Test Results Don't Provide Answers for Auto Club Ford

"I think, for the most part, these test sessions create more confusion than
anything else," Prock said. "We tried a lot of different stuff, way more than we normally
would, but we wound up with more questions than answers."

As a result, the team will start the new season with basically the same
combination with which they ended the old one.

Not that that's all bad. After all, Densham was one of only six Funny Car drivers
to earn multiple victories last season (winning at Gainesville, Fla., and Brainerd, Minn.)
and, for the second straight year, briefly led the POWERade point standings.

But in a sport in which thousandths of a second can mean the difference
between victory and defeat, Prock and Densham know that constant improvement is tantamount to competitive survival.

This year's pre-season angst was compounded by the fact that two of the
components they put to the test are not even yet legal for NHRA competition the new
programmable MSD ignition system and the newest Goodyear "slick" tire.

Working at Firebird with components designed to "smooth the torque
application," the Auto Club Ford didn't make it past 60 feet on nine straight runs "but we
had some good (60-foot times)," Prock smiled.

"The thing that scares me the most right now is the weather," Prock said,
referring to a forecast calling for rain on Friday and Saturday. The thought that you
might just get two runs to qualify for this race doesn't make me feel very good."

The situation is compounded by the fact that the NHRA has replaced part of
the concrete "launch pad" at the Fairplex, a circumstance that could drastically change
the starting line dynamic.

Nevertheless, Densham is anxious to get the season underway.

The former high school auto shop teacher admits to being lost when he's not
with his race car.

"I've haven't changed my opinion in 30 years," Densham said. "I'd rather be
racing than doing anything else. I tell people 'a bad day racing is better than a good
day doing anything else.'"

Since coming on board with John Force Racing in 2001, Densham has had a lot
more more good days than bad. He's started from the No. 1 qualifying position five
times, won six races, led the POWERade points on two different occasions and even
held the national speed record.

But he hasn't won at the Fairplex, a drought he'd like to end this weekend.

BY THE NUMBERS....
5 Position in 2003 driver standings
6 Career NHRA POWERade tour victories
15 Final round appearances
32 Years driving pro Funny Car
244 Races run before winning for the first time in September, 2001, at Memphis,
Tenn.

RACE AT A GLANCE....
– Gary nver has won a race on this, his home track. The closest he came was a
runner-up finish to Tony Pedregon at the 1999 Winternationals.
– In 37 trips to Pomona, Gary has won just 14 rounds of racing. He was beaten in the
first round of last year's raceby Bob Gilbertson.

* * * *

DID YOU KNOW?
On behalf of the Auto Club, Gary addresses more than 60 student groups each year,
stressing safe driving and education and explaining the career opportunities available in
the automotive field....when he's not driving his own car, Gary is schooling son Steven
who is licensed in the Top Alcohol Funny Car class....for 27 years, Gary taught auto
shop at Gahr High School in Cerritos, Calif. He ran his own Funny Car team with a
crew comprised of students.

Rookie Ready for Much-Heralded Debut in Champ Car

"I'd go down to the shop at midnight, when nobody else was around, with the
lights off and the radio on, and just sit in the car," he recalled. "I felt like a six-year-old
kid playing with his 'Green Machine.' It was fun like playing in the sandbox."

As a result of those sessions, Medlen customized his new ride, moving shutoff
levers, the brake handle and the clutch pedal to the point that, after one trip during pre-
season testing, he radio-ed back to the crew that "this thing feels just like an old shoe."

Now, it's time for him to translate that comfort into performance.

Although Force repeatedly has said that Medlen is under no pressure to perform,
just to learn, the driver is aware of the tacit expectations.

"There is pressure," Medlen acknowledged, "because everyone knows that this
is the car that won the championship. But it seems like soon as the car starts,
everything kind of goes away.

"If we can qualify at every race (this season), it's a major success," he continued,
"but I'd be lying to you if I said we don't want to win races, that we just want to get some
experience. We want to win Pomona. We want to win the next 20 of them. That may
not be realistic, but you have to think that way to have half a chance."

