ESPN NHRA

CONCORD, NC. -- One side of the new zMax Dragway is named the John Force Grandstand. Maybe they can save him a seat. The drag racing legend won't be racing Sunday.

Force failed to make the show for the inaugural NHRA Carolina Nationals, a fate that probably ends any chance he had of winning a 15th Funny Car championship this season.

Missing a race in the six-event Countdown to One playoff, which began with this event, all but dooms any driver's hopes of title contention.

The other three drivers for John Force Racing -- Ashley Force, Robert Hight and Mike Neff -- also are in the 10-driver playoff, and all three qualified at Bruton Smith's new drag racing palace. Eliminations will be broadcast on ESPN and ESPN360.com on Sunday at 7 p.m. ET.

But JFR's 59-year-old leader and drag racing's biggest star will sit out this one.

"I'd like to say I'm sorry and apologize to Bruton and these NHRA fans," Force said. "When they give you an arena like this, the greatest facility in the history of our sport, it makes it more painful to me."

Force's loss was Tony Pedregon's gain. The defending NHRA Funny Car champion, who drove eight seasons for Force's team and won his first championship there in 2003, earned the final qualifying spot when Force fell short.

"Honestly, I feel for John," Pedregon said. "He has done so much for me in my career. But that's the way this sport is. It will knock you back sometimes."

This is one thing the NHRA gets right and NASCAR gets wrong. In the NHRA, no one gets a free pass.

A capacity crowd of 35,000 fans held its breath, watching and wondering if Force would make the 16-car field.

It was high drama in front of many people who were seeing an NHRA event for the first time. The zMax Dragway officials estimated half the standing-room-only crowd was made up of NHRA newbies.

No doubt many of them are NASCAR fans living in the community that's the home base for NASCAR teams. That why this event is so important to Force.

"I fought my whole life to catch up with the NASCAR boys, and I ain't doing my part of the job," Force said. "We've tried to sneak in NASCAR's back door. I always wanted this dream for the NHRA, and this stadium gives us that chance.

"The place is a home run that's only going to get bigger. We needed this stadium. This will make more people come. I'm proud to be a part of it, but a little embarrassed not to be in the show."

Those NASCAR fans at zMax Dragway learned that qualifying really means something here. No guaranteed spots to protect the racing stars and their sponsors. If it's the first race of a driver's career or a 14-time champion like Force, you earn your way into the elimination rounds Sunday.

Consequently, the final round of qualifying Saturday was an edge-of-your-seat experience for the crowd.

Force was in the 17th spot, needing a run of 4.13 seconds to bump his way in the field. His final attempt came in the heat of the day, the worst possible situation for making his car go faster. He ran a 4.16 (297 mph) in the Castrol Mustang.

Funny Car veteran Ron Capps said he felt sorry for Force, but Force doesn't want any sympathy.

"I thrive on this," Force said. "We'll take our whipping and fight harder.

"I told Ron, 'Don't ever feel bad for me.' It's kind of like, what is that movie? You know. 'Tell 'em I'm coming, and hell's coming with me,'" Force added, referring to the 1993 western "Tombstone."

Watching NASCAR qualifying, which has 35 guaranteed spots, is one version of hell. It has the excitement of a congressional filibuster on C-Span. But the stars are protected and assured of making the race.

The fans at the new zMax track Sunday won't see one NHRA icon race Sunday. Force was asked which way is the best way to do it.

"I don't know what's the right way," Force said. "I don't make the rules. But at the end of the day, you have to earn the right to run with the best. I'm not saying we'll never have provisionals here, but I'm out here with the same chance as everybody else."

Ashley Force, John's daughter, made the most of her chance and qualified fourth, but she was upset that her dad didn't get in. John also failed to qualify two weeks ago at the U.S. Nationals. This is the first time since 1979 that he has failed to qualify at consecutive events.

"Ashley was in tears worried about me," John said. "I told her, 'Don't worry about your old man. I'm the best and I'll bounce back. You do your job. You carry my name. This is your time.' My girls are the reason I tick."

A JFR driver still could win this event. Hight, Force's son-in-law, won the U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis. And Ashley, who became the first female Funny Car winner earlier this year, has a car capable of earning a victory Sunday.

"I just have to do what I'm supposed to do out there," Ashley said. "Just because Dad isn't in the show doesn't mean another Force can't go some rounds and win this thing."

Terry Blount covers motorsports for ESPN.com. He can be reached at terry@blountspeak.com.