NHRA great John Force moved out of intensive care after June 23 crash at Virginia Nationals (2025)

AUTO RACING

NHRA drag racing great John Force has been moved out of neurological intensive care after suffering a traumatic brain injury in a fiery, 300-mph crash at the Virginia Nationals in Dinwiddie County last month.

The 75-year-old Force has been moved from neurological intensive care into acute neuro care at the hospital where he was transported by air ambulance on June 23, John Force Racing said Friday in a release. He suffered a traumatic brain injury and other injuries, including a fractured sternum, in the crash during the first round of Funny Car eliminations.

Force’s car had a catastrophic engine failure at the finish line, with the vehicle going across the center line and slamming into the left concrete guard wall, then careening back across into the right wall.

The team’s statement said Force still has periods of confusion and will likely at some point move to a long-term facility specializing in TBI and associated symptoms. He has been able to speak and to walk with help from medical staff, but the release said “medical professionals emphasized once again that the journey ahead will be a long and difficult one.”

In 2007, at age 58, Force was seriously injured in a racing crash in Ennis, Texas. He has continued to race at the highest level, earning his second win of the season and record 157th NHRA victory in New Hampshire.

Force’s daughter, Brittany, is a two-time world champion.

BASEBALL

Pilots earn 10th victory in 11 games

The Peninsula Pilots continued to stay as host as the near-record temperatures, downing Wilmington 9-4 Friday night before 3,179 at War Memorial Stadium in Hampton. It was the 10th victory in the last 11 games for coach Hank Morgan’s playoff-bound team, which leads the Coastal Plain League at 23-9 overall and 7-1 in the season’s second half.

Zac Morris doubled, tripled, scored two runs and drove in two. Luis Delacruz and Ryan Dooley also scored twice, and Grayson Fitzwater drove in two runs.

Pilots starter Juan Gil-Franco held the Sharks (20-14, 4-6) to one hit in three shutout innings. Six more Pilots shared the final six innings on the mound for a six-hitter, with Darrell Fletcher-Knight pitching a scoreless fourth for the victory.

Thursday night, the Pilots held off Greenville 6-5 before 2,018 at War Memorial Stadium in a game delayed 48 minutes because of bad weather.

Corbin Shaw was 2 for 3 with three doubles for the Pilots. Henry Garcia was 3 for 4 and scored twice, and Zac Morris singled, was hit by a pitch, stole a base and scored twice.

Pilots starter Brian Ereu pitched four shutout innings, and winner Olvis Genao, Caden Plummer and Sam Rochard pitched one apiece.

For the Yard Gnomes, Danny Ramirez drove in two runs and Joe Siervo had three of their eight hits. They twice cut the Pilots’ lead to one run but never caught up.

Peninsula closer Kenny Leiner gave up a run, two hits and a walk in the ninth but got the save, stranding two runners.

TENNIS

Ex-UVA star Navarro earns match vs. No. 2 Gauff

Emma Navarro, the 2021 NCAA singles champion for Virginia, continued her notable run at Wimbledon by rallying past former North Carolina State star Diana Shnaider 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 Friday.

Navarro, 23, seeded 19th, avenged two recent losses to Shnaider and earned the right to face second-seeded Coco Gauff on Sunday in the round of 16.

Navarro has been a pro for about two years. Shnaider, a left-hander who grew up in Russia, turned pro shortly after leading the Wolfpack to the 2023 ACC championship and NCAA team runner-up honors.

In men’s singles, San Diego native Brandon Nakashima, the 2019 ACC Freshman of the Year in his only season as a Cavalier, was trailing French left-hander Ugo Humbert, the No. 16 seed, 6-7 (9-11), 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-6 when their round-of-32 match was suspended because of rain. They are scheduled to resume Saturday.

COLLEGE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

NSU, UVA will play Puerto Rico tourney

Norfolk State and Virginia will compete in the 2024 Discover Puerto Rico Shootout from Nov. 27-30.

Virginia will take on Green Bay (Nov. 27), Washington State (Nov. 28) and Wyoming (Nov. 29) at Coliseo Guillermo Angulo in the capital city of San Juan. NSU’s opponents have not been announced.

COLLEGE MEN’S LACROSSE

UVA’s incoming class ranked No. 1

Virginia coach Lars Tiffany officially announced the Cavaliers’ incoming 2024 signing class Friday. The 10 signees make up the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class, according to Inside Lacrosse.

The players are: Sean Browne (Dallas), Kyle Colsey (Ridgefield, Connecticut), Ryan Duenkel (Great Falls), Christian Grosso (Wellesley, Massachusetts), Hudson Hausmann (Greenwich, Connecticut), Luke Hublitz (Fairfield, Connecticut), Luke Jamin (Rumson, New Jersey), JP Lagunowich (Chatham, New Jersey) and Tommy Snyder (Bay Shore, New York), plus goalie Troy Capstraw (Daphne, Alabama).

GOLF

UVA stars lose first Palmer Cup match

Virginia standouts Amanda Sambach and Ben James lost their mixed foursomes match 1-up on the first day of competition at the Palmer Cup in Lahinch, Ireland. The International team led 6.5 to 5.5 after the first day.

Sambach and James lost to South Carolina’s Louise Rydqvist and Arizona State’s Wenyi Ding. Both Cavaliers will compete again Saturday morning in men’s and women’s foursomes and perhaps in mixed foursomes in the afternoon.

Originally Published:

NHRA great John Force moved out of intensive care after June 23 crash at Virginia Nationals (2025)
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