John Force released from neurological institute
Racing legend John Force just took a big step in his recovery from a crash he was involved in this summer. John Force Racing announced that Force was released from the Barrow Neurological Institute on Tuesday. The 16-time Funny Car champion will continue to work with therapists as the next phase in the recovery process will be outpatient speech and occupational and physical therapy to address short-term memory and cognitive issues.
“He finally gets to sleep in his own bed,” said daughter Ashley Hood who, with sisters Brittany, Courtney and Adria and mother, Laurie, maintained a constant presence through the Hall of Fame driver and car owner’s hospitalizations in Virginia and Arizona.
Force, 75, was involved in a major crash at Virginia National during qualifying in late June. The 16-time NHRA Funny Car champion found himself with a blown engine and soon bounced from one wall to the other. He suffered a traumatic brain injury and was in ICU for 15 days.
“After spending 15 days in varying levels of intensive care at VCU Medical Center, drag racing champion John Force was released Tuesday in time to board an AirMed ambulance for a three-hour flight to a neurological rehab center at which treatment for the Traumatic Brain Injury he suffered in a June 23 crash will continue,” John Force Racing said in a statement in early July. “The 16-time NHRA Funny Car Champion’s departure from the facility to which he was airlifted after crashing at more than 300 miles per hour was considered by family members to be a major step forward in the recovery process.
More on John Force’s recovery process
“However, medical staff cautioned that the road ahead still is a difficult one. Force is dealing with cognitive and behavioral symptoms from the TBI. And while he has been able to converse with family and staff, enjoy the company of grandsons Jacob and Noah Hood and celebrate a Monday birthday with daughter Brittany, he still is prone to periods of confusion. Family members said that no timetable had been established for the length of Force’s stay at the new facility which was selected because of its success in treating other race car drivers with similar issues.”
Force is one of the best drag races in history with 157 career victories. He owns and drives for John Force Racing, and the team has won 20 Funny Car championships.