Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

News

John Force Out of the Hospital and Into Outpatient Care

A month after an engine explosion sent his race car careening into a concrete guardwall at more than 300 miles per hour at Virginia Motorsports Park, drag racing champion John Force was discharged Tuesday from Barrow Neurological Institute, where he was undergoing rehab for a TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury).

According to family members, while the 16-time Funny Car 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 who, with sisters Brittany, Courtney and Adria and mother, Laurie, 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 OTPT (Occupational and Physical Therapy) to address lingering short-term memory and cognitive issues.

This story was originally published on July 24, 2024. Drag Illustrated

You May Also Like

Features

There’s a version of the Pro Mod rules debate that plays out in comment sections and Facebook groups, where people who have never tuned...

Exclusive

Ten years ago, “Tricky” Rickie Smith added another championship to his robust résumé when he clinched the 2015 PDRA Pro Nitrous world championship. This...

Features

There are programs that spend years grinding toward their first win light. They write checks, burn nitro, shake the car down, and work through...

Race Coverage

The First Drag Race presented by Robbin’s Repairables set at Shadyside Dragway ignited the 2026 ten-race championship season for the Southeast Gassers Association. From...

Since 2005, DI has informed, inspired and educated drag racers from every walk of the racing life - weekend warrior and street/strip enthusiasts to pro-level doorslammer and Top Fuel racers. From award-winning writing and photography to binge-worthy videos to electric live events, DI meets hundreds of thousands of racers where they live, creating the moments that create conversations.