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John Force Returns To Texas Racing Aboard An Air Evac Lifeteam helicopter
ENNIS, Texas – A year after he flew out of Texas Motorplex in an Air Evac Lifeteam helicopter suffering from a compound fracture of the left ankle, broken bones in his hands, fingers and toes and ligament and tendon damage in his right knee, a pensive John Force made the return flight on Monday.
A passenger in the same helicopter manned by the same crew that flew him to Baylor University Medical Center last Sept. 23 when his Ford Mustang broke apart at 300 miles per hour, the 14-time NHRA Funny Car champion returned to the track on which he suffered the worst crash of his 32-year NHRA drag racing career.
The Air Evac Lifeteam crew from Ennis, Texas, was ecstatic to have the opportunity to see Force again and know they made a difference in his recovery. “It’s always a good feeling to know you were able to help a person in their time of need,” said flight nurse Kim Loflin. “Its even better when you know that person is able to return to the life they knew before their accident and continue doing what they love to do."
After his 2007 crash, the 59-year-old Force underwent seven hours of reconstructive surgery and then spent 27 days at Baylor before being released to continue his rehabilitation at home in Yorba Linda, Calif.
“This ain’t good for me,” Force told those assembled on Monday. “I’m a comedy act, usually, (but) it was strange when I got back in (the helicopter), it kind of scared me. The smell, you remember, and the chopper noise. But I also remembered the lady (flight nurse Kim Loflin) that held my hand and told me everything would be all right.
“In all the hero stuff, yelling and screaming that I was gonna be back racing the next week, I really kinda thought (my career) was over. But your biggest fear,” said the 126-time winner on the POWERade tour, ”is that you ain’t gonna see your kids again.
“This was very emotional for me,” Force said. “But I’m glad I did it.”
Addressing the Air Evac team, to which he presented autographed hats and die-cast model cars, Force said “when you think your life is on the line, to have people you don’t even know come to help you, that’s what’s so great about America. I could have bled to death. That’s what they were worried about, but they got me to Baylor and then the doctors there took such good care of me, putting me back together. I can never repay any of them for what they did.”
Force, who was met by track owner Billy Meyer, showed off safety improvements adapted since his crash and since the accident earlier this year that claimed the life of driver Scott Kalitta. He also accepted a proclamation from Ennis, Texas Mayor Russell R. Thomas declaring “John Force Day” in that city.
“I wanted to know what it was like to come back,” said an emotional Force, who will return to the Motorplex in a more formal capacity this week as one of the Funny Car contenders in the 23rd annual O’Reilly Super Start Batteries NHRA Fall Nationals presented by Castrol. It’s the second race in the NHRA’s Countdown to the Championship playoff series.
Force, a seven-time winner at the Motorplex, will share the track this week with three of his four daughters. Ashley Force, 25, will compete with and against her dad in the Funny Car division while Brittany, 22, and Courtney, 20, will drive in the Top Alcohol Dragster division.
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