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John hospital bedside interview
Mon, 09.24.07, 7:08 pm CT - 9:04 minutes
Ashley interview outside the hospital
Sun, 09.23.07, 9:20 pm CT - 4:41 minutes
Posted for FlAttorney by TAB
Posted on 09/23/2007 2:11:36 PM PDT by devane617
Drag racing's biggest star, 14-time champion John Force, was alert and conscious after suffering two broken legs and an injured arm in a nasty top-end collision Sunday with fellow straight-line legend Kenny Bernstein in the second round of eliminations at the O'Reilly NHRA Fall Nationals at Texas Motorplex outside of Dallas. Force has been airlifted to Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas for further treatment. Their Funny Cars got together just as they crossed the finish line after Bernstein clipped the final timing cone. The numbers, although unofficial, showed Force crossing with a 4.863 at 315.34 mph to Bernstein's 4.904 at 312.06 mph.
Bernstein quickly made his way out of his Monster Energy Drink Dodge Charger R/T and was shown walking around and talking to medical and safety personnel on the large television screens at the racetrack, which brought a huge cheer from the crowd. But the mood quickly turned quiet as everyone waited for word on Force's condition. Minutes later, track announcers reported that Force was talking to EMTs but would be transported by medical helicopter for further evaluation. Team spokesman Dave Densmore reported Force's injuries to the media. NHRA.com will provide more information on this breaking story as it becomes available.
Team spokesman Dave Densmore reported Force's injuries to the media. "He was asking to talk to Laurie, his wife, and Ashley and Robert Hight, so that was a good sign," Densmore said. "He is in a lot of pain, obviously. They can't take passengers on the helicopter so the family is off to the hospital in a car."
"John has very serious injuries to his hands, his legs, and his feet that will require extensive work-up and treatment," said NHRA doctor Dwight Shewchuk, who was first on the scene with the Safety Safari. "Nothing appears life-threatening at this time but he certainly has significant injuries so he's been taking to Baylor Hospital where he'll be further evaluated.
"Although he was alert and conscious throughout the whole thing he was demonstrating some signs of a concussion as he was asking the same question over and over. But his vital signs were stable and he's on his way."
Daughter Ashley Force, who won her second-round race with Del Worsham, opted not to compete in the semifinals.
Said Bernstein, who was not injured in the incident, "First of all I just pray that John's going to be okay," Bernstein said. "I know he's hurt and the main thing I'm praying for is that he gets 100-percent recovery. That's more important than anything right now for me, Sheryl, and our team. I know he was talking to me there and he was asking if he hurt me. That's typical John right there. He'll be okay. He's a strong-willed man, he'll be fine."
NHRA.com will provide more information on this breaking story as it becomes available.
Bigger question is the chassis under his cars.
Two big failures now, one fatal, NHRA will be looking at this VERY closely.
It’s time to slow those guys down.
Replay of the event is on ESPN2 right now...
What came off the other vehicle that he hit???
I got home late and haven’t seen it yet. The announcer on ESPN2 did say the wreck is coming up around 8:45...
Looks like a center line cone or divider of some sort that was thrown into Force’s lane by the other vehicle...
My goodness, it just shredded Force’s vehicle’s rear end.....
I must have an hour delay on my end. Bernstein is just getting to the second round...
What I saw on ESPN2 and following on WT, only solidifies what John was screaming about on WT last month during the Indy Nationals---that big, REALLY BIG changes need to be made to the FC class (and all rail classes) for safety reasons, beginning with a complete teardown and safety research/rebuild, and he's workin' on it more than anyone else in the biz.
Thank God for the John Forces' of this world.
Oh hogwash.
Speed had NOTHING to do with this accident. His impact with the wall was WAY under 100 mph.
Eric Medlen's crash occured at less than 120 MPH.
So I suppose your solution would be a 55 MPH limit?
These are racers, it's what they do, what they love, and how they make their living.
Slow them down and the sport will die.........and they, along with the hundreds they employ, will be out of jobs.
Please take your nanny mentality to a daycare & leave racing to those who love it.
I gotta agree - John is more than right on this one. Richard Hammond’s crash over in England showed just how primitive all these rail classes are - and there’s no reason for that, especially when the things are already running restricted after Top Fuel broke into the 3’s last decade.
Fix the safety issues on them - then, if they’re slower, derestrict them.
Top Fuel winner Larry Dixon spoke about Force.
“I’m glad that (John Force is) alive,” Dixon said. “From that point you can fix anything. A lot of credit goes to the Safety Safari, the medical team, and the rules package for the way the cars have to be built so that you can survive an accident like that. I feel safer in my car that goes 330 mph than I do in my rental car going 55 mph on the way to the track. I feel like I could run over a nuclear bomb, and I trust in that. He’ll be back racing one day. You can count on that.”
