Force: Losing tasca, sr. Was like losing my father all over again

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FORCE: LOSING TASCA, SR. WAS LIKE LOSING MY FATHER ALL OVER AGAIN
Written by Stan Creekmore Saturday, 16 January 2010 09:00
Sitting amongst those gathered to honor Robert Tasca, Sr. was a 60-year-old, 14-time NHRA Funny Car champion with tears in his eyes and the feeling of loss in his heart.

For John Force, losing Robert Tasca, Sr. is like losing his father all over again, even though no one could ever truly replace his dad.

“Tasca was the man I turned to for advice after my father died,” recalled Force. “He is the reason I am with Ford. He bled Ford Blue.”

Force remembers the first time he ever met the family in Providence, RI. He walked into the family-owned and run Ford dealership and thought he was meeting the Wyatt Earp family. Force jokes he thought they were either going to beat him up or gun him down.

“It is just an amazing family and he was the leader. He was the one they listened to and so did Ford Motor Company and the unions. He was a very powerful man but a good, fair and honest man.”

Force remembers that Tasca entered racing, not so much because he loved racing, but because he wanted to sell race cars. Tasca was a “win on Sunday, sell on Monday” guy. He believed in customer service and treating people fairly. He believed in sharing his successes.

In just the last month, Force called on Tasca for advice on how to move to the next level of his business and his life. It is advice Force will truly miss, just as the rest of the racing world will miss the drive and determination of Robert Tasca, Sr.