John Force was released from VCU Medical Center and carried via an AirMed ambulance to a neurological rehab center to continue treatment for a traumatic brain injury sustained in a crash in June.
The 16-time NHRA Funny Car champion spent 15 days in varying levels of neurological intensive care units following his 300mph crash at the NHRA Virginia Nationals. The 75-year-old’s dragster suffered a catastrophic engine failure that pitched the car hard into the wall, and then across the track into the barrier on the other side.
While Force’s family and team draws encouragement from his move to the rehab center, they cautioned that he still faces a challenging road to recovery.
“Force is dealing with cognitive and behavioral symptoms from the TBI and, while he has been able to converse with family and staff, enjoy the company of grandsons Jacob and Noah Hood and celebrate a Monday birthday with daughter Brittany, he still is prone to periods of confusion,” read a statement issued by the team.
“Family members said that no timetable had been established for the length of Force’s stay at the new facility which was selected because of its success in treating other race car drivers with similar issues.”