John Force Racing has turned one of the most turbulent off‑seasons in recent NHRA memory into an opportunity, handing the Cornwell Tools Funny Car seat to Jordan Vandergriff after Austin Prock’s departure. The move not only fills a high‑profile vacancy, it also signals how John Force’s organization intends to evolve in the first phase of its post‑Force driving era.

By installing Vandergriff in the Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS Funny Car, John Force Racing is betting on a young driver with limited but intriguing top fuel experience to stabilize a flagship program. The decision reshapes the team’s depth chart, clarifies its Funny Car direction for 2026, and adds another twist to an already “super‑silly” Silly Season that has scrambled expectations across the nitro ranks.

Why John Force Racing turned to Jordan Vandergriff

From a competitive standpoint, choosing Jordan Vandergriff to replace Austin Prock in the Cornwell ride is a calculated blend of continuity and fresh energy. Vandergriff is not a rookie to the NHRA nitro spotlight, and John Force Racing has already seen him work inside its system, which reduces the risk that often comes with a new face in a marquee seat. The team is not simply plugging a hole, it is aligning a driver whose style and background fit the long‑term vision for its Funny Car program, as reflected in the formal announcement naming him driver of the Cornwell Quality Tools Chevrolet SS Funny Car for John Force Racing in 2026, a role described in detail on the team’s own Cornwell Quality Tools Funny Car release.

Vandergriff’s path into this seat has been building quietly. The California native already has NHRA nitro experience, including two starts in 2025 driving in relief of injured top fuel driver Shawn Langdon, a stint documented in his official John Force Racing bio. That cameo gave the organization a live look at his adaptability, professionalism, and ability to handle the pressure of stepping into an established operation on short notice. When Prock’s exit created a sudden vacancy in one of the sport’s most visible Funny Cars, Vandergriff was already a known quantity inside the shop, which made him a logical candidate to stabilize the program rather than forcing the team to start from scratch with an outsider.

Inside the Cornwell Tools Funny Car deal

The Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS Funny Car is more than just another entry on the ladder, it is a cornerstone marketing platform for both John Force Racing and Cornwell Quality Tools. By naming Jordan Vandergriff as the driver of the Cornwell Quality Tools Chevrolet SS Funny Car for John Force Racing, the team is signaling to sponsors and competitors that the car will remain a front‑line effort rather than a stopgap project. The official team announcement framed Vandergriff as the right fit for the Cornwell program, underscoring that this is a strategic partnership rather than a short‑term patch, a point emphasized in the detailed team statement on the Cornwell Tools Funny Car.

The reveal itself was staged to maximize impact. John Force Racing used the Performance Racing Industry Trade Show at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis as the backdrop, introducing Vandergriff as the driver of the Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS Funny Car in front of an industry‑heavy audience, a moment captured in the team’s PRI announcement video and mirrored on its social announcement. That choice of venue matters, because it allowed Cornwell and JFR to present the new pairing directly to engine builders, crew chiefs, and sponsors who shape the competitive landscape.

How Vandergriff’s background fits John Force Racing’s future

Jordan Vandergriff arrives in this role with a blend of youth and experience that aligns with where John Force Racing is heading. Born February 21, 1995, and identified in team materials as a California native, he has already navigated the unique demands of NHRA nitro competition, including those two 2025 top fuel starts in relief of Shawn Langdon, as outlined in his driver profile. That background gives him a foundation in managing the sensory overload of 11,000‑horsepower machinery, even if the Funny Car configuration presents its own learning curve. For a team recalibrating after John Force’s retirement from driving, a driver who has already shown he can plug into an existing structure and perform is a valuable asset.

There is also a cultural fit at play. John Force Racing has long been built around a mix of family ties and trusted allies, a dynamic reflected in how the organization references the Force family alongside drivers such as Josh Hart, Alexis DeJoria, and Jordan Vandergriff in its broader team overview. Vandergriff’s willingness to step in as a relief driver, then commit to a full‑time Funny Car role, fits the pattern of drivers who buy into the organization’s demanding, all‑in culture. In a paddock where chemistry can be as important as raw talent, that alignment may prove as important as his reaction times.

The Silly Season context and Prock’s departure

Jordan Vandergriff’s promotion cannot be separated from the broader chaos of this Silly Season. The NHRA’s off‑track maneuvering has been described as “super‑silly,” with driver moves and team reshuffles accelerating after John Force confirmed his official retirement from driving. Within that swirl, Austin Prock’s exit from the Cornwell Tools Funny Car created one of the most coveted openings in the nitro ranks, a sequence outlined in the NHRA’s own Silly Season recap that tracks how Force’s retirement announcement set off a chain reaction across multiple teams.

In that environment, John Force Racing faced a choice between chasing an established star or elevating a driver it already knew. The team’s decision to install Vandergriff in the Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS Funny Car, confirmed both in the PRI‑stage announcement and in the detailed team release, suggests a preference for building around a younger core rather than reshuffling the deck with another high‑profile free agent. In a Silly Season defined by surprise moves, this one stands out for how neatly it ties together the team’s immediate need and its long‑term strategy.

What Vandergriff’s Funny Car move means for 2026

Looking ahead, Vandergriff’s appointment is not just a one‑year experiment, it is a cornerstone of John Force Racing’s 2026 plan. The team has been explicit that he will drive the Cornwell Quality Tools Chevrolet SS Funny Car for John Force Racing in the 2026 season, a commitment spelled out in the organization’s Cornwell Tools announcement and echoed in coverage that highlights his role as the driver of a John Force Racing Funny Car in 2026, including a focused Engine Builder feature. That kind of clarity is rare in a sport where sponsorship and performance can shift lineups quickly, and it gives both the team and driver a runway to grow together.

The early signs of that partnership are already visible. At the PRI show, Vandergriff appeared in Cornwell Tools Funny Car colors as John Force Racing’s newest driver, giving fans and industry insiders a first look at the pairing in interviews such as his conversation captured on WFO Radio’s video. For a team transitioning out of the John Force driving era, locking in a young Funny Car driver with a multi‑year horizon is a statement of intent. It tells rivals that the Cornwell car will not be a revolving door, and it gives Vandergriff the stability he needs to grow from “replacement for Prock” into a long‑term pillar of the John Force Racing lineup.