John Force and Kenny Bernstein were involved in a two-car crash during the second round of Funny Car eliminations at the NHRA Fall Nationals in Dallas, Texas.

Bernstein was uninjured in the crash. Force, with multiple injuries to his extremities, was alert and speaking with medical personnel before transport to Baylor University Medical Center for observation.

NHRA EMS official Dwight Shewchuk said that John Force was alert and conscious but none of his injuries appeared life threatening.

“From the time we got there until we got him in the helicopter, he was conscious,” Shewchuk said. “He does have some serious injuries to his hand and his legs. Those will require extensive work up and treatment. Nothing appears life-threatening at this time. Those are significant injuries and they are going to take him to Baylor Hospital in Dallas where he will be further evaluated and treated.” John Force and Kenny Bernstein were involved in a two-car crash during the second round of Funny Car eliminations at the NHRA Fall Nationals in Dallas, Texas.

Bernstein was uninjured in the crash. Force, with multiple injuries to his extremities, was alert and speaking with medical personnel before transport to Baylor University Medical Center for observation.

NHRA EMS official Dwight Shewchuk said that John Force was alert and conscious but none of his injuries appeared life threatening.

“From the time we got there until we got him in the helicopter, he was conscious,” Shewchuk said. “He does have some serious injuries to his hand and his legs. Those will require extensive work up and treatment. Nothing appears life-threatening at this time. Those are significant injuries and they are going to take him to Baylor Hospital in Dallas where he will be further evaluated and treated.”

Shewchuk described Force’s injuries saying, “Both legs and the right hand and even though he was conscious he was exhibiting some signs of a concussion. He was asking the same question over and over. Vital signs were stable and he’s on his way.

“We thought the scrapes on his arm may have been burns and that’s why they were going to take him to (Baylor). Those looked more like abrasions than burns.”

Kenny Bernstein addressed the media following the incident.

“I just pray that John is okay,” Bernstein said, “I know he is hurt. Right now I hope he gets 100-percent recovery. That’s what means more than anything right now to me, to Sheryl and to my team. That’s what we are praying for right now. I know he was talking to me and he
was worried whether he hurt me or not – but that’s John. He’ll be okay because he’s a strong willed man and he will be fine.”

Bernstein then gave his account of the incident.

“I left the starting line and felt like it was a good leave. The car was running fine down through there and it got close to the center-line about halfway down there. The car started moving over and I keep turning and correcting as hard as I could and it just kept sticking over there next to that center-line. It got down near the finish line and I said ‘Man, I think this thing is going to catch a [timing] cone’.”

Bernstein was disqualified when his car collected the final timing foam block.

“I guess I did catch it with the rear tires from what I understand. I just couldn’t get it to come back. It got right down to the finish line. I lifted the throttle and hit the parachutes at the same time – that’s my procedure. As soon as I hit the parachutes, out of the corner of my eye, I saw John’s black car coming towards me. It was coming over and it just hit me. Then we just wadded up together for a second or two and then all I could see is nothing because there were bodies coming apart and coming up in front of you, taking your eyesight away. I remember seeing my body up there and going through it. I remember seeing his body up there and going through parts of it.

“Then, when I came out of that, and you have to realize that took milliseconds, when I came out of it I saw John’s car going towards the wall. It hit the wall really, really hard. Then I was a little out of control at that time. Obviously … it was at the point where it was teetering on whether to turn over or not turn over, going left or going right. I was just trying to steer it to keep from going anywhere but as straight as it could . Then it finally settled down and stayed on all fours. It never did go over.

“Right when I got ready to stop, out of the corner of my eye, I saw something again. It was the chassis and the engine – the front half of the car passed me on the right side. It passed me on the right side and went all the way to the end of the track.

“I looked up and tried to figure out what I was seeing because I couldn’t see John. I was trying to get to him. In fact, I was letting my car roll to get up there to see if I could help him. But, he wasn’t even there. That’s why I ended up way down the track. I thought he was still in that car.

“When I got out, I saw all the commotion back up the track. Without looking at a film, that’s all I can tell you.”

Bernstein said he felt like something happened to Force’s car prior to their accident, but couldn’t say for sure.

“I guarantee you that something happened to his car because John Force isn’t going to run over anybody,” Bernstein said. “None of us are going to run over anybody unless something causes it. If something takes place that causes a driver to do what he does. You don’t drive a race car to run in the other lane.

“Something had to happen. I certainly think something happened to his race car, I certainly do; absolutely. I would say something happened to that car by all means. For him to come across and collect me, something had to happen.”

Outside of the fact his car catching the timing cone, Bernstein said he didn’t think he crossed the center-line.

“I don’t feel like I did and I didn’t feel like I did,” Bernstein said. “I will have to look at the film, but I don’t think I ever went across with the entire car. I know I was close to the center but I don’t think I ever went over the center with the entire car. [Crew chief] Jimmy Walsh went down there and the rear tire caught the cone.

“I was under total control when I reached up for the parachute and got off the throttle. I just figured I had given the race away because I caught that cone. I just couldn’t get it back. I never had a thought that I was in his lane.

“I saw him coming at me. I saw the front of his car pointed at me – not a 90-degree but certainly a 45. When you can see it, he’s got to be pretty far across on you.

Bernstein said he briefly talked to Force.

“I came back when I figured it all out. He was on the stretcher and asking if he hit anybody. I kept telling him it was okay. I told him, ‘John, its Bernstein. I’m okay.’

“He asked me again if I was okay and I said, ‘John, I’m okay.’

“John was a little delirious at that point in time because he kept asking if he hit me and hurt me in the ambulance. I don’t know how much he will remember of what I told him on that. On my side, I am physically fine.”

Bernstein admitted he had a mild headache, but not for Force’s safety contributions that it could have been worse.

“The only thing I had was a little bit of a headache when the car first stopped,” Bernstein said. “That was from bouncing the head back and forth in the roll cage. I want to give John and his team credit because I had a small headache and it could have been worse. My head went violent from this way (right to left) to that way.”

Bernstein said he never hit the wall and once he drove through the body carnage, while remaining straight, he confirmed that he saw Force strike the wall.

“I was in the middle of the race track and not on the right side like he was against the wall,” Bernstein said. “You can see on my car where he came across and bent the chassis. He caught from the left front tire forward. After about halfway through the chassis is where it looks like it was bent. That’s probably where he collected us.”

The accident is under review by both NHRA officials and the teams involved.