Although his seat time has been limited, Medlen feels like his crew experience
on Force's Castrol GTX High Mileage™ Ford will shorten the learning curve.

"Every time he went up to the starting line," Medlen said of his boss, "I was
picturing myself going through everything. When he was warming the car up, I'd watch
everything because (when) you want to do something so bad, you pay attention to
every single, littlest detail so that if you ever do get your chance, you're less likely to
screw it up."

BY THE NUMBERS....
0 Number of professional races as a driver
8 Years as a crewman at John Force Racing
21 Pre-season test runs
4.797 Best time during pre-season testing

RACE AT A GLANCE....
– Castrol SYNTEC Ford won last year's K&N Filters Winternationals in impressive
fashion with driver Tony Pedregon, breaking the 4.80 second barrier on all four
competitive runs.
– The SYNTEC Ford is the track record holder at 4.721 seconds and the event record
holder at 4.739 seconds

* * * *

DID YOU KNOW?
Eric was poised to launch a pro rodeo career as team roping partner to 1975 world
champion Jerold Camarillo when his father called in 1996 to offer him a crew position at
JFR....Eric completed two-and-a-half years of Mechanical Engineering studies at Terra
Technical University in Fremont, Ohio....Eric sold three shifter-karts he raced
independently to pay for a trip to Frank Hawley's driving school in Gainesville, Fla.

12-Time Champion Committed to Reclaiming Title

"It was Dale Earnhardt's number," Force said, referring to the late NASCAR
Winston Cup Champion, "so it's not so bad."

Neverthleless, when you're John Force, drag racing's biggest winner, anything
short of perfection can cause ripples in the pond.

A 10-time winner at the Fairplex, where he swept both the season-opening and
season-ending events in 2002, Force admits that last year was atypical.

Although he won three times and lowered the official NHRA national record to 4.721 seconds, the fact that he never was in the points race caused many to wonder if
he finally had lost his passion for the sport.

It's a suggestion that causes the 11-time Auto Racing All-American to bristle.

"It's tough out there," Force said. "There are a lot of good teams and good
drivers, even more this year than last. You can't dominate like we did (in 1996, when
he won 13 of 19 races and was named Driver of the Year for all of American motor
racing)."

However, it wasn't just the competition. Force entered the 2003 campaign in a
chassis manufactured for the first time by someone other than close friend Steve
Plueger, once a racing partner of Force's current teammate, Gary Densham.

It took the veteran a full season to grow comfortable with the new pipe fabricated
by McKinney Corporation.

The other mitigating factor was the change NHRA made to its "Christmas Tree"
starting system, the apparatus that uses sequential amber and green lights to start
each two-car heat.

Faced with an inordinate number of bulb failures, NHRA officials opted to
upgrade to LED lights in all national event systems. The new bulbs were brighter than
the conventional lights they replaced.

Unfortunately, for Force, they proved too bright. The result was four foul starts,
equaling the number of "red light" fouls he had incurred in 25 previous seasons on the
NHRA tour.

"I had to re-educate myself," Force said. "I had it in my head that I couldn't red
light. Then I did. So I had to adjust. Now I know that on good tracks I have to be
careful and I can't be as aggressive (at the start) as I used to be. It's just an
adjustment, that's all. I told my guys when we were struggling, you fix the car, I'll fix the
driver.

"All that's past. I just know it's been a long winter and I'm ready to go racing."

BY THE NUMBERS....
3 Number occupied in 2003 point standings.
12 Series Championships
43 Races at Pomona
109 NHRA POWERade tour victories
323 Consecutive series starts
838 Competitive rounds won

RACE AT A GLANCE....
John has won 10 races at the LA County Fairplex. He is the only driver to have won all
three events contested at the track the Winternationals (1991, 1993, 1992, 2002), the
Auto Club World Finals (1988, 1994, 1996, 2000 and 2002) and the special NHRA 50th
Anniversary Nationals (2001).
John was beaten in the second round of last year's Winternationals by Gary Scelzi, to
whom he has lost four times in five career meetings.

