Force in the series

Thursday, April 6, 2000 | 10:29 a.m.

John Force is professional drag racing's most recognizable figure, one of the true stars in a sport that fails to get the same recognition as NASCAR in the media and in corporate boardrooms.

And while shouldering the load as the National Hot Rod Association's most popular driver might be viewed as a burden by some of his peers, the charismatic 50-year-old Force handles it in stride.

In fact, he seems to relish the attention.

During a gathering of media and sponsors Wednesday at the Race Rock restaurant (of which Force is part owner) on Fremont Street to promote this weekend's SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the nine-time NHRA Winston Funny Car champion stood in front of the eatery and simultaneously signed autographs, posed for pictures with fans and conducted an interview.

When he was approached by a member of the Race Rock staff and told him that the festivities were about to begin, Force shot back, "Hell, it's already started ... where have you been?"

While Force was holding court with fans and the media, several other drivers entered the restaurant virtually unnoticed by the three dozen fans that were gathered around Force.

"Heck, this is fun ... I love it," Force said of being the sport's leading spokesman. "Racing is a lot of fun for me and all this (attention) is part of racing."

But both Force and NHRA president Tom Compton acknowledged that for their sport to achieve the level of success of NASCAR, the NHRA has to do a better job of promoting its drivers.

"NASCAR has done an excellent job of that," Force said. "I think NHRA has seen the light and the new president has really worked hard at it. I've heard all the things that people were going to do, but he has showed me what he's done.

"NASCAR has an excellent marketing program. They've built their stars -- Earnhardt and Gordon and so on. I think (what the NHRA is doing), it's exciting and I think our sport is going to leapfrog like NASCAR did, I really believe it."

Compton said the NHRA already has made headway in developing new stars with a new television package and advertising campaign.

"It's extremely important for us to promote our drivers," Compton said. "NHRA is doing its part ... to really bring our drivers front and center. We've told them we're going to bring them along in everything we do. It's not just NHRA, it's NHRA and the drivers; we're better together."

Compton said the NHRA now is in a phase not unlike what the National Basketball Association went through two decades ago.

"The best example I can think of is when the NBA, back in the late '70s, was arguably struggling," Compton said. "Larry Bird and Magic Johnson came out of college in 1979 and brought the NBA to new heights through their charisma and their star power and the NBA has been doing quite well ever since.

"Our sport is no different; I think as this sport grows and matures, the stars are going to be more and more recognizable to the fans."

While Compton said the NHRA already has several young drivers who have the potential to become future stars, he quickly added that it wouldn't be easy to follow in Force's footsteps.

"There is no replacing John Force," Compton said. "There will never be anyone quite like him. People from all walks of life, when they meet John, are completely blown away by him."

* NOTES: Officials from the NHRA and Las Vegas Motor Speedway confirmed Wednesday that the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals will move from the spring to the fall in 2001, as had been widely speculated for months.

The move to Oct. 25-28, 2001, is designed to coincide with the annual Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) convention, held every fall in Las Vegas.

"NHRA couldn't be happier with the positive response associated with the inaugural SummitRacing.com Nationals in Las Vegas and we are confident the market will embrace the move to late October in 2001," NHRA president Tom Compton said.