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By Alex Harrington
Sports Contributing Writer
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Drag racing veteran John Force, aged 75, was hospitalized following a harrowing crash at an NHRA race meeting in Virginia. Force, renowned for his illustrious nearly 50-year career, which includes a recent 157th NHRA race win, experienced a dramatic accident as he crossed the finish line at a speed of nearly 487 km/h. His vehicle, a powerhouse with 10,000 horsepower, suffered a catastrophic engine failure, causing it to smash into the left wall, ricochet across the track, and strike the right-side wall before halting mid-track.
Despite the severity of the crash, Force remained conscious and was able to communicate with the safety crew at the scene. He was swiftly transported to a nearby medical center, where he was admitted into the Intensive Care Unit for further evaluation.
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"My dad's going to be all right – I was in the ambulance with him, holding his hand," his daughter Brittany Force shared, reflecting on her father's resilience. "He's one of the toughest people I know, so he'll bounce back like he always does."
Force's racing habits are a family affair, with three of his children—Ashley, Brittany, and Courtney—following in his footsteps as racers, and his eldest, Adria, serving as the chief financial officer of the John Force Racing team. Brittany, who witnessed the crash and accompanied her father to the hospital, found herself grappling with the emotional challenge of racing later that day.
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"It's something that's tough. We know that's a part of the vote. That's how this sport goes," she stated. "I wouldn't be his daughter if I wasn't back up here in that car, trying to win this thing with this team for him."
Team reactions were of similar sentiment. Austin Prock, a teammate and protégé, who also won the race meeting and dedicated his victory to Force, said:
"He's one tough son of a bitch. It's just tough to see somebody go through that, especially when it's somebody you really care about, but I know he'll be back."
Prock further noted the significance of persistence in their sport:
"We're race car drivers and we have to flip the switch. I know John wanted us to be out here, going rounds and I'm glad we did our job."
This wasn't Force's first brush with serious accident; he survived a notably severe crash in 2007, which resulted in life-threatening injuries. Yet, his spirit and commitment to racing have seen him through numerous challenges over the decades.
As the racing community and fans rally around Force, reflecting on his legendary status in the sport, the focus remains on his recovery and the resilience emblematic of his family and team. "(The trophy) is going straight to the hospital to John Force," Prock declared.
BREAKING: John Force Racing Issues Statement.
Edit: It was Brittany Force who was with John at the time of the crash, not Courtney as stated. This change has been made in the article.
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