During the NHRA Virginia Nationals, John Force, 75, was involved in a fiery crash that led to him being transported to a local hospital for treatment. Despite suffering injuries in the crash, Force was conscious and alert when he was rescued from the wreckage. The details of the extent of his injuries have not been disclosed, but his team’s social media post mentioned that he was undergoing evaluation in the Intensive Care Unit.
The Hall of Fame driver and car owner had just won his first round race at Virginia Motorsports Park, crossing the finish line in 4.100 seconds at a speed of 302.62 miles per hour before his car experienced a catastrophic engine failure. This caused the car to catch fire and collide with the concrete guardrail on the left side of the track, then veer across to the right guardrail before coming to a stop in the middle of the track.
Despite the setback, Force was performing well in the NHRA season, with two wins in the first eight races, leading him to be in second place in the points standings behind his teammate Austin Prock. Prock went on to win the round following Force’s accident, continuing their team’s success in the competition.