Drag racing champion John Force is steadily recovering one week after his engine exploded during a tournament on June 23. “After five tense days during which he was heavily sedated while battling the effects of injuries suffered in the 300 mile-per-house crash of his drag racing Funny Car, 16-time NHRA World Champion John Force has begun to show daily signs of improvement, according to family members who have maintained a presence at the trauma hospital,” a statement posted on Force’s corporate social pages reads.
Force, 75, had been competing in the first round of the NHRA Virginia Nationals when his engine exploded. The vehicle hit both walls of the track during the impact. Force was transported to a local hospital for treatment after suffering a traumatic brain injury (TBI). According to Sunday’s update, Force initially struggled to “follow the series of commands” to open his eyes, squeeze his care providers’ hands and move extremities. Earlier this week, he finally “began to gain some momentum.” Celebrity Health Scares Through the Years.
“He became more consistent responding to commands and finally opened his eyes on day 5,” the statement added. “Following days of failed attempts, his wife and daughters were overcome with emotion when he murmured his name, ‘John Force,’ and later when prompted, gave a thumbs up.” Force’s “biggest” hurdles have been managing “extreme agitation and confusion,” which causes significant distress. While Force’s doctors have jokingly nicknamed the race car driver a “raging bull” by his consistent need to get out of bed without assistance, he still can recognize his wife, Laurie, and their four daughters.
