NHRA Legend John Force to Attend Race Four Months After Traumatic Brain Injury

Sports

By Associated Press

Published 8 months ago on

October 24, 2024

John Force talks to crew members after his Funny Car blew an engine and destroyed the body of his dragster, Friday, March 16, 2018, at the NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla. (AP/Mark Long)

Force, 75, suffered a severe crash in June but has been cleared to attend the upcoming race in Las Vegas.
The 16-time Funny Car champion expressed gratitude for the support he's received during his recovery process.
Force will be there to support his racing teams, including daughter Brittany Force competing in Top Fuel class.

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LAS VEGAS — NHRA legend John Force, who suffered a traumatic brain injury during a harrowing crash at Virginia Motorsports Park in June, has been cleared to attend a race.

The 16-time Funny Car champion announced Thursday that he will travel with his wife, Laurie, to the Nevada Nationals next weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Force’s Road to Recovery

“At the end of the day, I’m gonna recover and I’m getting better already,” Force said in a video released by John Force Racing. “I’m working at it every day.”

Force will be on hand to see his two-car Funny Car team compete with drivers Austin Prock and Jack Beckman. Daughter Brittany Force also is racing in the Top Fuel class. John Force said he wanted to support his teams and see fans and sponsors.

The Crash and Aftermath

The 75-year-old Force crashed into a wall at roughly 300 mph after his engine exploded. He spent a month in hospitals, first in intensive care at VCU Medical Center in Richmond and then at Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix. He has since been getting outpatient care at home in California.

Force called himself “still a work in progress” with “good days and bad days.”

Gratitude and Determination

“I’m gonna get better,” he said. “I felt I owed (it to everyone) to tell you guys that I’m OK. I want to take a minute and thank you. I want to tell you I love for the cards and the gifts and everything because you showed me that you cared at a time when I needed help.”

Force also thanked his family, including four daughters, and a son-in-law, Robert Hight, for their continued support during “a scary time for them.” He then joked, “Not for me; I didn’t have a clue where I was at.”

“We’re going to be OK,” he added.