NHRA legend John Force remains in intensive care after 302mph drag racing crash

John Force is one of the greatest icons of American drag racing, but a horrifying crash this weekend has kept the 75-year-old racer in intensive care with no updates as to his current situation.

During the first round of the NHRA Virginia Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park, John Force’s Funny Car exploded and veered into the competition’s lane, crashing into a concrete wall at an estimated 302 miles per hour. Force has remained in intensive care since.

John Force’s NHRA crash

John Force had won the first round of the NHRA Virginia Nationals when his Funny Car suffered a catastrophic engine failure. The machine crashed into a concrete barrier at around 302 mph, lifted off the ground, and crashed down on the tarmac again before finally coming to a rest.

Force was quickly extricated from the vehicle and stabilized by local NHRA safety crews before being transported via medical helicopter to a trauma hospital.

Force has remained there since. According to a statement by John Force Racing, “attending doctors purposely were moving slowly in assessing the extend of [Force’s] injuries. Medical staff will not provide a treatment and recovery timetable until a total evaluation is completed.”

As of Wednesday, 26 June, a full evaluation is yet to be completed. Force remains under observation in the intensive care unit.