Take nothing away from Danica Patrick and her IRL win nearly two weeks ago in Japan.

But that racing organization and NASCAR for that matter have really very little about which to brag when it comes to offering good racing opportunities to women.

That distinction will probably always be held by the NHRA. Drag racing embraced women participants a long time before any other national or international racing group.

So on the heels of Patrick’s first career win in Japan, the NHRA’s Ashley Force made history in the summit Racing Equipment Southern Nationals in Commerce, Ga., Sunday.

To that point no woman had ever won a national event in NHRA’s Funny Car class. That point is no longer valid.

Force reached the finals Sunday afternoon to try for that breakthrough win. In the other lane, just to raise the drama a little bit more, was her father, the most successful Funny Car driver of all time, John Force.

The event was the 500th event for the elder Force and would have been round win No. 1,000 for his career.

But Ashley was steady, covering the one-quarter mile in 4.837 seconds for a speed of 320.36 mph. “I’m just happy to win an event,” she was quoted as saying after the run in an NHRA press release. “Being female, that’s exciting for the record books and everything. But my team, we just wanted to get our first win.”

To spotlight exactly how good Ashley has been all season, with Sunday’s win she is now 59 points in the lead of the points standings, ahead of runner-up Tim Wilkerson. The proud father is in fifth place in points some 117 behind his daughter.

I believe that anyone who is suggesting that John Force might have intentionally let his daughter win one Sunday doesn’t really understand his fire or his daughter’s pride. Ashley would want to earn anything she gets in the sport. John isn’t comfortable unless he’s on top in the Funny Car ranks.

In the other NHRA pro divisions, Tony Schumacher leads in Top Fuel by 26 points over Antron Brown. Jason Line leads Pro Stock by 24 over Jeg Coughlin. In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Andrew Hines is 25 points on top of Matt Guidera.

It should be a great drive to the finish.

The 54th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals in Clermont will be held from Aug. 27 until Sept. 1. It is one of the top shows for speed and excitement in the country in any form of racing and this year should be no exception.

RickTeverbaugh’s column appears on Thursdays. He can be reached at rick.teverbaugh@ heraldbulletin.com