Force

Packers quarterback Brett Favre played with a broken thumb. John Force plans to drive his Funny Car this weekend with serious cuts on both hands.

The 12-time NHRA Funny Car champion injured his hands last week when a crystal bowl trophy he was moving in his Yorba Linda, Calif., race shop shattered.

"I really felt sorry for myself for a couple days," Force said. "But I was watching the ball game on ESPN and Favre was playing quarterback with a broken thumb -- and it was on his throwing hand.

"I played a little quarterback myself and it's hard to believe he was that good with an injury like that. I figured, if he can throw like that with a broken thumb, I should at least try to tough it out."

Despite the injury, Favre extended his record of consecutive starts by a quarterback to 198 games Sunday night and led Green Bay to a 30-27 win over Minnesota.

Force plans to extend his record of 322 consecutive starts in the Automobile Club of Southern California Finals at Pomona Raceway. The last time the 54-year-old driver wasn't in the starting field was on Oct. 31, 1987, in this event. Force was cleared to race on Thursday.

"I don't know what's going to happen," Force said, "but I'm going to try to do it. I'd like to end the season with a win."

Force's quest for an 11th consecutive championship is already over, though. Teammate Tony Pedregon has wrapped up the title and Force will finish third.

It's been a disappointing season for Force despite three victories and lowering his own national record for the quarter-mile to 4.721 seconds. Regardless of what occurs this weekend, this will be his worst season since 1989, when he won just once and finished sixth in the points

"I'm ready to get this one over," Force said. "But I can't wait for next year. We've got a good hot rod."