RICHMOND, Va. — Sixteen-time NHRA Funny Car champion John Force remained in the intensive care unit at a Virginia hospital Monday.
Force’s car suffered a catastrophic engine failure that sent his Funny Car slamming into a concrete guardwall at 302 mph during the first round of Sunday’s NHRA Virginia Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park.
After NHRA Safety Safari personnel extricated the 75-year-old driver, he was transported by medical helicopter to a trauma hospital where he still was being observed and evaluated on Monday.
According to a statement released by John Force Racing on Monday night, “Attending doctors purposely were moving slowly in assessing the extent of the injuries to the Hall of Fame owner and driver because of the intensity of the impact. Medical staff will not provide a treatment and recovery timetable until a total evaluation is completed.”
The statement said Force’s wife, Laurie and his daughters Adria, Ashley, Courtney and Brittany were with Force at the hospital, and that the John Force Racing team will compete this weekend at Summit Equipment Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio.
The statement concluded “Updates on the 157-time tour winner’s condition will be released at the discretion of the medical staff.”