John Force out of hospital; into outpatient care

PHOENIX — Exactly one month after an engine explosion sent his race car careening into a concrete guard wall at more than 300 miles per hour, drag racing champion John Force was discharged Tuesday from Barrow Neurological Institute. Force was undergoing rehab for a TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) at the facility. According to family members, while the 16-time Funny Car world champion will continue to work with therapists specializing in such injuries, it now will be on an outpatient basis in California. "He finally gets to sleep in his own bed," said daughter Ashley Hood. With sisters Brittany, Courtney and Adria and mother, Laurie, Hood and family maintained a constant presence through the Hall of Fame driver and car owner's hospitalizations in Virginia and Arizona. The next phase in the recovery process will be outpatient speech, as well as occupational and physical therapy to address lingering short-term memory and cognitive issues. Force not only suffered TBI, but also a fractured sternum and a right wrist injury. He was moved out of neuro-intensive care and into acute neuro care at the Virginia hospital where he was transported by air on June 23. Near the finish line of a first round win, an engine explosion sent Force's Funny Car into a concrete guard wall at over 300 miles per hour at Virginia Motorsports Park in Richmond, Va. The crash sent him into the guard wall at top speed. The car exploded twice and flipped on its side before returning upright. It wasn't Force's first serious crash. Known for his candor, Force has often said "I've been on fire from here to Australia." He survived a severe crash at Dallas in 2007, which resulted in life-threatening injuries that saw him hospitalized for more than a month. The recent crash was days before the NHRA Summit Nationals in Norwalk. It's one of the favorite stops for Force, who is in six different hall of fames. A portion of the grandstands in Norwalk are named in Force's honor, with a picture of his likeness perched high atop Summit Motorsports Park. Force won the Summit Nationals in 2014. He gave his Wally trophy to racetrack owner Bill Bader Jr. after the win. Force has been a mainstay at the Norwalk track for decades as one of the marquee draws at the annual Night Under Fire exhibition. That event will now see his car return, albeit without him in the cockpit. The Force grandstands were unveiled at the Night Under Fire in 2000. At the Summit Nationals, fans were able to sign a huge "Get well soon, John" sign near the pit area during the three-day event from June 28-30. Both John and Brittany Force's cars were also on display despite their absence. While the 75 year-old-racer is sidelined indefinitely, John Force Racing president Robert Hight confirmed on July 18 a plan to put Force's Chevrolet Camaro back in competition before the start of the NHRA's Countdown to the Championship in September. "After conversations with John's team and with our partners, especially Brian Bohlander at PEAK and Jim Campbell at Chevrolet, and with John's input and approval, we have begun taking the steps necessary to get the PEAK Chevy back on the racetrack," Hight said. The tentative target for the car's return is the 47th annual Night Under Fire on August 3 at Summit Motorsports Park. Force was slated to drive in the popular event against Funny Car rivals Ron Capps, Cruz Pedregon and Dale Creasy Jr. as part of a show that also includes Top Fuel dragsters, jets and a world-class fireworks show. "We hope to tie up all the loose ends and introduce a driver some time right after Sonoma (NHRA Sonoma Nationals, July 26-28)," Hight said. "There's a good pool of driving talent out there but, obviously, we need to find the right fit for both the team and our sponsors." Hight, a three-time NHRA Funny Car champion, has himself been sidelined this year by health issues. His seat in the Cornwell Tools Camaro has been capably filled by current points leader Austin Prock. Force is the winningest driver in the history of U.S. motorsports, with 157 tour victories that have culminated in him becoming a 16-time world champion. Already the most successful, popular and recognizable driver in the sport, he was again in contention (second place) for another season championship when the crash happened. Under the current plan, his car will have missed three of the 24 NHRA races.