- Category:
- Richest Athletes › Race Car Drivers
- Net Worth:
- $3 Million
- Birthdate:
- Nov 29, 1982 (41 years old)
- Birthplace:
- Yorba Linda
- Gender:
- Female
- Profession:
- Race car driver
- Nationality:
- United States of America
What is Ashley Force Hood's Net Worth?
Ashley Force Hood is a former NHRA Funny Car drag racer who has a net worth of $3 million. Ashley Force Hood raced for her father's John Force Racing from 2007 to 2010. The daughter of 16-time NHRA Top Fuel Funny Car national champion John Force, she defeated her father in the final round of the NHRA Summit Southern Nationals in 2008, making her the first woman to win a TF/FC event. Hood also appeared on television with her family in the A&E reality series "Driving Force."
Early Life and Education
Ashley Force was born on November 29, 1982 in Yorba Linda, California to Laurie and NHRA drag racer John Force. One of the most dominant drag racers in history, her father won 16 NHRA Top Fuel Funny Car national championships. Hood has two sisters named Courtney and Brittany as well as a half-sister named Adria. As a teenager, she attended Esperanza High School in Anaheim, where she was a cheerleader. Hood went on to attend California State University, Fullerton, graduating in 2003 with her Bachelor of Arts degree in communications.
Drag Racing Career
Taking after her father, Hood began drag racing in the early 2000s. As a Top Alcohol Dragster rookie in 2004, she won three of the season's final five races and finished fourth in national driver points. Notably, Hood shared the winners' circle with her father at the season-ending Automobile Club of Southern California; this made them the first father-daughter winners in NHRA history. In 2007, Hood moved up to the professional ranks and joined her father's team John Force Racing, driving a Castrol-sponsored Mustang Top Fuel Funny Car. That spring, she and her father became the first father and daughter to race each other in the NHRA when they competed in Atlanta. The younger Hood ultimately won the round, advancing to the semifinals. Later in the year, she reached the final round of the TF/FC national series in Las Vegas, but was defeated by Tony Pedregon on a hole shot.
Hood began the 2008 racing season on a strong note, reaching the final round of eliminations in three consecutive events, in Houston, Las Vegas, and Atlanta. At the NHRA Summit Southern Nationals in Atlanta, she once again raced against her father, who was seeking to score his 1,000th career round win. The younger Hood ultimately emerged victorious, securing her first professional NHRA Funny Car win. In the process, she became the first woman ever to earn a win in TF/FC. Hood claimed her second career event win in 2009 at the O'Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals, beating her former instructor Jack Beckman in the finals. Later, at the US Nationals, she beat Robert Hight to become the first female Funny Car driver to win at Indianapolis. Hood finished the 2009 season in second place in points. After competing in 2010, she took a hiatus in 2011 to focus on family, and eventually announced her retirement from racing.
Driving Force
Alongside her parents and sisters, Hood starred in the A&E reality television series "Driving Force" from 2006 to 2007. The show focused on the lives and careers of the family members, with a particular emphasis on patriarch John.
Other Activities
In early 2011, it was announced that Hood would become the president of John Force Entertainment, a subsidiary of John Force Racing focused on developing media projects. She assumed the role the following year.
Although she had retired from racing, Hood did test driving for John Force Racing in 2014 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. This allowed her to renew her NHRA Funny Car license so she could continue doing test or reserve driving in the future.
Personal Life
Hood married Daniel Hood, the parts manager of the Castrol GTX Funny Car team, in late 2008. Together, they had a son named Jacob in the summer of 2011. The Hoods also have two American Bobtails named Simba and Gizmo, who were featured on the Animal Planet television program "Cats 101" in 2010.