* * * *

DID YOU KNOW:
John had the quickest time and fastest speed in pre-season testing. At The Strip at Las
Vegas Motor Speedway, he was timed in 4.736 seconds at 329.18 miles per hour
(equal to Gary Scelzi current national record)....John's 21-year-old daughter, Ashley,
this week is making he first competitive appearance in the Darien and Meadows-owned
A/Fuel dragster in which Morgan Lucas won four of the last five Top Alcohol Dragster
events of 2003....John hasn't failed to qualify for a race since Oct. 31, 1987 when he
missed the starting lineup at the World Finals, also contested at the LA County Fairplex.

YORBA LINDA, Calif. - Ashley Force, who’ll be competing this year as a rookie in the Top Alcohol Dragster class, recently completed her final semester of college. For the last three-and-a-half years, she has been attending California State University-Fullerton, from which she now has graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications with an emphasis in Radio, Television and Film.

Two classes that had a lasting impression on the 21-year-old California girl were Advanced College Writing and Sitcom Writing. Ashley said her Advanced College Writing class was “a hard class with lots of writing exercises, but it motivated me to try my hardest in my final year of school.”

The second of the two classes was a Sitcom Writing class in which she wrote a fifty-page script for the sitcom “Friends. “My story involved the three guys having a girls night in, and the girls having a guys night out at the local bar.”

Consequently her homework for the class was to watch Friends episodes. “The class was a blast,” laughed Ashley.

With school finished, Ashley now can focus on her young racing career. Moving up to Top Alcohol Dragster has her excited and eager to begin. She is delighted to be learning from Jerry Darien and to be working even closer with her father, John Force.

“Her mother and I are very excited about Ashley graduating and are even more excited about the fact that she’s racing A-Fuel with Jerry Darien and Ken Meadows,” stated her legendary father.

Darien has scheduled two test sessions in Las Vegas. The first being January 23. This weekend will be an orientation for the newly assembled team. Along with the Darien and Meadows team car, Rob Slavinski will be heading up the crew. Three other employees have been added to the A-Fuel dragster: Victor Scardina, Chris Perl and Shane Turner.

Scardina has worked for other NHRA teams including John Mitchell, Doug Herbert and Robert Reehl. Perl’s background consists of experience on Cruz Pedregon’s funny car, and JE Pistons previously employed Turner.

The second test date is January 29. That is when Ashley will get the majority of her laps in. “We’re all excited to get back into the racing mode,” Ashley said. “I’m optimistic about this season,” Darien said last week from his shop in Anaheim, Calif. “I was impressed with testing (when Ashley earned her alcohol license last fall). When she was told to shut off at half-track, she knew where it was. And she knew where the finish line was to throw the chutes out. Kids that grow up in racing have an advantage. In their minds they have been racing their whole lives.”

While Ashley was visiting Darien’s shop, she sat in both of the team’s dragsters, and went over data. The length of the pedals and switches had to be revised for the 5’6” California girl. Darien also entertained many questions she had, from when to only use one of the two braking parachutes to tips on getting out of the car wearing a Hans device, gracefully.

Ashley will have a lot of experience by the end of this year. She’ll have a full year in the cockpit of a 3500 horsepower dragster plus another year of media and sponsor relations. And being the daughter of John Force she has always had a great example.

“She’s found her niche if this whole racing thing doesn’t work out,” grinned her father after viewing a recent move she made in association with her PR rep, Mandie Yorio. “It was terrific. It explains what John Force and our people are about. I was so impressed that I’ve actually envisioned the future,” the 12-time champ bellowed. “What television does for promoting the sponsors! An excellent example is Monster Garage and the exposure for Mac Tools.”

There is no doubt that the veteran Force will be there to help the new Force with any questions she may have - whether related to racing or publicity.

Rookie Gets His Shot After Eight Years as JFR Crewman

YORBA LINDA, Calif. - Twelve-time NHRA Funny Car Champion John Force confirmed Thursday that rookie Eric Medlen will be at the wheel of the POWERade Championship-winning Castrol SYNTEC Ford Mustang when the 2004 season begins next month (Feb. 19-22) at the K&N Filters Winternationals at Pomona Raceway.

