Alumni Find Exciting Careers In Action Sports

Ashley Force (RTVF ’03), 23, not only enjoys producing movies that spoof her drag racing buddies; she also occupies the cockpit of dragsters – and wins local and national races.

Force, daughter of John Force, a name to be reckoned with in drag racing, became the third winner of the sport’s oldest, largest, richest and most prestigious single event, the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis over the Labor Day weekend 2005.

She also shared the winner’s circle with her father at the 2004 Automobile Club of Southern California Finals at Pomona, Calif., and won the NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) South Central Division’s Top Alcohol Dragster championship where she was named Rookie of the Year and Driver of the Year in Top Alcohol Dragster.

Not all races have been wins, though. She lost in the final round of a divisional event in Topeka, Kan., because she “red-lighted”—jumped the starting line before the green light appeared.
She called her father and left a message: “Hi, Dad. It’s Ashley. I red-lighted …and then I threw up in my helmet. If you don’t want to return my call, I understand.”

Despite the loss, her famous father has said he is pleased with his daughter’s accomplishments and how she has connected with the public to become a racing sport fan favorite. In fact, last year Mattel Toys introduced the now-popular Ashley Force doll.

But Ashley has her eye on something else. She intends to drive one of her father’s Ford Mustang Funny Cars. Actually, her goal is to race against her father!