John Force makes first NHRA appearance since traumatic brain injury

NHRA Funny Car legend John Force made a major return to the racing community during I see The NHRA Nationals performance was held at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The appearance marked Force’s first public outing since a devastating crash in June at the Virginia Nationals that left him with a traumatic brain injury.

On November 1, 2024, during the first elimination session of the Ford Performance NHRA Nationals, John Force made his presence known by standing on the starting line with his two funny cars.

Beginning his NHRA career in 1978, Force dominated the sport with 157 event wins, making him one of the most successful drivers in history. His career was marked not only by victories but also by serious injuries, most notably a serious accident in 2007 that left him fighting to return to competitive racing.

This latest crash on June 23, 2024 was particularly challenging as his car suffered a catastrophic engine failure at over 300 mph, which resulted in the Force crashing into the concrete guard walls. The injuries he sustained — a traumatic brain injury, a fractured sternum, among others — required extensive hospitalization and rehabilitation.

Force’s recovery included an initial 15-day stay at VCU Medical Center in Richmond, Virginia, before his transfer to the renowned Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, Arizona for specialized care. He was discharged in July 2024 and has since continued outpatient therapy in California.

His appearance in Las Vegas comes after the driver broke his silence on October 24 with a video updating his fans. he explained:

“Hi, I’m John Force, 16-time Funny Car Champion, and boy am I glad to be here after the crash I had at Richmond, but at the end of the day, I’m going to recover too” I’m already good I spent four months in the hospital.

“I’m still working every day to get my body back in shape, but I have to get my mind back in shape. I had a pretty big bump in that accident in Richmond, so I went to the hospital there in Richmond. I was in Phoenix, Arizona, going through rehab, and I’m here now and I’m working on it every day.

“This is about what I love the most and that is racing. It’s the NHRA. I love my sponsors and I love all the fans and I love your letters and all the things you’ve written and all your support. I was really good to myself during a difficult time.

“I mean, I’ve been in hospitals for four or five months, I’m going through rehab and I’m going to be fine. I’m on doctor’s orders. They’re telling me where I can go. I think they’re going to tell me this week that I can go to the race in Las Vegas.

“I want to see Prock drive Robert Hight’s funny car. Brittany is running for the championship. She’s back on points but has a fight ahead of her. Beckman does a great job. I love the guy.

“He’s a big talker and he’s full of it more than I am, believe me. But I left, I had to tell you that I’m fine.

“I want to take a minute and thank you. I want to tell you that I love you for the cards and gifts and all, for showing me that you care at a time when I needed help.

“Before I go, I thanked you all, but I want to take a minute. I want to thank my wife Laurie and all my daughters and I want to thank Robert Hight. They were there in Richmond and they have They’re the ones who set up everything I do every meeting, they were just trying to get me right and it was a scary time.

“Not for me, I had no idea where I was, so we’ll be fine. And right now I’m going to do what I’m always told to do, go back to my desk and go to work.”