NHRA at Gainesville

Words by Susan Wade
Photos by Jeff Burk, Ron Lewis, Steve Gruenwald
3/23/04

ational Hot Rod Association icon John Force sat on an airplane several years ago and listened sympathetically as Connie Worsham, wife of Funny Car rival Del Worsham, charmed him with stories of her husband's dreams of someday being a champion.

"I want him to have his dream. I really do," said Force, a 12-time champion now struggling to regain his dominance. "But that means I'd have to give up mine."

Worsham took a step closer to his, beating Force in Sunday's final round of the Mac Tools Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway. He and two other points leaders, Tony Schumacher in Top Fuel and Greg Anderson in Pro Stock, each won for the second time this season but for the first time on the storied quarter-mile.

Andrew Hines kicked off the Pro Stock Motorcycle's 15-race schedule by beating teammate G.T. Tonglet in the first all-Harley-Davidson final round.

Worsham overcomes the Force

Worsham, fighting the flu all weekend as much as the track conditions and eager opponents, beat Force for the third straight time in final- round meetings to keep the points lead he grabbed for the first time in his career by winning March 7 at Phoenix.

"It's so early it's ridiculous to talk about, but they are real points," Worsham, who qualified no better than 11th, said. "Any point you win this weekend stays in the bank, and you need a lot of them by November."

He indicated that the impact of winning at Gainesville was stronger because of the caliber of competition.

"Anytime you beat John Force, it's huge," Worsham, whose Checker Schucks Kragen team is $40,000 richer, said. "I talked to my dad (crew chief Chuck Worsham) about what makes John Force such a great champion. It's loyalty to his fans and his ability to rise to the occasion. No matter how good his car is, he never stops working." He added that if he let his guard down, Force could "put a knife through your heart."