THIS FORCE-FED REALITY REALLY FLIES.

Byline: TOM HOFFARTH MEDIA

So there's John Force, a force to be reckoned with in any arena, sitting intently on one side of his motor coach. Across from him are his three gorgeous daughters -- 23-year-old Ashley, 19-year-old Brittany and 17-year-old Courtney -- along with their mother and Force's estranged wife, Laurie.

As the cameras roll, Force trying to get them all on the same page for a serious discussion about the direction of their multi-million dollar drag-racing family business, one that the legendary NHRA driver has built from the burning rubber up.

But then the girls start giggling.

In a tone both of exasperation and surrender, Force finally says: ``I want sons.''

It's three minutes into the first episode of the new A&E reality show, ``Driving Force,'' and you already get the sense this is going to be one nitro-burning roller-coaster ride.

In the dime-a-dozen TV world of contrived reality programming, this compelling jumpstart to a 14-episode series should ignite into a top-notch, top-fuel version of ``The Osbournes,'' with far more pop and much less pop culture.

A&E reports 1.8 million viewers saw its debut Monday, and there's plenty of reason to believe this will have plenty of staying power. Something they could easily have called ``Beauties and the Beast'' centers on a combustible combination of this Gary Busey-like father trying to balance work and mentoring his daughters who, despite their girly nature, are potential next-generation drag racers currently performing for his team. Force also has an older daughter, 36-year-old Adria, from his first marriage who works in his office and is married to one of his top drivers, Funny Car racer Robert Hight. Adria hasn't made it on camera yet.

``It's really not so much about an NHRA champion but of a relatable family that has the same issues as any workaholic -- it's raising children and trying to communicate,'' said the show's co-executive producer Brad Travers, a Valley native who grew up going to Pomona for drag racing events. ``We've been paying attention to the fans' postings on the Web sites, and they've been very supportive of the show so far.''

The first two episodes, focusing on Ashley's budding career and the family business, have several repeats this weekend. The next two new emotional episodes in the regular Monday spot (9 and 9:30 p.m.) deal with Force taking his family back to his roots of poverty and also the seven-year separation from his wife, who admits to loving him but simply not liking him very much these days.

``It's all real; I can't fart anymore without a camera recording it,'' Force said before heading out to Seattle for this weekend's NHRA stop. ``I got a call from my father-in-law who saw the show and just found out my wife and I weren't living together. I mean, I love her with all my heart but I ain't no saint.

``We're a real-life family, and my sponsors knew this all was coming. I adore my kids, but I run my race team full throttle and I'm learning as we go along that I can't run little girls the same way.''

The filming hasn't affected Force's track performance -- he's currently second in the overall Funny Car standings.

Travers worked for two years trying to developing a pilot with Force and nearly gave up until he uncovered this nuclear-active family element. Actual filming for ``Driving Force'' started six months ago, just before the NHRA season opener. Along with the evolving story line, the racing sequences are breathtaking, starting with a crash that nearly takes out Ashley during a Top Alcohol race.

The drama there can be offset by the girls later having an Ashley Simpson ``Chicken of the Sea'' reality-show moment -- they debate the definition of the word ``original'' as it pertains to how Courtney will ask a boy to the Sadie Hawkins dance at Yorba Linda's Esperanza High. That comical clip already made it on ``Jimmy Kimmel Live.''

Force summed it all up this way in his usual train-wreck free-flowing thought process: ``If you want to see drag racing, watch ESPN2, but if you want to see something about family issues ... we're not going to appeal to all those gearheads. If this show don't give me a heart attack, my doctor says I may just pop a vein or two before it's over.''

That's already the premise slated for episode five, entitled ``Blowing a Gasket.''

Tirico goes the distance in England

While Ernie Johnson Jr. continues chemotherapy treatment for non-Hodgkin lymphoma, TNT has been able to borrow Mike Tirico (below) as the host for its expansive, eight-hour-plus a day early round coverage of the British Open before his network, ABC, takes over Saturday and Sunday. At which point, Tirico might be actually looking forward to doing just a couple hours of play-by-play on ESPN's ``Monday Night Football'' coming this fall (as if you haven't been reminded of that on every episode of ``SportsCenter'' with some inane Chris Berman-narrated infomercial).

Meanwhile, ABC golf analyst Judy Rankin won't make the trip to Royal Liverpool this weekend.

She has opted to stay home as she recovers from a two-month bout with breast cancer.

``It's the hardest week I have and the one I love the most,'' Rankin told the Associated Press about covering the British Open.

``But I'm not quite up to that. I'm trying hard to get to the Women's British Open (Aug. 3-6).''

ESPN has no timetable on when Baseball Hall of Fame reporter Peter Gammons will return, but the fact he has been transferred to a rehab center in Cape Cod near his home three weeks after a June 27 brain aneurysm is encouraging. Doctors have told the 61-year-old that he is expected to make a full recovery without any brain damage.

After a year away from radio, ``Trackside With Roger Stein'' returns Saturday and Sundays from 8-9 a.m. on 830-AM, the station recently purchased by Angels owner Arte Moreno.

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, 2 boxes

Photo:

(1) John Force, center, counsels daughters Brittany, left, and Courtney during a segment of the new ``Driving Force'' reality show.

Taylor Jones/A&E

(2) no caption (Mike Tirico)

Box:

(1) WHAT SMOKES

(2) WHAT CHOKES