MORRISON — It took a near-death experience for 14-time world champion funny car driver John Force to realize he wasn’t made out of steel.
“It was always, ‘You’re untouchable. No one can hurt you,’ ” Force said. “And I woke in the hospital and realized I ain’t Superman.”
Last September, the 59-year-old racer crashed on a track in Texas. He sustained a broken left ankle and severe abrasion on his right knee. His left wrist was dislocated and broken, and he had slight fractures on a number of fingers on his right hand.
Doctors told him his driving days might be over.
They were not. Force has participated in all 13 NHRA funny car events this season, winning the Summer Nationals in Topeka, Kan., on June 1.
On Sunday at the Mile-High Nationals, Force was defeated in round one of the eliminations at Bandimere Speedway, losing to teammate Mike Neff.
Sitting in his pit after the race, Force rolled up his right pants leg and ran his finger across the 11-inch scar covering his knee, a reminder of the crash that ended his 2007 season. He then slipped off his shoe, showing his swollen left foot.
Force spent nearly two months in a hospital and then four months working with physical therapist Robert Ortmayer.
“Did I cry? Oh, yeah. On a scale, at its worst point, was an eight I would say physically, and then it came back from there. But mentally it was a 10,” Force said.
“Every day, I woke and said, ‘One, if I don’t get back out there, nobody has driven these cars more than me,’ ” said Force, who is also the owner of John Force Racing, Inc. ” ‘I need to be out there to test these new cars, and I need to know my kids are safe and the other kids.’ ”
Force made it back to the starting line for the first race of the 2008 season in February in Pomona, Calif.
The accident, though, changed the course of his life. Force gave up partying and focused on his health.
“Maybe he’s not back 100 percent, but in other areas as far as strength and muscle, he’s definitely in better condition before he got into the accident,” said Force’s wife, Lori.
With his love for drag racing passing on to his three daughters, Force is putting family first and spending more time with his daughters.
After teammate and funny car driver Eric Medlen died in March 2007 during a practice-run crash in Florida when he was violently shaken to death, the John Force Racing team made some safety changes to its cars to protect the drivers. To help minimize head shake for the drivers, additional head padding was added to the top, to the back and to both sides of the cockpits.
“Eric Medlen saved my life,” Force said.
For Force, who has spent most of his career focusing on winning, safety is now a top concern.
“I want to win, don’t get me wrong, but I want to stay alive,” he said.
Yvette Lanier: 303-954-1033 or ylanier@denverpost.com
