John Force, the National Hot Rod Association’s all-time winningest driver, was injured in a blazing, 300-mile-per-hour incident at the 14th PlayNHRA Virginia Nationals in Richmond Sunday.
Force, 75, crossed the finish line at Virginia Motorsports Park in 4.1 seconds at 302.62 mph when his car “suffered a catastrophic engine failure,” which caused the vehicle to catch fire, according to the John Force Racing team. Force’s car collided with a concrete guardwall on the left side of the track, then careened to the right guardrail before coming to a rest in the center of the track. The NHRA published video footage of the crash on its website.
Force was conscious and talking with NHRA Safari Safety personnel immediately following the crash, according to the statement. He was transported by medical helicopter to a nearby hospital for further evaluation.
The crash happened during the first round of Funny Car eliminations. Force’s teammate, Austin Prock, won the Funny Car division and Wally trophy when he defeated Bob Tasca III in the final round.
“(The trophy) is going straight to the hospital to John Force,” Prock remarked in the winner’s circle after the race. “I hope he’s out, actually, but this is definitely dedicated to John Force.”
Force is the NHRA’s all-time leading race winner, with 157 victories since his debut in 1987. He was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame in the drag racing category in 2008.
