Drag racing legend John Force has been released from the Barrow Neurological Institute nearly a month after a severe crash during a Funny Cars competition at the Virginia Nationals. At 74, the 16-time Funny Car champion endured a high-speed accident caused by an engine explosion, which sent his car careening at over 300 miles per hour, culminating in a dramatic collision with concrete barriers.
A statement from the team has confirmed:
A month after an engine explosion sent his race car careening into a concrete guardwall at more than 300 miles per hour at Virginia Motorsports Park, drag racing champion John Force was discharged Tuesday from Barrow Neurological Institute, where he was undergoing rehab for a TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury).
“According to family members, while the 16-time Funny Car Champion will continue to work with therapists specializing in such injuries, it now will be on an outpatient basis in California.
‘He finally gets to sleep in his own bed,’ said daughter Ashley Hood who, with sisters Brittany, Courtney and Adria and mother, Laurie, maintained a constant presence through the Hall of Fame driver and car owner’s hospitalizations in Virginia and Arizona.
“The next phase in the recovery process will be outpatient speech, and OTPT (Occupational and Physical Therapy) to address lingering short-term memory and cognitive issues.”
Force suffered multiple injuries, including a traumatic brain injury and a fractured sternum, necessitating immediate intervention from the on-site medical team before airlifting him for specialized care.
Brittany Force shared her father’s transition from hospital to home on social media, writing:
“Peace out Phoenix! After 30 days my dad is finally heading home where we will continue outpatient therapy. These next steps to recovery will definitely be a family effort! Here’s some pictures from our time in Phoenix.”
Force’s storied career, marked by a record 157 NHRA event wins spanning from 1990 through 2013, places him as one of the giants in the world of drag racing.
During this challenging time, his racing team remains a pillar of support. Austin Prock, a teammate, recently dedicated his victory in Virginia to Force, affirming the depth of their camaraderie. Prock stated, as quoted by Mirror:
“[The trophy] is going straight to the hospital to John Force. It’s just tough to see somebody go through that, especially when it’s somebody you really care about, but I know he’ll be back. We’re race car drivers and we have to flip the switch. I know John wanted us to be out here, going rounds, and I’m glad we did our job.”
The next phase of Force’s recovery will involve outpatient speech and occupational and physical therapy to address lingering short-term memory and cognitive issues, continuing the legend’s fight to regain his full capabilities.