Watched the incident frame-by-frame, from several angles, on my DVR late last night. No question in my mind that Force’s car suffered a catastrophic clutch explosion (very rare these days) that had nothing to do with Kenny Bernstein taking out two of the speed trap timing blocks, which both missed John’s car. Later in the 3 hour NHRA program they showed a tow truck taking away the back part of John’s car. From the close-up camera shot, it was cleanly cut in half right at the bottom of the driver’s roll cage. The left tire was intact but had many metal? fragment punctures in it. Noticed right when the accident began to happen there were chunks of metal destroying the rear left side of the car’s body, then as the clutches were letting go the excess revs blew the supercharger - starting a flash blower fire and the burst panel went flying off the car – then the car’s chassis separated right in front of John with the entire back of the car pitching up in the air from the explosion. Noticed after the front 3/4 of John’s car took out Kenny’s car, and finally slid to a stop at the front of the sand trap, I didn’t see any bell housing-clutch can in the car. Imo, this was nothing more than a freak and very rare type of accident that didn’t have anything to do with TF-FC technology. That’s my 3 cents until something official comes out on the subject. Glad John wasn’t hurt worse that he was and Kenny is alright. Hope next season is better for both of them.
I sent him well wishes on his web site.
John is a tough cookie. He'll be back and God willing he will hoist #15 in 2008.
NHRA.com reports the surgery went well. Updates from the Force camp expected midday today.
Force Speaks; Champ Begins Undergoing Physical Therapy
www.nhra.com
Monday, 09.24.07, 6:45 p.m. CT
John Force, seriously injured Sunday in the crash of his Castrol GTX High Mileage Ford Mustang Funny Car during the 22nd annual O'Reilly Auto Parts Fall Nationals at the Texas Motorplex, was undergoing physical therapy Monday at Baylor University Medical Center following six hours of reconstructive surgery Sunday night on his feet, legs and hands. The 14-time NHRA Funny Car champion suffered a compound fracture of the left ankle, a deep laceration of the right knee down to the bone, broken fingers and lacerations on the right hand and a dislocated left wrist that originally was diagnosed as a dislocation and break. The 125-time tour winner's injuries were tended by Alan Jones, M.D., orthopedic traumatologist, Michael Foreman, M.D., chief of trauma services, and David Zehr, M.D., orthopedic surgeon and hand specialist. Force's prognosis is "very good" following the most severe accident he's experienced in more than three decades of racing.
“We don't really know what went wrong,” Force said Monday after viewing video of the crash for the first time. “I don't remember much. I remember thinking that I had to cut a light to beat (rival) Kenny Bernstein. The next thing I remember is them trying to get me out of the car.” “I was worried about Bernstein,” Force said, “because I knew he was in the other lane. I didn't want to hurt anybody, especially Kenny. He's a good friend and a great competitor – and he did nothing wrong. In fact, he did a great driving job. “I'm just lucky to have my legs. I gnawed off some fingers and toes, but they had me up trying to stand today. They're great people here at Baylor and I know they'll get me up and around as soon as they can.
“The car pulled in half and I've never seen that, ever. A tire came off the car (didn't happen - FlA) just as I put the parachutes out and it literally pulled the car apart. I just feel so helpless and vulnerable. I've been on fire from here to Australia. I've had some burns, but I've gotten out of every crash and never had a scratch. I've never had a broken bone (before) so this is all new to me.”
Monday, 1:00 p.m. CT: John Force is on his feet at Baylor University Medical Center, just one day after his horrifying accident with Kenny Bernstein at the Texas Motorplex. Under the direction of his team of doctors, Force is out of his bed and seeing how much weight he can bear on his repaired left ankle and right knee. "He isn't happy about standing up, but he is standing up," Force's longtime public relations director Dave Densmore told NHRA.com's Rob Geiger. "I wouldn't believe it if I didn't see it with my own eyes. It's an incredible recovery. "He was asking earlier this morning what it would take to race in Richmond (Va.) in two weeks but the doctors are having none of it. Densmore said Force will miss the rest of the NHRA season, which has three scheduled dates remaining in Richmond, Va., Las Vegas and Pomona, Calif. Force is fourth in the Funny Car standings.
John wanted to race in 2 weeks. He is the man!!
John hospital bedside interview
Mon, 09.24.07, 7:08 pm CT - 9:04 minutes
Ashley interview outside the hospital
Sun, 09.23.07, 9:20 pm CT - 4:41 minutes
Posted for FlAttorney by TAB
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