By Bill Stephens
ESPN.com
During Sunday’s second round of Funny Car eliminations at the 22nd O’Reilly Fall Nationals at the Texas Motorplex, south of Dallas, Force was involved in a catastrophic collision with Kenny Bernstein just after both cars crossed the finish line. Bernstein’s Monster Energy Dodge — racing in the right lane — edged toward the centerline and struck a foam timing block, resulting in immediate disqualification, just as Force’s Castrol Syntec Mustang was thrown into a sudden swerve, striking Bernstein’s race car broadside.Â
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Force’s chassis split in half and was demolished; Bernstein’s Funny Car had its body knocked off, otherwise avoiding any hard impact. Bernstein safely coasted to a stop and walked away uninjured.Â
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Force, though, was still strapped in the cockpit of his machine when NHRA Safety Safari rescue workers reached the 14-time champion. After being removed from the wreck and airlifted to nearby Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, Force was diagnosed with a severely broken left ankle, a deep laceration on his right knee, a fractured and dislocated left wrist, and abrasive injuries to his right hand
