NHRA: John Force explains Jeff Gordon tribute scheme

John Force is running a special tribute paint scheme on his Chevy Funny Car at this weekend's NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway in honor of NASCAR star Jeff Gordon, entering the stretch drive this weekend in his final season of Sprint Cup competition. Force explained the reasons behind his flame-licked "Rainbow Warriors-esque" livery.

"Well I've known Jeff since he was a young kid," Force said of Gordon. "I met him when he was 16 or 17 years old and he still looks 16 or 17. I was actually out at a race – I'm not trying to say we are not close buddies, we don't hang out. I've never been to dinner with him unless it was a function. Did the AARWBA Banquet with him and a number of banquets when we were on the All-American team and that's where I kind of got to know him. We worked with the Action collectible group, which is now Lionel. It kind of evolved from that.

Dale Earnhardt Sr., Junior, we did autograph sessions when those kids were starting. When I go to NASCAR races and that is about what I know. You can love somebody and you can respect somebody and you don't have to be their friend. I mean I guess we are friends. We are racers in that deal. He is on his schedule and does what he does and I do what I do. This was, to me, more of one legend to another to say, man, thank you. Thank you for what you've done to our sport. If you haven't seen him he has been coming the last two or three years, maybe longer, he always shows up here on Sunday, dressed in a little hat and a shirt, you wouldn't know it was Jeff Gordon. He's got his two kids with him and he's up and down... loves this place.

"Mr. Hendrick was over yesterday, his partner there at the team looking at the car and getting pictures sending them to Jeff. The way it came about and I'll answer your question was I was out at Fontana with Auto Club and Chevrolet and Peak and everybody meeting all the drivers and I saw these signs in the infield that said 'Thanks Jeff.' It was that simple. He really is going to retire. Now, he will move on to the announcer's box and of course he is partners with Hendrick however all that works and the teams, but that really was what it was all about. Just to say thank you.

"The reason I picked this race, y'all know, that I have so many races that Peak Antifreeze bought and I had races, like next week I will be running the Lucas Slick Mist car and then I will be running the Traxxas car in Dallas. I have to sell those races to finance me, but this race I saved for him myself. To take a moment for the fans that are here... we are in NASCAR country guys. This would be the place to unveil it, the start of the Countdown for him and the Countdown for me. That really is my reason. Do I know Jeff? You bet. But I don't want to make a statement where he goes, 'Hell I don't even hardly know that guy.' But I know he said to me once the reason we flamed it was, 'You are always on fire, you are going to kill yourself.' I thought about that because there was a year I had a couple of bad years on fire and he commented on that. I flamed it in his colors for him. That's the reason."

Asked whether he would like a NASCAR team to reciprocate with a tribute to him, Force replied:

"Well, that isn't why I did it, but they are going to have to wait a long time. I ain't going anywhere. I'm going to be stubborn; I'm going to fight this thing out. I still love what I do. I can still drive a racecar. I keep coming up with good ideas. I love that, but I don't want to put that out there. They've got races to run, sponsors to carry, if somebody says something nice about me along the way, naturally Gordon and he already did. They had five top questions for each of the drivers in the Countdown the fact that they put that car in their show to me is an honor to me. I'm out here driving it. I've got people calling me Jeff. We are having so much fun with it. The media really opened their arms to it in town. In the end I really want Jeff's children to know how we feel about him. That was really the key.

"My kids didn't know what I did and as they evolved and started being with me and my wife and our family I wanted them to know what I did that I loved so much. They never really understood it. Once they started driving they started understanding it. I really want my grandkids to see it too. That's why I've got to hang around here awhile, build some safety, try to help grow the sport, but that is what I thought about Jeff when I saw his kids. Do they really know him? Yeah, he's a great father and for us all to say how great it is who their dad is that would mean something to those two little kids to know how we feel about him. He's already great all you've got to do is go to the races. 

"I'm never going to retire. I'm not going to do a final tour. I won't do that. When I leave I'm going to get out of that car at the other end and I'm going to jump that fence. I don't have to make no excuses and I'm going to walk away. When everybody understands it's all gone and it's really over, I will come back and run my teams for my family and take another role. I'm just not ready yet. My final tour they will stuff me like Trigger and take me to all the events and sell some t-shirts."