“A true champion”: John Force Racing shares a touching message as Brittany Force steps away from drag racing 

AUTO: APR 14 NHRA Four-Wide Nationals - Source: Getty
John Force and Brittany Force at a driver appearance in the Club Nitro Hospitality Tent during the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals Camping World Drag Racing Series on April 14, 2023 at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, Nevada - Source: Getty

John Force’s daughter, Brittany, is stepping away from full-time NHRA racing at the end of the 2025 season. Brittany, who won the NHRA Top Fuel world championship twice, made the announcement for the first time back in September. She is about to start a family with her husband, Bobby Lyons.

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Since her debut in 2013, Brittany has been driving the HendrickCars.com Top Fuel dragster for John Force Racing, a team her father owns. She has won a total of 19 Top Fuel events, which makes her the winningest female driver in the history of NHRA.

Brittany is also the first woman to win the NHRA Top Fuel championship since Shirley Muldowney in 1982. John Force Racing on X (formerly known as Twitter) gave a big shout-out to Brittany as she looks forward to starting a new chapter in her life. They wrote,

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“From Rookie of the Year to record-breaker, Brittany Force leaves the seat as a true champion of the family legacy. Her kind and caring spirit, paired with grit, determination, and fierce competitiveness, will leave a lasting impact on John Force Racing for years to come.”
“A chip off the ol’ block, Brittany built real connections with fans and families at the ropes and far beyond. Thank you, Brittany, for the memories, the championships, and for being an all-around genuine driver and person. Drop some 👏👏 and help us celebrate an iconic Top Fuel driver and a legendary career.”
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At Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park on September 1, 2025, the 39-year-old speedster became the first driver in NHRA history to hit 340 miles per hour. Her last race as a full-timer was the NHRA Finals at Pomona, California, which took place from November 12 to 15, 2025.

In 2017, Brittany became the first woman in over three decades to lift the coveted Top Fuel racing world title. She earned her second championship in 2022.


“If I fall over dead, she’ll run all this stuff”- NHRA legend John Force explains Brittany’s role at John Force Racing

Although Brittany is retiring from formal NHRA racing, she hasn’t ruled out a return to future drag races. She will also stay in touch with her team and support her John Force Racing teammates.

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John Force disclosed the news during a recent press conference. The 76-year-old said,

“When sponsors ask about where Brittany will go off to, I tell them she’ll be with you because she owns all this. See, years ago I put money away in real estate in California and Indy, and decided a while back that we would gift everything to our four girls.”
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“She’s an owner," Force added. "If I fall over dead, she’ll run all this stuff.”

Force also mentioned that he didn’t want his daughter to retire so early. But starting a family and racing full-time at the same time is a tough nut to crack.

“It’s been a really difficult decision, the best way to describe it would be bittersweet,” Brittany said earlier this week. “I wish I could do both, but there’s no space for being able to drive and try to start a family in the sport.”

Notably, this is going to be the first time since the NHRA Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway in 2020 that a member of the Force family will not be on the list of drivers in 2026.

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Edited by Tushhita Barua
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