Drag racing legend John Force, 75, is still in serious condition after his car exploded in terrifying 300mph crash
PROMINENT drag racer John Force experienced a harrowing accident at the Virginia Nationals held at Virginia Motorsports Park last weekend – and his daughter shared a heartbreaking update.
His vehicle erupted in flames after a 300mph crash, causing him to crash into a wall, leaving him still in serious condition.
Force was participating in a high-speed race where he clocked a 306.62mph victory against Terry Haddock in the right lane on June 23.
During the run, the engine of his PEAK Chevy Camaro exploded, leading to the catastrophic incident.
Following the terrifying crash, the 75-year-old, who boasts 157 NHRA victories, managed to exit the car and communicate with Safety Safari personnel.
He was then transported to a Richmond-area hospital via ambulance for further evaluation.
John Force Racing (JFR) issued a statement on Monday night, confirming that Force was still hospitalized.
The medical team was taking a cautious approach in assessing the injuries due to the severity of the impact.
Before his transfer, Force was initially examined at the track by the NHRA Medical Team and then flown by medical helicopter to the trauma hospital.
The incident occurred during the first round of Funny Car eliminations, where his car suffered a catastrophic engine failure at the finish line.
The vehicle crossed the center line, struck the left concrete guard wall, and then veered into the right wall.
In a subsequent update, it was disclosed that Force had been moved from the trauma intensive care unit to the neuro intensive care unit.
This decision was made to prioritize the treatment of his head injury, which remains the primary concern, per The Daily Mail.
FAMILY SUPPORT AND RACING IMPLICATIONS
A statement from his team conveyed:
“The move [to a neuro ICU] was a welcome positive for his family members, who have maintained a daily presence at the hospital all week.”
“The Force family is grateful for the team of medical professionals who are caring for John, and for the overwhelming number of heartfelt messages of prayer, support, and concern.
“Thank you for continuing to respect the privacy of the family and John Force Racing team members.”