CS
Nitro Member
Thanks for the update Paul I haven't heard that Kevin left, usually JFR is good about keeping their website up to date this morning it still lists Kevin. Tasca still doesn't have theirs updated I wonder what's taking so long.
Nitromater
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TASCA opens up (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter CS
- Start date
yoda
Nitro Member
I wonder who has been over to the McLeod shop with a bag of $$$ to help support Greekette and Lee in exchange for first run at the warehouse stock?
The writing was on the wall at JFR. Hight's retiring; Brittany retiring, John himself retiring and after 25 years at JFR (minus the 1 year hiatus), Jimmy himself may have been wondering if it was time for a change. Tasca's boys sensed it too; realized their operation was competitive but not championship-competitive and decided to make the move on the Procks who agreed as long as a ride for Austin (and a substantial pay raise) came with the deal. No doubt that after they presented their plan to Bob III he warmed to the idea. And that was that. That's all opinion but I bet it's pretty close to how it went down.
Force Racing ain't dead yet, tho. 4 quality drivers and some kickass crew chiefs are ready and rarin' to go. As I see it the biggest mountain to climb at JFR is the roughly $20 million/year needed to fund 4 competitive nitro teams. I hope they find the money and stay out there; the sport can't afford to lose JFR.
I wouldn't worry too much about finances. Tasca Automotive Group is a large, well-heeled operation whose racing operation is partnered with PPG, BG products and Ford Performance. Pretty sure they'll be able to fund whatever it is they decide to do. Bob's quite popular with fans, too, which always helps. I wish them well in 2026 and while this season may very well serve as a learning curve for awhile, I look for this team to be a consistent top-shelf player by 2027.
Force Racing ain't dead yet, tho. 4 quality drivers and some kickass crew chiefs are ready and rarin' to go. As I see it the biggest mountain to climb at JFR is the roughly $20 million/year needed to fund 4 competitive nitro teams. I hope they find the money and stay out there; the sport can't afford to lose JFR.
I wouldn't worry too much about finances. Tasca Automotive Group is a large, well-heeled operation whose racing operation is partnered with PPG, BG products and Ford Performance. Pretty sure they'll be able to fund whatever it is they decide to do. Bob's quite popular with fans, too, which always helps. I wish them well in 2026 and while this season may very well serve as a learning curve for awhile, I look for this team to be a consistent top-shelf player by 2027.
65 Goatboy
Nitro Member
Found it interesting that Austin and Cameron Tasca started talking to Thomas and Austin Prock first.
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McLeod doesn’t sell clutch disks for nitro cars.
J
Nitro Member
I think john will stay home more this year than last
I don't give JFR more than about 2 years. Not because I believe John SHOULD close the doors; not my or anyone else's call but because I believe he WILL. There's no Forces actively driving any more; there's zero left for him to prove and nothing has been left unfinished. He's a wealthy man and a family man who is at the point that doting over his grandkids means far more than anything he can do regarding drag racing....he's done it all and arguably holds the title of Greatest Of All Time.
The fire within still burns but Force is a pragmatic man, and for good reasons.
ch streetcars
Nitro Member
You might be right, but I sure hope not. Drag Racing needs JFR involvement, I didn't cheer for his cars when he was dominating , I thought he escalated the costs to race too much, but so did Schumacher, Snake and Bernstein in their day. That's what driven people do, and I wish NHRA could have kept a better lid on costs, we might have 20 nitro cars in each class at a race still. This might be a less stressful year for John with new drivers bringing money with them , and new excitement with many fresh faces. As long as his health is decent , it seems as you say, the fire is still there. I wish for the best for anyone involved in this sport we love.
z28
Nitro Member
I personally think he has turned operations over to the family and as long as they stay profitable and want to do it, it will remain. However, I see Rahal becoming way more involved as a possible co-owner. It will be Force-Rahal Racing in the future if it survives.
yoda
Nitro Member
I remember when Raybestos was big on sponsoring nitro cars; my assumption was that they were making discs for the class. Hence, when I see McLeod on the loud cars, they would be involved, as a B2B marriage. Surprising info, Josh- thanks for the correction.
You see McLeod on the 'loud' cars because it's Paul Lee's company. He's marketing to the fans.
Agree completely. I'd hate to see him opt out, too. But time eventually takes its toll and let's face it, keeping up with a 4-car NHRA nitro operation isn't something you can do in your spare time at age 76. I think he was just about to retire from driving anyway, before his crash. I don't know how Connie Kalitta keeps up with his program along with running Kalitta Air; the man is 87 years old.
Should he decide, perhaps another team could buy out the current operation and keep it on the track. Losing 4 top shelf nitro cars from competition would be a serious blow to the NHRA.
yoda
Nitro Member
Schumacher. The sport survived.
But those weren't lost, fortunately, because he sold those teams to other owners. So just the team ownership changed,
Nothing lasts forever in any aspect of life, but some are spending a lot of time speculating about the demise of JFR, and the season hasn't started yet! John may have another 10 years of team ownership in him, who knows? But we do know he's got a stout lineup for '26 and I'm eager to see how things shake out.
Under_Pressure
Nitro Member
I mean of the 4 teams they have today, one (Dejoria) certainly wouldn't go away, she and Neff would just move their operation to another team. Hart is a bit similar I think, he doesn't have Alexis' money but does have sponsorship associated with him and has run his own team before, so I would expect he could get something set up with another team in fairly short order. The Beckman and Vandergriff cars are a different story, they are the JFR legacy teams and probably go as JFR goes.
Not that I think JFR is going anywhere soon, but I do agree that it's not the powerhouse it once was (certainly not financially) and it may look drastically different in a couple years.
Not that I think JFR is going anywhere soon, but I do agree that it's not the powerhouse it once was (certainly not financially) and it may look drastically different in a couple years.
Eracer
Nitro Member
John left the seat but Drag Racing did not leave his blood and as long as Danny, Ashley, Adria, Brittany are around JFR is in good hands ... and I could see Graham / Courtney get more involved...I believe this is why you see the Force Family on the 2026 campaign. Plus 2027 is going to be “50 Years of Force,”