"We talked to a lot of very talented drivers," Force said of his search for a replacement for the departed Tony Pedregon, "but, bottom line, we had an opportunity to give a young driver a chance and, after talking to all my Crew Chiefs, that's what we decided to do.

"Eric has been here for the last eight years," Force continued. "He knows our routine. He knows what we expect. He tested in my car (the Castrol GTX High Mileage Ford Mustang) after Vegas (last October) and that really is what told us that he had the potential to do the job."

Medlen, 30, is the son of John Medlen who, as Crew Chief on the SYNTEC Ford, directed Pedregon to eight victories in a spectacular 2003 season and to 27 wins in his eight years at John Force Racing.

"We are extremely pleased to have Eric Medlen coming on board to represent Castrol and the SYNTEC brand," said John Cronin, sponsorship manager for Castrol. "It's exciting for Castrol to play a role in the development of such a talented young driver, one we believe will immediately compete for the NHRA POWERade Championship."

A native of Oakdale, a northern California community in the heart of "cowboy country," the younger Medlen was preparing for a pro rodeo career as team roping partner to 1975 World Champion Jerold Camarillo when he was contacted by his father about a crew position at JFR.

"I always wanted to work with my dad," said the former high school rodeo champion, "but I didn't want to let Jerold down, either, because it got to be where he was kinda like my dad, too.

"So I talked to (Jerold) and asked him what he thought I should do. He said, 'well, you know (that) 80 per cent of World Champions in roping are 30 and older, so you can always come back and do this. If I was you, I think I'd go (to JFR). If it doesn't work out, you can come back and this will always be here. But if you pass it up, (the opportunity) might not ever come around again.'"

As a result, Medlen opted to join his father, working during the 1996 season as a crewman on the Pedregon-driven Funny Car that ultimately finished second in points behind the companion car driven by Force. The next year, he moved over one pit space to work with Austin Coil and Bernie Fedderly on Force's Castrol GTX entry.

After serving as Force's supercharger specialist for five years, Medlen was the "clutch guy" on the national record-holding Ford each of the last two seasons.

Now, little more than eight years after contemplating a career astride one horse, he tries to ride herd on almost 7,000 as the new driver of a hybrid Ford Mustang that has covered the standard quarter mile in as few as 4.721 seconds.

Although he is licensed in the Top Alcohol Dragster class and has made test laps in both the SYNTEC Ford and in Force's Mustang, most of Medlen's actual driving experience has come at the wheel of modified go-karts, including 120 mile-per-hour shifter carts of the type used by Indy Car drivers to keep themselves sharp during the winter off-season.

At one time, Medlen owned three such shifter-karts, but he sold all of them along with a self-built "chopper" motorcycle to buy seat time in a Top Alcohol Funny Car at Frank Hawley's Drag Racing School in Gainesville, Fla.

His "cowboy" biography notwithstanding, Medlen always has been mechanically inclined. "Growing up, my dad had a machine shop and we always raced something," Medlen said. "Stock cars, hydroplane boats, alcohol cars. When I was in fifth grade Dad got us a go kart that he converted to alcohol.

"I was so little they had to have two pillows behind the seat and the pedals kind of arced up so that I could barely reach the arc, but I could get it to go full throttle, although just barely. So we'd go out and mess with those karts and the boats. >From kindergarten on up I was gone from school all of the time.

We were always racing something so, when my dad and mom split up (in 1987), for awhile I was kinda lost.

"I wanted to go (to Arkansas) with him, but then I felt bad about leaving my mom and all my friends were in Oakdale. That's when I started taking up roping."

Although his driving resume may be lacking, Medlen is an accomplished machinist who spent two-and-a-half years studying mechanical engineering at Terra Technical University in Fremont, Ohio, and two years working for Callies Crankshafts, Inc.

