Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Like Favre, Force to play hurt in season finale

Thursday, Nov. 6, 2003 | 10:17 a.m.

Brian Hilderbrand covers motor sports for the Las Vegas Sun. His motor sports notebook appears Friday. He can be reached at bh@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-4089.

John Force will attempt to compete in this weekend's NHRA season finale in Pomona, Calif., despite suffering cuts on his hands last week that required 40 stitches to close.

Force, who originally said he would not be able to drive this weekend, can thank Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre for motivating him to get back behind the wheel of the Castrol GTX Funny Car.

"I really felt sorry for myself for a couple days," Force said, "but I was watching the ballgame on ESPN and Favre was playing quarterback with a broken thumb -- and it was on his throwing hand.

"I played a little quarterback myself and it's hard to believe he was that good with an injury like that. I figured if he can throw like that with a broken thumb, I should at least try to tough it out."

Favre guided the Packers to a 30-27 victory Sunday night against the Minnesota Vikings. After the game, Favre said that extending his streak of 198 consecutive starts was his motivation for playing despite the injury.

Force, who cut his hands last Wednesday when a crystal trophy shattered while he was moving it, also has a streak he would like to keep intact. Force, the 12-time NHRA Funny Car champion, has made 322 consecutive starts, a NHRA record.

"I don't know what's going to happen, but I'm going to try to do it," Force said. "I'd like to end the season with a win."

Force, who will finish third in the Funny Car standings, has three victories this season and holds the national elapsed-time record (4.721 seconds) in his category. Still, this ranks as Force's worst season since 1989, when he won just once race and finished sixth in points.

"I'm ready to get this one over," Force said. "But I can't wait for next year; we've got a good hot rod."

Geno Scali holds a 117-point lead over three-time PSB champ Angelle Savoie and can clinch the championship merely by qualifying for Sunday's eliminations.

If he is successful, Scali would become the first Pro Stock Bike rider other than Savoie or Matt Hines to claim the championship since 1996.

Shields defeated Marty Thacker of Robinson, Ill., in the final round with a run of 5.403 at 266.32.

In addition to the street-style racing for cars and motorcycles, The Strip also will present a drifting exhibition, car show, bikini contest and live performances by Melanie Hines, BZ Collins, E-Mac and Edward Soul.

Admission is $5 for spectators and $10 for racers. Spectator gates open at 7 p.m.