After NHRA Legend’s Gut-Wrenching Crash, Tony Stewart’s Champion Unmasks the Flaws in Drag Racing’s Safety

The legendary NHRA driver John Force was moved to the neurological intensive care unit after a fiery crash at the Virginia Nationals Funny Car eliminations saw his Chevrolet Camaro explode and crash into the guard wall. Force exited his car, appearing alert and talking with the Safety Safari workers before entering an ambulance. The 75-year-old clocked a 302.62-mph win over Terry Haddock before the accident occurred.

With the NHRA community rallying around Force after the accident, Tony Stewart Racing’s reigning NHRA Funny Car World Champion Matt Hagan has spoken up on safety and shared his views on these prevailing issues surrounding drag racing.

NHRA needs to be proactive, not reactive, in implementing safety measures

It wasn’t the first time John Force had been involved in a brutal crash during his incredibly successful NHRA career. The Hall of Fame drag racer suffered a broken ankle and dislocated wrist during the Fall Nationals in Ennis, Texas, in 2007. Back then, Force also had to be airlifted after the crash and was sidelined for the rest of the season. The accident occurred just months after JFR driver Eric Medlen was killed during testing, suffering from a head injury because of his car’s violent tire shake.

Now, with the recent June 24 happenings, it has raised safety concerns in the motorsports community. Speaking about the flaws in drag racing safety, Tony Stewart Racing’s Matt Hagan said, “I feel like we really need to address that as a sport, as a sanctioning body to see what we can do to make this sport safer for our drivers, as far as the fire goes, as far as the parachutes, as far as just not tying these things down and that’s just so much energy down there at the finish line when you blow one up and I’ve done that several times and it’s just, you can’t explain it to someone.”

Comparing the engine explosion in John Force’s car to holding a firecracker, Matt Hagan went on to say, “That’s what we’re trying to do right now, we’re trying to close our hands around these funny car motors and when they go boom it’s just it’s a lot of energy down there for the driver to take on. So you know, like I’ve been a big voice of being against that rule for a long time, but you know, sometimes it takes some things like this for us to go back and reevaluate things.”

NHRA cars have the capability of running at speeds of over 330 mph in just under four seconds, which means safety measures become paramount for drivers. An engine exploding under such circumstances can have catastrophic consequences, and implementing safer barriers, head restraints, and crush zones could make all the difference in a crash.

Keeping safety measures in mind, the NHRA needs to be more proactive to avoid an incident such as the one involving John Force at Virginia Motorsports Park instead of reacting to the accident and making changes accordingly. There need to be stricter measures put in place to control the fire in case of a crash and prevent engine explosions, as well as conduct extensive parachute testing to ensure there is sufficient drag for cars to slow down after they cross the finish line.

How do drivers react to John Force’s crash at Virginia Nationals?

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John Force is a legend in the Funny Car drag circuit, winning 157 races during his 46-year-long career, with the latest one coming just three weeks ago in New Hampshire. In the aftermath of the incident, the NHRA community rallied around John Force, with Austin Prock, winner of the Funny Car division, saying, “This trophy is definitely going back to him.”

Prock, who is not just John Force’s teammate but also his protégé, was visibly emotional after the incident. Talking about his boss, the 29-year-old said, “He’s one tough son of a bi***, I know that. He’ll be back. It’s just tough to see somebody go through that. I hope he’s all right. Keep him in your thoughts and prayers. I know he’ll be back.”

During the incident, Brittany Force traveled to the hospital with her father, despite her race that day. She has also removed herself from the Summit Racing Equipment National in Norwalk, Ohio, to stay by her father’s side. Keeping faith in her father’s resilience, Brittany Force said, “My dad’s going to be all right – I was in the ambulance with him, holding his hand. He’s one of the toughest people I know, so he’ll bounce back like he always does.”

Reigning Funny Car champion Matt Hagan said, “My main thought is I hope John’s okay. You hate to see him go through that. Send prayers up for him. He’s a legend of the sport, the GOAT.” Meanwhile, Ron Capps, owner and driver of NAPA Auto Parts Toyota Supra, said, “The old man having that accident was tough to watch. You start thinking, ‘Man, what are we doing?’ We don’t know how he is.”

While John Force continues to recover, the accident may have future implications for his NHRA career and his team. With 16 Funny Car titles, Force’s career has been marked by resilience, excellence, and overcoming adversity. Having endured several crashes throughout his career, including a near-fatal one in 2007, the incident at Virginia Motorsports Park highlights the inherent dangers present in NHRA racing, making discussions surrounding safety for drivers in the sport more important than ever before.

While the racing community continues to rally around him, it’ll be interesting to see what Leah Pruett, Tony Stewart’s wife, has to say about the rules. However, we at EssentiallySports are also looking forward to hearing positive updates on Force’s condition in the coming days and weeks. A speedy recovery to John Force!