FORCE WILL STAY PUT AFTER CONSULTING WITH ORTHOPEDIC SPECIALISTS
14-Time Champ Scraps Plans to Attend TORCO Nationals at Richmond
DALLAS, Texas – John Force got a reality check Tuesday and the 14-time NHRA Funny Car Champion found he didn’t have a leg to stand on.
Faced with the knowledge that he can’t put weight on a badly broken left ankle for at least 60 days and the realization that his severely damaged right knee and foot simply won’t hold him up, Force finally acquiesced to the wishes of orthopedic surgeons treating him at Baylor University Medical Center.
The upshot is that the injured icon will remain at Baylor for an undermined amount of time under the supervision of trauma specialist Dr. Michael Foreman, orthopedic traumatologist Dr. Alan Jones and orthopedic surgeon Dr. David Zehr and immediately will embark on a more intense physical therapy program.
Although, with assistance, he has been up on his feet since the Sept. 23rd accident at the Texas Motorplex that left him seriously injured for the first time in his 30-year career, reports that the 125-time tour winner has been walking have been greatly exaggerated.
His physical activity to date has consisted primarily of doing pull-ups with his right arm and raising and lowering his legs – all from his hospital bed, which is why, on Tuesday, drag racing’s biggest star acknowledged that while he is extremely motivated to get back in his race car as quickly as possible, he finally understands that he cannot accelerate the healing process.
“It is what it is,” Force said. “I know I said I was going to drive at Richmond (in this week’s second annual TORCO Racing Fuels Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park) and that I was going to drive at Las Vegas. That’s what I wanted to do, but the truth is I’m beat up pretty bad. I can’t do anything for myself right now plus my blood count is down.
“They want me to eat, but nothing tastes right and they want me to walk on my own, which I can’t do because my right leg is so bad.”
Force’s right leg initially was weakened by childhood polio and then aggravated by an accident in 1989. In the crash, the same knee was deeply lacerated, affecting the tendons and ligaments.
“I’ve had to rely on my daughter Ashley and my son-in-law, Robert Hight, to do everything for me – and I mean everything,” Force said. “I got two bad hands and two bad legs, so it didn’t make any sense to do a couple days of therapy here, a couple more in Indy and a couple more in California.
“My doctors here are right up there with the best in the world for these kinds of injuries. They worked with Kenny Brack and they’ve handled PBR bull riders when they’ve been hurt. So, my new game plan is to stay here to do the physical therapy they want.”
That decision countermands Force’s earlier plan to travel to Indianapolis this week and then on to Richmond to provide morale support for Hight, who presently is second in POWERade points behind only Tony Pedregon.
Instead, he will remain in Texas under the care of a trauma team that has had considerable experience with injuries like those suffered by the 14-time Auto Racing All-American when his Castrol SYNTEC Ford Mustang literally broke in half after a tire failure.
In fact, Dr. Jones headed the team that put IndyCar driver Kenny Brack back together after he crashed heavily in a 2003 IRL race at Texas Motor Speedway. That was a determining factor in Force’s decision to stay put although he still is determined to be in Las Vegas for the Halloween weekend ACDelco Las Vegas Nationals.
“I’d like to think that I’m Superman, but I’m not,” Force said. “I know I have to get stronger. I’m down probably 10 pounds (since the crash), but for years whenever I lost weight I did it the wrong way. Instead of exercising it off, I just quit eating. Well, lying here in the hospital, I realized how weak I am. I know I’ve got build myself back up if I’m going to continue to race. So that’s what I’m going to do.”
Relying on his family for support, Force said his nephew, Brian Force, will fly to Dallas to take over the heavy lifting from Hight, who has done yeoman duty as Force’s arms and legs during recovery.
Enhancements to Hight’s Automobile Club of Southern California Ford Mustang should be completed Wednesday. That will make it possible for the seven-time tour winner to compete this week – but not to test.
Work still is being done at McKinney Corporation on Ashley’s Castrol GTX Ford and on a third Mustang for rookie-to-be Mike Neff. Force’s car, which was to be the second to receive the latest upgrade, was pulled out of line when it became apparent that the 1996 Driver of the Year would be unable to compete this week.
Force said Tuesday that Ashley’s participation in the TORCO Nationals won’t even be considered if improvements to her car are not completed by Thursday.
In addition to his leg injuries, Force has broken bones in the fingers on his right hand and a severely dislocated left wrist. He also has skin grafts on his injured fingers. Of some additional concern is the fact that his white blood count is low, a situation that ultimately might necessitate a blood transfusion.
ol Bombero-JC wrote: Tres - thanks for the update.
At some point NHRA is going to have to find some
way of limiting (changing) engine size, modifications, (or?) -
in order to put some kind of a cap on ET/Speed.
Drivers are simply pointing a "bullet" in top fuel and funny car,
with little or no time to react to any problems.
Those "bullets" keep getting faster & quicker.
JC
I disagree.
