Is John Force the Best Driver Ever in the NHRA?

If the Living Colour song "Cult of Personality" could be used to describe any individual in all of racing, it would be used for NHRA Funny Car driver John Force. 

Why wouldn't it? At 64, the man is loud, proud, and just so happens to be on top of his game even as he pushes 70. Need proof? During the 2013 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, he captured his 16th championship. Sixteen championships is saying something, especially considering that the guy just so happens to drive faster than most people his age, at 330-plus miles per hour.

Also, take into consideration the awards Force as piled on. He was the 1996 Driver of the Year for all of American motorsports, becoming the first drag racer to do so. He has 135 victories out of 220 final rounds. He's a recipient of the 2012 Lee Iacocca Award. To top it all off, he holds a record of 10 straight Funny Car titles, from 1993 to 2002. 

He was listed No. 2 on the NHRA list of 50 Greatest Drivers, but as much of an honor as one would expect it to be, is it warranted?

Keep in mind that Force has done so much for the sport of drag racing, and I'm not only talking about victories. Force has also managed to take the NHRA mainstream with such ventures as his short-lived reality series Driving Force that ran two seasons from 2006 to 2007 on A&E. Also take into consideration that since that the NHRA drivers are far more open to the fans, Force holds a cult-like following because he's a gripping and entertaining figure, both in person and behind a microphone.

Granted, the only driver ahead of Force on the list of greatest drivers is none other than Don Garlits, who has contributed greatly to the sport with innovations to both speed and safety, such as the advent of the rear-engine Top Fuel dragster.

But despite being just as outspoken as Force, if not more, Garlits never had Force's magnetism. Sure, both drivers have come back from major adversity. Garlits had a portion of his foot blown off in 1970 when the transmission exploded in his front-engine slingshot rail, yet he managed to cap off his career with 144 event wins, 10 AHRA championships, four IHRA championships and three NHRA championships.

During Force's 2007 season, he lost promising driver Eric Medlen in a fatal testing crash and was also seriously injured in a crash during an event in Dallas later that season. Yet, he's come back to win several more events and two more championships (2010, 2013). On top of that, he is a successful car owner as two of his daughters (Ashley Force-Hood, Courtney Force) have posted victories in his equipment, and JFR driver Robert Hight won the 2009 championship.

Garlits has a car in the Smithsonian, sure. But the thing about the John Force Racing family is that they can not and will not be beat. Prudhomme, Amato, McEwen, Glidden, Kalitta and Garlits all fell off as time went on, but Force keeps going and going. He will win as long as time lets him.

Simply put, John Force is the best driver the NHRA will ever see.

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