Drag Racing Legend John Force Remains Hospitalized in I.C.U. After Fiery Crash

Drag racing icon John Force remains hospitalized in a Virginia intensive care unit. Force's team says that the 75-year-old drag racing legend was "still being observed and evaluated" by hospital staff as of late Monday night.

A statement from the team notes that doctors "purposely were moving slowly in assessing the extent of the injuries" as a result of the scale of the 302-mile-per-hour impact. The statement adds that no treatment and recovery timetable will be shared until that evaluation is complete.

The team also notes that Force has been joined by his family, and mentions that further updates will be shared "at the discretion of the medical staff."

Force sustained the injuries in a crash at over 300 mph during Sunday's NHRA round at Virginia Motorsports Park. The issue began when Force's engine exploded at the end of a run, causing his car to slam first into one wall and then into another at a massive speed.

The driver was extracted and stabilized by the NHRA's on-site safety staff, then transported by medical helicopter to the hospital where he is now being treated.

The 16-time NHRA champion is currently second in the Funny Car standings. Force earned his 150th win in 2019 and has continued adding since, most recently winning his 157th NHRA event by taking victory at June's round in New England.

Drag racing runs in the Force family, as well. Three of his daughters have raced in the NHRA, and his daughter Brittany is a two-time top fuel champion. She currently is running tenth in that championship.

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