Sweet 16 for John Force

By Shane Beck 

Salt Lake City, UT - John Force didn't need a paddle to spank the field at the Las Vegas Strip - just a fast race car. Chasing his 16th championship, Force knew it was possible to clinch the title in Las Vegas. His team knew it as well, especially crew chief Jimmy Prock who served up what the doctor ordered. 

Earlier this season things were just not right at John Force Racing, driver Robert Height was struggling to make it in the Countdown to the Championship and John Force felt a change was in store. He decided to move his tuner Mike Neff to Robert Heights team and Jimmy Prock to his team. Robert Height was able to squeak into the Countdown to the Championship and Force continued running well.

John Force received news midway through the season that long time sponsors Ford and Castrol would be leaving at the end of the 2014 season. Castrol has been with John Force since the beginning and Ford has also been with John Force for a very long time. Frustrated, wondering where he would find support in the future, his wife Lori told him that that one thing is certain, winning takes care of everything! This is when John realized she was absolutely right, he focused 100% of himself to winning his 16th Championship. 

With John Force at 64 years of age, one might wonder how long he can continue racing? Not only racing but how long can he continue to win? John Force claims he will continue as long as the good lord will allow but knows that the future of John Force Racing are his girls. 

John Force is living the dream, however he has had to work extremely hard for what he has built over the years. I would say he is a master at marketing, knowing how to not only get a sponsor to support him but defiantly knows how to keep a sponsor happy. He knows the power of the media, he understands who helps him and does everything in his power to give back to his sponsors and his fans. 

John Force will defend his championship in 2014, he will attempt to break "Sweet 16" and fight for his 17th Championship. 

Contact Shane Beck at mshanebeck@gmail.com and follow on Twitter @racingfanradio

NRA Title Sponsor for NASCAR Race at Texas

The National Rifle Association is taking its relationship with racing to a new level as the title sponsor of a NASCAR Sprint Cup race. What better place then Texas? The deal with Texas Motor Speedway comes at a time when the NRA is involved in a renewed debate on gun violence in the wake of the December shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.

"It's not about politics. It's about sports marketing," TMS president Eddie Gossage said Monday after the announcement of the one-year agreement with the NRA that includes a renewal option.

It is about politics and it happens to be in sports marketing now with NASCAR. Who's kidding who? NASCAR is where those who want to promote a produce, political view or even push re-election for the president of the United States of America. 

The April 13 race at Texas, the first scheduled night race in the Cup Series this season, will be known as the NRA 500.

NASCAR said in a statement Monday that "race entitlement partnerships" are agreements directly between the track and the sponsor though NASCAR reserves the right to approve or disapprove those sponsorships.

The sponsorship does seem like a natural. It's been a tradition at TMS that the winner of the Cup race gets to fire a six-shooter in victory lane. And the winner of the pole gets a rifle as a prize. 

Those who support the constitution along with the NRA will embrace the sponsorship and those who oppose it will likely picket, rant and rave!