Funny car driver John Force is on the road to recovery after a fiery 300-mph crash nearly took his life last week.
The 75-year-old racing champ opened his eyes before the weekend got underway, but is battling back from a traumatic brain injury, according to his family.
“After five tense days during which he was heavily sedated while battling the effects of injuries suffered in the 300 mile-per-hour crash of his drag racing Funny Car, 16-time NHRA World Champion John Force has begun to show daily signs of improvement, ” a family member told the John Force Racing team in an update posted online Sunday.
Force was unable to open his eyes or respond to commands to squeeze the hands of medical examiners in the days after his engine seemingly exploded on a Virgina raceway on June 23. He began showing some progress Wednesday before opening his eyes, saying “John Force” and giving a thumbs up Friday.
Force is now said to be dealing with confusion and frustration.
“He has repeatedly tried to get out of bed and has been restrained; his doctors have humorously described him as a raging bull,” his team reported Sunday. “However, he recognized his daughters, wife, Laurie, and called them each by name. And spoke the words, ‘I love you.’”
Force, who’s won more than 150 racing tours, “still faces a long and difficult recovery,” according to his team.
The injury that landed Force in a neurological intensive care unit occured after his vehicle burst into flames and bounced off a concrete guard rail.