"In John Force and Eric Medlen, we believe we have the most formidable 1-2 punch in motorsports," Cronin said. "John's experience coupled with Eric's youth and enthusiasm put Team Castrol in a position to outperform the competition in pursuing a 12th straight NHRA Championship. It should be a great ride."

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AUTO CLUB INKS MULTI-YEAR PACT TO EXTEND FORCE SPONSORSHIP

Densham Returns as Driver of World's Fastest Mustang in 2004

YORBA LINDA, Calif. - John Force confirmed Tuesday that he has signed a long-term agreement with the Automobile Club of Southern California that will put veteran Gary Densham back in the cockpit of one of the John Force Racing Ford Mustangs for a fourth season.

Although Densham will be re-united with Crew Chief Jimmy Prock for one more year, the terms of the contract extend Auto Club's association with JFR through the 2007 NHRA POWERade season.

"I'm glad to have Gary back," Force said. "We're looking forward to another great year for the Auto Club team and all three of my cars."

Densham, who was to have left JFR at the end of the 2003 season to field a car of his own, returns in large part to provide continuity in the wake of Tony Pedregon's unexpected departure from the team after eight seasons at the wheel of the Castrol SYNTEC Ford.

Although he'll drive the entire 23-race series for JFR and the Auto Club, Densham acknowledged that throughout the year he actively will be seeking the sponsorship necessary to field his own car in 2005.

"John and I have been friends for nearly 30 years," Densham said, "but he has long term goals for his team and I have some of my own.

"I believe I have a few good years left as a driver, but then I would like to move n to become car owner and Crew Chief for my son Steven. I'd like to give him a chance to drive."

The younger Densham, 21, is studying mechanical engineering at California
Polytechnic University (Cal-Poly) in Pomona, Calif. A former NHRA Jr. Dragster champion, he is licensed in Top Alcohol Funny Car but has not yet raced competitively.

"Unfortunately, the cost of running a nitro Funny Car has become so great that a young person has little or no chance of getting involved unless he is born into wealth or works his way up the ladder with an existing team," Densham said. "That's how Steven is going to have to do it and I hope to have that team in place by next season.

"John and I share two main goals," Densham continued. "One is winning
another championship for Auto Club, Ford and Castrol and the other is providing opportunities for second generation racers like Steven, John's daughter Ashley, and others.

"Besides, staying with John for one more year means that I can continue to do my school program with Auto Club (60 appearances each season at high schools primarily in Southern California) and show these kids that there are a lot of opportunities out there for them in the technical field."

A former auto shop teacher at Gahr High School (Cerritos, Calif.), the
57-year-old Densham won two races each of the last three years in the Auto Club Mustang. Before joining JFR in 2001, he had for 29 years successfully campaigned his own Funny Cars.

Last year he posted the fastest speed ever attained by a Ford race car when he was clocked at 327.27 miles per hour at the wheel of the blue-and-white Mustang prepared by Crew Chief Jimmy Prock.

"I was going to form my own team in 2004," Densham acknowledged, "but when Tony left, John asked me to consider staying for one more year to help bring home another championship for Castrol and the Auto Club.

"Maybe I'll get another opportunity to set the national record we just missed last year (with quarter mile times of 4.723 and 4.728 seconds)," he said. "Maybe we'll even be able to get the speed record back (from Gary Scelzi). With Jimmy Prock tuning the car, anything's possible."

The Auto Club Mustang again will be part of a three-car team that will include
Fords driven by Force, the 12-time NHRA Funny Car Champion, and a driver to be named. The Auto Club logo also will be visibly more prominent on other Fords, thus reflecting the company's long-term commitment to the team that has won 11 straight NHRA championships and 142 tour events.

The Automobile Club of Southern California, the largest affiliate of the AAA, has been serving members since 1900. Today, the Auto Club's members benefit by roadside assistance, insurance products and services, travel agency, financial products, automotive pricing, buying and financing programs, automobile testing and analysis, trip planning services, highway and transportation safety programs. Information about these products and services is available on the Auto Club's Web site at www.aaa-calif.com.