National Hot Rod Association driver John Force is now in the neurological intensive care unit after spending three days in the trauma care unit following his fiery crash at a June 23 NHRA event in Virginia.
The John Force Racing account on X (formerly Twitter) announced Force’s move in a message posted Thursday, June 27.
The move allows the 75-year-old’s medical team to “focus on [Force’s] head injury, which is their primary concern.”
Force was engaged in a violent incident on Sunday during the opening round of the NHRA Virginia Nationals Funny Car eliminations at Virginia Motorsports Park in Petersburg. After crossing the finish line at 302.62 mph over Terry Haddock, the engine of his Chevrolet Camaro exploded. Force’s car crossed the track’s center line, colliding with the left concrete guard wall before being catapulted to the right guard wall.
His family’s reaction to the latest development in treatment was “positive.” His wife, Laurie, and daughters Ashley Force Hood, Brittany Force, Courtney Force and Adria Hight have remained at his side all week.
The Force family are grateful for the team of medical professionals who are caring for John, and for the overwhelming number of heartfelt messages of prayer, support, and concern. Thank you for continuing to respect the privacy of the family and John Force Racing team members,” read the statement on X.
Force was examined on Sunday by the NHRA medical team at the track and transported via medical helicopter to a “nearby medical center for further evaluation in the ICU,” per the John Force Racing Sunday post on X.
The next evening, June 24, the account revealed in a follow-up statement that he was still in the hospital’s ICU. “Due to the severity of the crash, attending medics took their time determining the degree of the injuries to the Hall of Fame owner and driver. “Medical staff will not provide a treatment and recovery timeline until a full evaluation is completed,” the statement added.
