John Force undergoes successful knee surgery

Fifteen-time NHRA Funny Car champion John Force confirmed that he underwent successful postseason surgery to repair a damaged anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee after the 2011 NHRA Full Throttle Series banquet.

"This knee never affected my driving, but it became more of a nuisance the past year because I was working out and irritating it," Force said. "It began to affect my everyday life, so the timing was just right to get back to normal. I had polio as a kid and then I banged my knee up playing football.

"I had the crash in Dallas and then I started working out. When I met with my doctors, who were the same guys that worked on NBA star Kobe Bryant, they said this would get me back to 100 percent. I told them I still have championships to win and grandkids to chase around, and I have to be back in the seat for testing and for Pomona for the 2012 season-opening O'Reilly Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway in February."

"I still have a lot of racing in me and I wanted to be the best that I could be for my team," Force said. "Hopefully, we can give them a lot more good times in 2012."