Drag racing star John Force has been relocated to a new intensive care unit after his car caught fire at the end of a race in Virginia last weekend.
Force was transported to the hospital after crashing at 300 mph in the Virginia Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park on Sunday. His vehicle caught fire and he smashed into a wall in horrifying images.
The 75-year-old achieved a 306.62mph triumph over Terry Haddock in the right lane when the engine of his PEAK Chevy Camaro exploded during the fast lap.
Following the terrifying occurrence, Force, a 157-time NHRA winner, exited the car and remained aware while speaking with Safety Safari staff before being led into an ambulance and transferred to a Richmond-area hospital for examination.
John Force Racing stated in a statement Monday night that he was remained in a Virginia hospital and that physicians ‘were working slowly in analyzing the extent of the injuries due of the ferocity of the impact.’
Brittany Force, Force’s daughter and a two-time world champion, was in the hospital with her mother Laurie and three sisters.
‘With the unanimous support of her family, team, and sponsors, Brittany Force does not intend to race this week at the Summit Racing Equipment Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio, where she would have driven the Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Top Fuel dragster,’ the statement said.
‘Instead, she will remain in the hospital with her family in support of her father.’
The NHRA Medical Team checked Force on the track before transporting him via medical helicopter to the trauma hospital where he is being held.
During the first round of Funny Car eliminations, his car experienced a catastrophic engine failure at the finish line, sending the vehicle across the centerline and striking the left concrete guard wall before careening back across into the right wall.
Force won his record 157th NHRA race three weeks ago in New Hampshire, his second of the season. He was critically injured in a racing accident in Ennis, Texas, in 2007. He was 58 years old.
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