Following the news that John Force has left the hospital, the family racing team has announced they’ve hired 2012 Funny Car champion Jack Beckman to race in Force’s place for the remaining events in the 2024 NHRA Funny Car championship.
The unique setup of the NHRA rules state that in the case of an injured driver, a substitute driver that can race in up to eight events and earn points in the original driver’s name.
There are exactly eight races left in the 2024 Funny Car season, with Force currently sitting seventh in the championship. Beckman has raced in 33 Funny Car races and won 20 of them throughout his career. His most recent ride was four years ago with Don Schumacher Racing.
John Force Racing is marketing the changeover as the “Joint Task Force – Mission Championship.” If everything comes together it would be Force’s 17th championship win. Beckman won the Funny Car championship in 2012 and came just 57 points from winning a second time in 2015.
Force was involved in a 300 mph crash at the PlayNHRA Virginia Nationals on June 23. He continues his outpatient recovery process at his California home.