I feel "speed and safety" have always gone hand in hand in drag racing. If one gets to far out the other soon catches up. And the sport always is better and safer after. A lot of good people stay on top of this all the time. I've heard this statement before when speeds weren't as fast. Look at the sport now, it's better all around. Safety has come along ways from the beginning of drag racing and will always continue. I feel "caps" are not the answer.
Hmmmmmm - theory/observation/opinion - vindication!!
(only took about 10 months since the above posts)
Mile High Nat'ls.
Nitro classes (Top Fuel & Funny Car) run one-thousand feet,
all others 1320 feet.
Is the "shorter" 1/4 Mile the solution (the "cap")?
Who knows.
JC
* This post was
edited 07/13/08 01:40pm by ol Bombero-JC *
MORRISON, Colo. - SUMMIT FastNews - Final order after 4 rounds of qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 29th annual Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals:
Psn Driver Vehicle ET Speed
1. Cory McClenathan Fram Dragster 3.929 308.07
2. Tony Schumacher U.S. Army Dragster 3.943 307.16
3. Larry Dixon U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Dragste 3.946 299.60
4. Antron Brown Matco Dragster 3.998 287.11
5. Hillary Will K2M Dragster 4.018 302.21
6. J.R. Todd Lucas Oil Dragster 4.021 304.60
7. Doug Herbert Snap-On Tools Dragster 4.025 298.60
8. David Grubnic DHL Dragster 4.026 294.37
9. Doug Kalitta MAC Tools Dragster 4.027 291.01
10. Brandon Bernstein Budweiser/Lucas Oil Dragster 4.037 299.33
11. Morgan Lucas Lucas Oil Speedway Dragster 4.039 295.85
12. Bob Vandergriff UPS Dragster 4.048 289.20
13. Rod Fuller Caterpillar Dragster 4.050 292.90
14. Steve Torrence Vis-Viva Dragster 4.715 287.72
15. Steven Chrisman Chrisman Driveline Dragster 10.103 237.71
8.1 Van wrote: Even at a mile high track they are running over 300mph in 3.929 sec in 1,000 ft!
Top Fuel
Yep - With 320 (more) feet of shut-off area!
.
.
Point (posted 10 months ago) that NHRA would have to do "something"
about the "situation".
They have.
BTW - On edit: The statement -
"Even at a mile high track they are running over 300 mph in 3.929 sec in 1,000 ft!" - would put happy faces on NHRA brass!
Why?
Well - it says you (at least) are still impressed with
"shortened" 1/4 mile racing!
The Nitro classes generate the -BIG- bucks for No Hot
Rods Anymore, and keep the fans attending races.
Folks getting injured (and killed) is BAD press for BIG business!
And likewise, a bad choice for the means & method to improve safety
can hurt attendance (big time)!
When NHRA thought they had an answer to improve safety "back when" -
(ban Nitro for Top Fuel) - attendance went waaaaaaay down.
(IHRA thanked NHRA all the way to the bank!)
JC
* This post was
edited 07/16/08 04:17am by ol Bombero-JC *
Quote: When NHRA thought they had an answer to improve safety "back when" -
(ban Nitro for Top Fuel) - attendance went waaaaaaay down.
(IHRA thanked NHRA all the way to the bank!)
JC
The IHRA was formed in November 1970 by businessman Larry Carrier. The NHRA nitro ban ended in the early 60's.
Quote: KENT, Wash. - SUMMIT FastNews - Final order after 4 rounds of qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 21st annual Schuck's Auto Supply NHRA Nationals:
Psn Driver Vehicle ET Speed
1. Robert Hight AAA of So. Cal Mustang 4.056 304.39
2. Del Worsham Techron Impala 4.073 301.33
3. Tommy Johnson Jr. Monster Energy Drink Charger 4.083 301.13
4. Mike Neff Old Spice Mustang 4.089 303.84
5. Tony Bartone Canidae Pet Food Monte Carlo 4.092 303.37
6. Jerry Toliver Rockstar Energy Drinks Charger 4.095 303.98
7. Ashley Force Castrol GTX Mustang 4.095 299.66
8. Melanie Troxel ProCare RX Charger 4.096 302.55
9. Tony Pedregon Wicked Quick Impala 4.098 299.33
10. Cruz Pedregon Advance Auto Parts Solara 4.102 301.47
11. Gary Densham RaceBricks Impala 4.104 299.40
12. Gary Scelzi Mopar Oakley Charger 4.107 303.64
13. Bob Tasca III Motorcraft/Quick Lane Mustang 4.129 302.08
14. Jack Beckman Valvoline/MTS Charger 4.130 301.33
15. Ron Capps NAPA Auto Parts Charger 4.135 299.53
16. Tim Wilkerson Levi, Ray & Shoup Impala 4.156 302.62
--------- Not Qualified ---------
17. John Force Castrol GTX Mustang 4.158 295.59
John is not a happy camper but he has three of his drivers in it today.
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