Over the weekend, a major incident occurred at a National Hot Rod Association event in Virginia involving legendary drag racer John Force.
At Virginia Motorsports Park in Dinwiddie County on Sunday, 75-year-old Force was competing in the first round of eliminations for the Virginia Nationals while operating his funny car, a particular class of vehicle used in drag racing.
According to John Force Racing, Force had defeated Terry Haddock in 4.10 seconds at a speed of 302.62 mph, but as he crossed the finish line, his car’s engine blew up.
— John Force Racing (@JFR_Racing) June 24, 2024
After that, the burning car crossed the middle line and struck both guard barriers before stopping.
The 16-time champion was taken to a nearby medical facility after being checked out and given the all-clear by the NHRA medical staff on the scene, the organization stated in a statement. His group reported that he was assessed in critical care.
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Austin Prock, a teammate at John Force Racing, took home the Funny Car title. After a crash at Texas Motorplex in Enis in 2007, Force missed months of action.
Three weeks ago in New Hampshire, Force won the 157th and record-setting NHRA race. Prock leads him by one point in the driver’s championship.
Force resides in Yorba Linda, California, and was born in Bell Gardens. A quarter-mile drag strip is located at Virginia Motorsports Park. With 23,000 seats, it debuted for business in 1994.
