Drag-racing star John Force was alert and conscious after suffering serious injuries Sunday in a wreck with Funny Car rival Kenny Bernstein in the O’Reilly NHRA Fall Nationals at Texas Motorplex in Ennis, Texas.
Team spokesman Elon Werner said Force broke his left ankle and his left wrist and suffered a severe abrasion to his right knee.
“John’s chassis broke in half and the engine and front two wheels were over in Kenny’s lane, and that’s what Kenny hit,” Werner said.
Force, a 14-time champion, was airlifted to Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, where Werner said doctors planned surgery Sunday night to clean up the abrasions and possibly set the broken bones.
“He was alert and obviously in a lot of pain, but the whole time he was asking questions. His primary concern was for Kenny Bernstein,” Werner said.
Werner said a CT scan came back negative for internal injuries. He also said Force sustained some minor fractures and severe abrasions to the tips of his fingers.
Bernstein wasn’t injured in the accident.
