NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Former NHRA Funny Car world champ Robert Hight is a lifetime fan of the Los Angeles Dodgers who dreamed of playing professional baseball long before he ever saddled up behind the wheel for John Force Racing.

As the story goes, a young Hight even wrote a letter to famed Dodgers skipper Tommy Lasorda asking about his chances of making it to “The Show.” Unbelievably, Lasorda took the time to reply, sending Hight a personal postcard, encouraging him to play for his high school team and keep rooting for the Dodgers.

Hight met legendary Dodgers skipper Tommy Lasorda in Pomona in 2008.

In the year since, Hight and the Dodgers have remained intertwined. In 2008, he threw out the ceremonial first pitch at Dodgers Stadium versus the Dodgers arch rival San Francisco Giants. Later that year, thanks to an ongoing relationship with the Dodgers and Hight’s sponsor, the Automobile Club of Southern California, Hight ran a Dodgers-themed Funny Car, and Lasorda even came out to the Auto Club NHRA Finals root him on.

Lately, Hight has become good friends with Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner, a longtime drag racing fan. Turner has been the quest on Hight’s pit area at several races, and Turner recently returned the favor by inviting Hight and Force to attend Dodgers Spring Training at Camelback Ranch outside of Phoenix just prior to the CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals there.

Hight and Force toured the facility, chatting with the equipment crew for the Dodgers and checking out the weight room. Turner then took them outside for batting practice and then on to the practice field to field grounders and toss the baseball around, all the while talking racing and baseball.