“Thought I Was Dead”: When Dale Earnhardt Jr. & NHRA Legend John Force Bonded Over Their Elvis Presley Obsession

Over the years, Elvis Presley won many hearts with his iconic music. Popularly known as the ‘King of Rock and Roll,’ the American singer won over many fans, which also included many renowned personalities. Among them were two of the legends from motorsports, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and John Force. Earlier this week, Earnhardt Jr. sat down with Force in a candid conversation, during which they revealed their shared passion.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Dirty Mo Media released a new episode featuring Force on December 11. The duo talked about various topics – from their racing careers to their personal lives. Among the topics discussed was their love for Elvis Presley’s albums.

Reminiscing his visit to one of Presley’s concerts, Force said, “I saw Elvis at a 1000 foot at Memphis when I was on fire, and let me tell you something, I crawled out on my hand and knees. I thought I was dead, yeah, and I remember I was praying to God like, let me stand let me get up out of this thing I’ll go back to church.”

However, this isn’t the first time that Force has expressed his fandom for Elvis Presley. When he was just 15, he heard Presley sing ‘Viva Las Vegas’ on the radio. Coming from a humble background, Force was inspired by the album, and it represented his determination to succeed. But with time, his passion for Presley’s music grew, so much so that he once left tickets for the musician to attend a drag race.

Similarly, Earnhardt Jr. is also a big fan of Presley. Like Force, he expressed his fandom for the late singer, saying, “I’ve got an Elvis room in my house, whole room. So I’m a big Elvis fan, too…When I was little, when I was a little boy, um, and dad was off racing, my dad would race sometimes, I’d go stay with my his mom, and Martha, a huge Elvis fan, and she played Elvis all the time. I’ve always had a room in my house that’s dedicated to Elvis.”

Earnhardt Jr. and John Force have an interesting relationship dating back to the time when the latter suffered a crash. Subsequently, Earnhardt Jr. sent him an emotional wish.

“Wishing him comfort and a smooth recovery” – Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s message to John Force following his crash

Earlier this year, Force suffered a fiery crash at the NHRA Virginia Nationals. Subsequently, he underwent treatment and was released from the rehab center a month later. Force was treated for cognitive and behavioral symptoms from his TBI. During these concerning times, his good friend, Earnhardt Jr. stood by him and wished him a speedy recovery.

Taking to social media, Dale Earnhardt Jr. wrote, “Watched a previous post from Rick Mast and heard him call John Force the Richard Petty of drag racing. It is a perfect comparison. John Force has long been everything to drag racing. And for me, every moment I spent around him was as thrilling as watching him run the strip. Certainly wishing him comfort and a smooth recovery.”

With the crash being serious, Force was transferred to the neuro-intensive care unit from the trauma intensive care unit four days after the accident. However, back in October this year, his daughter dropped a positive health update on him and the NHRA legend is doing well today. And what better news than that for the motorsports enthusiats!