Climbing into a Funny Car for the first time since his devastating accident Sept. 23 in Dallas, 14-time champion John Force needed just one warm-up pass before blasting his way to the forefront of the National Time Trials with the quickest and fastest pass of the four-day test session. Force's 4.782 at 327.51 mph was so good he ended up out in the Arizona desert past the final turn-off, but the most prolific Funny Car driver of all time was still smiling when he emerged unscathed from his dusty Castrol GTX Ford Mustang.
With a support brace on his left hand and left leg, Force started the day with a feel-it-out launch of 10.650 at 67.57 mph. He then waited until the evening to come back and take a home run swing of 4.782 at 327.51 mph
