Age is just a number in drag racing, where older drivers like John Force excel at high speed

AP Sports Writer

Drag racing star John Force, who is 75 years old, was hospitalized last week after a crash in Virginia. His age should not come as a surprise.  A number of drivers 50 and up are still going strong in a sport that requires them to pilot a car with 11,000 horsepower down a quarter-mile track at speeds of more than 300 miles per hour. They say fitness is key and so is a sharp mental focus. They also note that a drag race lasts several seconds, nothing like a race in NASCAR, IndyCar or Formula 1 that can last for hours.