John Force moved to rehab center but team says medical staff warned 'road ahead still is a difficult one'

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National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) legend John Force left a Virginia hospital for a rehab center on Tuesday but still has a long way to go for a full recovery, his team said.

John Force Racing offered an update on the Funny Car driver as he remained on the mend following a horrific crash he suffered at Virginia Nationals last month. The team said his family considered Force’s departure from the hospital a "major step forward in the recovery process."

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John Force during the Route 66 Nationals at Route 66 Raceway on May 18, 2024, in Joliet, Illinois. (Mark J. Rebilas-USA Today Sports)

"However, medical staff cautioned that the road ahead still is a difficult one," the team said. Force is dealing with cognitive and behavioral symptoms from a traumatic brain injury. While he has been able to converse with family and staff, enjoy the company of grandsons Jacob and Noah Hood, and celebrate a Monday birthday with daughter Brittany, he still is prone to periods of confusion.

"Family members said that no timetable had been established for the length of Force’s stay at the new facility, which was selected because of its success in treating other race car drivers with similar issues."

John Force during the Sonoma Nationals in Sonoma, California, on July 23, 2023. (Mark J. Rebilas-USA Today Sports)

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Force’s team has said the driver is still dealing with a traumatic brain injury from the crash.

Force was in his Funny Car on track at the Virginia Nationals when his engine exploded, causing him to veer across the center line and into the wall. His vehicle crossed back over the line and hit the guard wall again.

The team said his vehicle suffered an engine explosion as he was racing at more than 300 mph.

John Force and his daughter Brittany Force drive off during the Route 66 Nationals in Joliet, Illinois, on May 17, 2024. (Mark J. Rebilas-USA Today Sports)

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Force, 75, is a 16-time NHRA champion and a 22-time champion as a racing team owner. He won 10 straight titles as a driver from 1993 to 2002.

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