speedmaster (www.speedmaster79.com) have reached agreement on a multi-year partnership for the global leader in high-performance automotive parts and motorsports culture to serve as the co-primary sponsor, with Burnyzz Speed Shop, of the Top Fuel Dragster team driven by Josh Hart in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.

Hart and the Burnyzz Speed Shop/Speedmaster Top Fuel Dragster team will make their debut at the NHRA’s 75th anniversary season-opening AMALIE MOTOR OIL NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville (Fla.) Raceway on March 5-8.

The partnership also includes associate sponsorship of all three of the 24-time championship organization’s Funny Car teams with drivers Jack Beckman, Alexis DeJoria and Jordan Vandergriff.

“Speedmaster has always admired what John Force Racing represents, an unmatched legacy built on performance, resilience, and winning at the highest level,” said Speedmaster CEO Jason Kencevski. “Becoming part of that legacy through a multi-year partnership is a proud moment for us. Having Josh Hart behind the wheel representing Speedmaster and Burnyzz is incredibly exciting. Continue reading →

Faces familiar and new to call the shots for 24-time championship organization’s three Funny Car and one Top Fuel program

BROWNSBURG, IN – John Force Racing rolls into a new era of competition for the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season with an expanded lineup of drivers, crew chiefs and crew who collectively have the singular focus of winning for the 24-time championship organization.

“This is a great time to be part of John Force Racing and I’m more excited about getting the season going than I have been in a long time,” said 16-time NHRA Funny Car World Champion and team owner John Force. “There are new crew chiefs and crew members bringing fresh blood to the race shop, sharing their experience and know-how with the crew chiefs and crew already established here who have won races and championships and set national records. We’re back to having four teams in Top Fuel and Funny Car and I can’t wait to see them go down the track at Gainesville.”

Continuing to call the shots for 2012 NHRA Funny Car World Champion Jack Beckman and the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet SS Funny Car team will be veteran crew chiefs Danny Hood and Tim Fabrisi. Beckman’s first full season with the PEAK SQUAD garnered a third-place finish in the 2025 point standings on the strength of two victories (Pomona 1, Chicago) and three runner-up finishes (Richmond, Indianapolis, St. Louis) as well as five No. 1 Qualifier spots (Gainesville, Chicago, Richmond, Brainerd, Indianapolis). Continue reading →

Premier sports apparel company has supplied the 24-time NHRA championship organization since 2020

BROWNSBURG, IN – John Force Racing and Marwin Sports USA have renewed their partnership for the premium sports apparel provider to supply shirts, pants, and outerwear for the race team members of the 24-time NHRA championship organization and shop employees at Force American Made.

Marwin Sports is a premium performance apparel brand specializing in high-technical, motorsport-focused apparel. Marwin combines cutting-edge design, seamless technology, and eco-friendly materials to create durable, stylish products for motorsport teams, organizations, and corporate clients

The continuing partnership, which began in 2020, will outfit the race crews of 2012 NHRA Funny Car Champion Jack Beckman (PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet SS Funny Car), Jordan Vandergriff (Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS Funny Car), Alexis DeJoria (Bandero Premium Tequlia Chevrolet SS Funny Car) and Josh Hart (Burnyzz Speed Shop Top Fuel Dragster). Continue reading →

Veteran JFR crew chief Chris Cunningham will call the shots

BROWNSBURG, IN – Drag racing rising star Jordan Vandergriff has been named as the driver of John Force Racing’s Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS Funny Car for the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

The announcement was made Friday at the NHRA booth during Day 2 of the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis.

“This is a dream come true to have the opportunity not only with John Force Racing, the premier team in NHRA Drag Racing, but to drive the Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Funny Car for the greatest Funny Car driver of all time,” said Vandergriff. “As a kid growing up in the sport, you look at John and you see the greatness he’s portrayed, so the fact that I get to drive a Funny Car for him is amazing.”

The California native had two NHRA starts in 2025, driving in relief of injured Top Fuel driver Shawn Reed at Brainerd and Indianapolis. In the 11 Top Fuel races of his rookie season in 2019, Vandergriff earned a runner-up finish at Dallas and two other semi-final showings. He has served as an NHRA on FOX reporter the past two seasons. Continue reading →

BROWNSBURG, IN – John Force Racing and Austin and Jimmy Prock have ended the racing partnership that produced NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Funny Car championships the past two seasons for the 24-time championship organization.

“John Force Racing has been doing what we do for more than 50 years and all the hard work preparing for the 2026 NHRA season continues as planned with four race teams and the Force American Made machine shop,” said 16-time NHRA Funny Car Champion and team owner John Force. “We appreciate the strength and continued backing of all of the great sponsors that support us so we’re focused on the future that includes announcing additional partnerships in the coming weeks.

“We are very proud of our accomplishments with the Prock family. I wish them well and I understand that their decision to move on is just part of the business we’re in.” Continue reading →