For decades, John Force has been the heart of the NHRA. He mixed hard work with high-speed pride, and it made fans feel like family. That spirit was clear in 2010 when he made an unbelievable comeback. Only three years after a horrible crash in Dallas that almost killed him, he returned and won his 15th championship. He showed everyone he was tough and determined, no matter how much the sport took out of him.

However, even the greatest drivers must stop at some point. Force recently announced his retirement after suffering a traumatic brain injury at the 2024 Virginia Nationals in Richmond. It marked the end of a career that shaped American drag racing. NASCAR legend and NHRA racer Tony Stewart was shocked by the news, but he accepted it and offered some heartfelt advice to his hero.

Real recognise real

Tony Stewart has always respected racers, no matter what they drive. His bond with John Force is based on more than just racing. When reporters asked him how he felt about Force retiring, Stewart was honest. His thoughts were emotional but practical, summed up in seven simple words: “He needs to enjoy what he’s building.”

“I think even as disappointing as it is for everyone, we all understand what the circumstances are and why, and appreciate everything that he’s done for Motorsports as a whole,” Stewart said.

The “circumstances” he mentioned point to what happened on June 23, 2024, at the Virginia Nationals. That day changed everything. Force’s funny car exploded right at the finish line. A normal run turned into a nightmare. The car hit the concrete walls at over 300 mph, with such force that his helmet cracked. He suffered a broken sternum and a traumatic brain injury that kept him in intensive care for weeks.

When Stewart says he appreciates Force, he means it. Force’s numbers are unbelievable: 157 wins and 16 Funny Car championships. When he retired, it ended a 50-year career that helped turn drag racing into a major sport.

Fans wanted a farewell tour, but the truth is harsh. With a serious TBI at age 76, retiring wasn’t a choice. It was necessary.

Stewart also spoke from a unique perspective. “I wasn’t even into Drag Racing, and I knew who John Force was,” he said. “You get the opportunity to race around the guy and be in the Pit with him and get to know him before he got hurt. He is just on the road to recovery.”

Stewart became Force’s peer in 2024 when he entered Top Fuel as a rookie, taking over for his wife, Leah Pruett. Meanwhile, Force was still chasing wins. Stewart often talked about how surreal it was to work beside someone he had admired for years.

He saw Force’s energy, humor, and intense drive. And Force wasn’t slowing down. Just weeks before his crash, he won the New England Nationals. That makes the sudden end even harder to accept.

“It’s a long road and at his age it’s not easy, but he’s doing the work,” Stewart said. Force has talked openly about how tough recovery is, saying his head may never fully heal. But Stewart focused on the positive. “He’s got a huge family and grandkids now, and he needs to celebrate that and enjoy that.”

What Force is “building” is not just his race shop. It is his family. His daughters, Ashley, Brittany, and Courtney, are all part of the racing world. Courtney and her husband, IndyCar driver Graham Rahal, have made Force a grandfather, and Ashley’s kids are often seen at the track. Stewart wants Force to shift his focus from racing to family and enjoy what he’s created.

This family-first mentality is also shaping Brittany Force’s life right now. As John Force steps away, Brittany is making a major life change, too.

The Force is subdued in NHRA

Brittany Force entered the final race weekend at Pomona hoping to improve her place in the standings. But heavy rain cancelled the event. She finished fourth in the championship, ending her season in a quiet but unexpected way.

Still, Brittany Force is leaving the sport with her head held high. She is the most successful female Top Fuel driver in NHRA history. Her career includes 19 wins in 40 final rounds. She still holds the record for the quickest and fastest run ever in the class. Even this year, she set speed records four times and hit 343.51 mph at the US Nationals.

She didn’t let the rainout bother her. “I always try to find the positive in everything,” she said. “I look back on Las Vegas, my last pass, and we ended up in the winner’s circle, so that’s where my focus is.”

Brittany announced she would retire after the 2025 season to start a family with her husband, Bobby Lyons Jr. Her choice echoes the advice Stewart gave her father, but in a happier way.

In the end, the Force family is not fading away. They are simply moving into a new chapter. As Tony Stewart said, the wins and records are already in the books. Now, for both John and Brittany, the greatest victories are waiting for them at home.