POMONA, Calif. - -- In the world of Funny Car drag racing, in which the cars rocket past 300 mph in a mere 1,000 feet, it was John Force who proved Sunday that there is no substitute for experience.
After Force's 23-year-old daughter Courtney was eliminated despite a strong showing all weekend, John Force went on to win his sixth NHRA Winternationals event by defeating Mike Neff, another driver on Force's Yorba Linda, Calif., team, in the final at Auto Club Raceway in Pomona.
Spencer Massey edged his Don Schumacher Racing teammate Antron Brown to win in Top Fuel, the National Hot Rod Association's other premier class.
Despite his legendary career, the win Sunday was something of a comeback for Force, who won his last title in 2010.
He praised his crew, saying "a driver has got to be good to win, but he's got to have a (strong) car. I'm a blessed man."
Force also said he was proud of Courtney, who won her first round, against Bob Tasca III. Tasca jumped in front but lost traction, suddenly slowed and Courtney swept past him.
But on a cool, overcast day, Courtney lost to Neff in a quarterfinal despite making her best pass of the weekend at 4.143 seconds at 313.88 mph.
"I am very happy with how it went," Courtney said. "Getting qualified alone was a big accomplishment. I didn't picture (getting) this far into Sunday."
Massey's win came after he had set an NHRA national Top Fuel speed record for 1,000-foot races of 328.62 mph when he defeated seven-time champion Tony Schumacher in the semifinal round.
Robert Hight, the 2009 Funny Car champion and fourth driver on Force's team, was a surprise loser in the first round to Todd Lesenko because Hight had arrived Sunday as the fastest qualifier.
In the Pro Stock division, four-time champion Greg Anderson won the Winternationals for the fifth time by defeating Jeg Coughlin, another four-time title winner, in the final.
