By Brandon W. Mudd
<img src="http://stlouisracing.com/NHRAGateway.jpg">
Imagine this: You’re a young man, daydreaming of carburetors and engines one day, and the next, you’re an honorary crew member for 12-time NHRA Funny Car Champion John Force.
That was the situation for Carl Jones, a seventeen-year-old junior at Edward County High School in Albion, Ill., who earned the honor as one of eight national winners in the Castrol GTX Top Techs program. In addition to working for Force last weekend at the 7th annual Sears Craftsman Nationals at Gateway International Raceway in Madison, Ill., Jones received a souvenir Castrol hat and t-shirt, a Mac Tools toolbox stocked with $1,000 in tools, and a donation of both Castrol GTX and Castrol GTX High Mileage motor oil for use in his school’s vocational automotive program.
“I entered the contest by submitting my essay and I got a call back on Feb. 26 from (contest officials) saying I was one of the eight winners,” said Jones. The essay could be no longer than 150 words and was selected on the merits of academics, accomplishment, outstanding achievements by the entrant, and community involvement.
In August, contest judges will pick one national winner among the eight regional winners and that winner will receive a $7,000 scholarship to continue their education in the automotive field.
Jones wasn’t the only excited party in the garage. Force, the NHRA record holder for most consecutive championships with 10, said he looks forward to the event and thoroughly enjoys spending time with the winners. “What’s fun for me is I get to meet the kids. It’s a chance for Castrol to put out awareness of their brand and it’s an opportunity for young kids in schools around the country to learn automotive skills.
“It’s fun for me because when these kids win,” he continued, “it’s because they work very hard to get a shot at this and to beat out all their classmates. They get to join a special group of guys or gals who are winners. It’s kinda cool.”
The all-time leader in race win in NHRA history with 106 wins, Force was quick to point out contest winners won’t be sitting around idle. “They’re brought to the races and they get involved,” he said. “They see what we do. This isn’t all fun and games out here, this is a lot of work.
“We’re going to show him how to pack parachutes and let him observe and see what’s going on,” Force continued. “That’s what we want to do, we want to make kids aware of what we do. We want to show them the future of the automotive field, whether you’re going to work at a car dealership or at a lube-and-tune, or whatever, or if you’re going to work at the top of the line here in drag racing.”
Due to some red tape, however, there were certain limits to what Jones could do as an honorary crew member. “Carl is basically hanging out with us and observing what we do…due to the legalities of insurance, we can’t put him in (the car) and let him drive 300 mph…actually, because he might outrun me!
“But it’s a lot of fun,” said Force. “It’s a chance to meet all the drivers and Castrol takes care of them. Castrol takes them around on tours and meet-and-greets, they basically show them what the operation does and to see if they have an interest.”
Jones, who plays varsity football and is active in 4-H, began his love affair with automobiles at the age of eight when he placed fourth in a local go-kart race. He rebuilt a mini-kart engine at age 12 and by 14, he had purchased a 1969 Pontiac Tempest with money earned raising and showing cattle.
“Hopefully, I’ll go to Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, get my bachelor’s degree in automotive science and see where I go from there,” he said. “Maybe I’ll go to work for John or do something with a major company.”
Team Castrol’s newest member smiled non-stop the entire afternoon, watching Force put his Ford Mustang funny car through it’s paces while the crew tweaked it in preparation for qualifying, as well as watching him meet fans and sign autographs. Jones also chatted with Castrol’s other driver, current Funny Car points leader Tony Pedregon, who has won six races in six finals this season, but lost to Force in the semi-finals.
When asked what it felt like working for an icon in the sport, Jones was quick with his response. “It’s awesome, man! It’s the chance of a lifetime. Castrol’s been very good to me. I was a John Force fan before I won. I’ve been watching NHRA for several years. I got hooked because my dad’s been into drag racing since he was my age.”
As for Force, who made it to his 165th final in Madison and is currently sixth in overall points, the 54-year-old legend isn’t ready to give his seat up just yet.
“Oh, no, especially not when you’re losing!” Force said with a laugh. “Right now, Tony Pedregon, my protégé, he’s really dominating, and we just set a national ET record in Chicago. So I’ve got a good hotrod again. We struggle with it, but it’s all part of the game. Maybe I’m a little spoiled and so are my sponsors with 12 championships and all the wins, but to me, it’s a job and I enjoy it.”
