John Force Racing (JFR) commenced the 2025 drag racing season with a series of impressive performances at the PRO Superstar Shootout held at Bradenton Motorsports Park in Florida. The event, which took place from February 5 to 7, showcased the team’s readiness and competitive spirit as they prepare for the upcoming NHRA season.
On the first day of qualifying, Austin Prock, driving the Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS, secured the provisional No. 1 position in the Funny Car category. He clocked a remarkable 3.816-second pass at 332.84 mph, narrowly missing the track record he set during testing earlier that week. Prock expressed satisfaction with the run, noting, “We backed it down a little… but we just wanted to make sure it went down the racetrack and it was a nice, safe run to get us locked in the show.”
Teammate Jack Beckman, piloting the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet, closely followed with a 3.836-second run at 329.99 mph, placing him in the No. 2 spot. Beckman, making his debut in the Shootout, remarked, “Our PEAK Chevy SS was awesome. It did everything we wanted it to do and there’s more in it for tomorrow night.”
In the Top Fuel division, Brittany Force drove her Monster Energy Chevrolet to a provisional No. 2 qualifying position, recording a 3.675-second pass at 334.15 mph. She trailed only defending event champion Doug Kalitta. Reflecting on her performance, Brittany stated, “Car went right down the racetrack and it did exactly what we wanted it to do. So, we feel really good going into tomorrow.”
The event also marked the return of team patriarch John Force to the track. Force, a 16-time Funny Car champion, had been recovering from a traumatic brain injury sustained in a crash in June 2024. While not yet ready to race, his presence provided a morale boost for the team. Expressing his emotions, Force said, “It was good for my heart to see friends and support my team.”
The PRO Superstar Shootout served as a valuable testing ground for JFR as they fine-tune their setups ahead of the NHRA season opener on March 7. The team’s strong showing in Bradenton underscores their preparedness and determination to excel in the forthcoming season.
