Like a gritty boxer who just has absorbed a wicked 1-2 punch in the ring, NHRA icon John Force has climbed to his feet and still is swinging.
 
While he still was regrouping following news of Ford’s impending departure from NHRA pro racing, the 15-time Funny Car champion took a second major blow Tuesday. Castrol announced it will drop its longtime sponsorship when the contract runs out at the end of 2014.
 
Rich Pond, head of U.S. marketing for the oil and lubricants company, said it’s seeking “new ways to engage with our customers.” And John Force Racing is seeking new avenues for staying afloat, as word came midweek from the Brownsburg, Ind.-based camp that is planning a September press conference at Charlotte to discuss what it characterizes as “new developments.”

In a statement Tuesday, Pond said, “John Force has been the ultimate ambassador for the Castrol brand, and we are grateful for his passion and dedication. But after 29 successful years, we have decided to pursue new ways to engage with our consumers and customers, while still celebrating the superiority of Castrol motor oils.”
 
Paul Giblett, Castrol USA communications manager, said in an online interview from company headquarters at Wayne, N.J., that “our decision is a result of the refocusing of our Castrol brand investments here in the U.S.”
 
He said the drag-racing decision is not part of a move to jettison all non-essential expenditures in order for parent company BP to have enough money to operate in the black and still pay the Gulf oil spill settlement claims.
 
“The two issues are unconnected,” Giblett said. “Castrol has been associated with the NHRA for nearly 30 years and has always valued the opportunity to expose our brand to NHRA’s huge and passionate fan base. Looking forward, we have decided to refocus our brand investment and, as a result, can no longer support our partnership with John in the way that either Castrol or John feels is appropriate.”

 
He declined to elaborate on that. But he did offer some insight into the reasons Castrol is dropping drag racing but continuing to support VW, Audi, Honda, and BMW racing interests (world rally, world endurance, Moto GP, European rally, and super bikes) — none of which has been nearly as successful as JFR. BP said in a corporate press release as recently as July 15 that it is sinking additional money into the Olympic movement, supporting British athletes.
 
“Across the world, Castrol remains extremely active in many areas of motor sports. Racing has always provided a crucible for developing and testing new technology and ideas, as well as connecting with passionate fans,” Giblett said. Then he hinted at why executives thought the Castrol brand could afford to overlook Force — who represents the quality, reliability, and popularity Castrol brand managers are seeking — and rookie Top Fuel driver Brittany Force, whose tech-savvy style certainly would speak to the next generation of consumers.   
 
“As in every area of life, the costs of running a major NHRA team are continually rising, and we decided that we need to re-balance our brand investment,” he said. “This meant that we could no longer support our partnership with JFR in a way that either of us felt was appropriate.”
 
Giblett said, “This was a very tough decision to make, especially for those of us at Castrol who have known and followed John for many years. John – and indeed the whole of John Force Racing – are a fantastic asset for Castrol, providing us with a way to connect with his many fans, and with the wider motorsports community.
 
“Our sponsorship with John is our largest single brand investment, and we decided that we need to re-balance our spending to increase our investment in certain areas while reducing it in others,” he said.
 
“It was clear that John would need to find another lead sponsor and that we both agreed would be easier for him if he had a clean slate to offer potential partners,” Giblett said.

He denied that Castrol might transfer its sponsorship to another NHRA team.
 
“John is the winningest driver of all time. We’d hardly be leaving that kind of success to move to someone else,” he said. “So, no we aren’t looking at signing another driver or team.”
 
Like Ford, Castrol made its announcement now to help JFR in its search for a replacement.
 
“One reason for making our announcement now is to provide John with the time and space he needs to secure new sponsors,” Giblett said. “While Castrol will continue to support John and John Force Racing through the end of the 2014 season, we will also be working closely with him to ensure there is a smooth transition that enables JFR to continue their success in 2015 and beyond.
 
“Castrol has enjoyed tremendous success with John, and with John Force Racing. John is an incredible spokesperson for Castrol, ” Giblett said, “and we will always be grateful to him for what history will see as one of the most successful motorsports partnerships of all time.”
 
During this partnership, JFR earned a record 17 NHRA Funny Car championships, including 10 consecutive ones among Force’s 15. That is a record no other sports team or athlete in the world has accomplished.