<img src="http://stlouisracing.com/NHRAGateway.jpg">
Imagine this: You’re a young man, daydreaming of carburetors and engines one day, and the next, you’re an honorary crew member for 12-time NHRA Funny Car Champion John Force.
That was the situation for Carl Jones, a seventeen-year-old junior at Edward County High School in Albion, Ill., who earned the honor as one of eight national winners in the Castrol GTX Top Techs program. In addition to working for Force last weekend at the 7th annual Sears Craftsman Nationals at Gateway International Raceway in Madison, Ill., Jones received a souvenir Castrol hat and t-shirt, a Mac Tools toolbox stocked with $1,000 in tools, and a donation of both Castrol GTX and Castrol GTX High Mileage motor oil for use in his school’s vocational automotive program.
“I entered the contest by submitting my essay and I got a call back on Feb. 26 from (contest officials) saying I was one of the eight winners,” said Jones. The essay could be no longer than 150 words and was selected on the merits of academics, accomplishment, outstanding achievements by the entrant, and community involvement.
In August, contest judges will pick one national winner among the eight regional winners and that winner will receive a $7,000 scholarship to continue their education in the automotive field.
Jones wasn’t the only excited party in the garage. Force, the NHRA record holder for most consecutive championships with 10, said he looks forward to the event and thoroughly enjoys spending time with the winners. “What’s fun for me is I get to meet the kids. It’s a chance for Castrol to put out awareness of their brand and it’s an opportunity for young kids in schools around the country to learn automotive skills.
“It’s fun for me because when these kids win,” he continued, “it’s because they work very hard to get a shot at this and to beat out all their classmates. They get to join a special group of guys or gals who are winners. It’s kinda cool.”
The all-time leader in race win in NHRA history with 106 wins, Force was quick to point out contest winners won’t be sitting around idle. “They’re brought to the races and they get involved,” he said. “They see what we do. This isn’t all fun and games out here, this is a lot of work.
“We’re going to show him how to pack parachutes and let him observe and see what’s going on,” Force continued. “That’s what we want to do, we want to make kids aware of what we do. We want to show them the future of the automotive field, whether you’re going to work at a car dealership or at a lube-and-tune, or whatever, or if you’re going to work at the top of the line here in drag racing.”
Due to some red tape, however, there were certain limits to what Jones could do as an honorary crew member. “Carl is basically hanging out with us and observing what we do…due to the legalities of insurance, we can’t put him in (the car) and let him drive 300 mph…actually, because he might outrun me!
“But it’s a lot of fun,” said Force. “It’s a chance to meet all the drivers and Castrol takes care of them. Castrol takes them around on tours and meet-and-greets, they basically show them what the operation does and to see if they have an interest.”
Jones, who plays varsity football and is active in 4-H, began his love affair with automobiles at the age of eight when he placed fourth in a local go-kart race. He rebuilt a mini-kart engine at age 12 and by 14, he had purchased a 1969 Pontiac Tempest with money earned raising and showing cattle.
“Hopefully, I’ll go to Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, get my bachelor’s degree in automotive science and see where I go from there,” he said. “Maybe I’ll go to work for John or do something with a major company.”
Team Castrol’s newest member smiled non-stop the entire afternoon, watching Force put his Ford Mustang funny car through it’s paces while the crew tweaked it in preparation for qualifying, as well as watching him meet fans and sign autographs. Jones also chatted with Castrol’s other driver, current Funny Car points leader Tony Pedregon, who has won six races in six finals this season, but lost to Force in the semi-finals.
When asked what it felt like working for an icon in the sport, Jones was quick with his response. “It’s awesome, man! It’s the chance of a lifetime. Castrol’s been very good to me. I was a John Force fan before I won. I’ve been watching NHRA for several years. I got hooked because my dad’s been into drag racing since he was my age.”
As for Force, who made it to his 165th final in Madison and is currently sixth in overall points, the 54-year-old legend isn’t ready to give his seat up just yet.
“Oh, no, especially not when you’re losing!” Force said with a laugh. “Right now, Tony Pedregon, my protégé, he’s really dominating, and we just set a national ET record in Chicago. So I’ve got a good hotrod again. We struggle with it, but it’s all part of the game. Maybe I’m a little spoiled and so are my sponsors with 12 championships and all the wins, but to me, it’s a job and I enjoy it.”
