Racing legend John Force is struggling with a traumatic brain injury following an explosive 300 mph crash at the Virginia Nationals as he crossed the finish line.
The 75-year-old racer faces a "long and difficult recovery," his company said in a statement Sunday.
The National Hot Rod Association initially issued a release that the 75-year-old racer was alert after the crash last week near Petersburg and was taken to a medical facility for "evaluation."
But Force then failed at the hospital for days to "follow the series of commands to open his eyes, squeeze the hands of his care providers and move his extremities," said an update Sunday from John Force Racing. He was only able to respond with "slight movements."
It "wasn't until he was moved to the neuro intensive care unit that he began to gain some momentum" and has begun to show signs of improvement, the release noted.
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," said the statement.
Legendary #NHRA racer John Force was involved in a major crash at the #VirginiaNHRANationals qualifying. It was his worse during Force’s great career. Reports say he was taken to the hospital for observation. This from #FS1 pic.twitter.com/Qhm1uLNQRe
— 🎥~TennesseeSportsNet~🎥 (@TSNSports) June 23, 2024
The "biggest challenge has been managing his extreme agitation and confusion, which causes him significant distress," said his racing company, and he has "repeatedly tried to get out of bed."
Force's prognosis is still unclear, and it's not known how long he'll be hospitalized.
