This message was edited on
September 24, 2007 at
10:42:19 AM by cubicdollars
Glad to hear he should be able to come out of it alright. Pretty bad to do the leg dangle at 330 mph. Can't believe they'd be able to break a car in half like that. Thoughts and prayers.
Surgery repairs Force's ankle; team update expected noon MondayBy Rob Geiger Sr. and Phil Burgess, NHRA.com
9/23/2007
John Force
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Drag racing's biggest star, 14-time NHRA POWERade champion John Force, suffered a left broken ankle and wrist in a nasty top-end collision Sunday with fellow NHRA legend Kenny Bernstein in the second round of eliminations at the O'Reilly NHRA Fall Nationals at Texas Motorplex outside of Dallas. Force was airlifted to Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas for further treatment.
Their Funny Cars got together just after they crossed the finish line. The numbers, although unofficial, showed Force crossing with a 4.863 at 315.34 mph to Bernstein's 4.904 at 312.06 mph.
Doctors updated John Force's family and team following a thorough evaluation of his multiple injuries and the prognosis for a full recovery is very good.
Force sustained a broken left ankle and severe abrasion on his right knee. Force's left wrist also was dislocated and broken and he sustained some severe abrasions and slight fractures on a number of fingers on his right hand.
Throughout all procedures Force was alert and responsive. CAT scans performed came back negative and showed no damage other than the injuries to his legs and hands. Surgeons will begin cleaning a number of his injuries tonight and possibly setting his fractures if the swelling is at an acceptable level.
Team spokesman Dave Densmore initially reported Force's injuries to the media using information he had at the time. "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."
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They don't even know how to spell sprint car
much less chromoly...http://www.ycmco.com
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Can you say cursed...
Check out this old Danny Ongais crash...look closely for his legs. Sorry it's B/W and OLD.
"As long as I can have a fast boat, a margarita
machine and can light my hair on fire, I'll be just
fine."
Jason Giambi
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