Brittany Force OK after crash

Brittany Force escaped serious injury in a wall-banging crash in the season-opening Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals at Pomona, Calif.

John Force Racing said the 31-year-old Top Fuel driver, the daughter of Funny Car great John Force, suffered no major internal injuries but does have some bruising of the lungs and will remain hospitalized overnight as a precaution.

The defending season champion was racing against Terry Haddock in the first round of eliminations when her 11,000-horsepower dragster veered right just off the start, shot to the left — crossing in front of Haddock — and slammed into the left wall. It spun with the tangled parachute catching the nose and hit backward into the right wall, flipping on its side. It ended up back on what was left of the wheels when it finally skidded to a stop. She was taken to the hospital about the same time her father went out with an engine explosion.

Later in the day, Matt Hagan beat defending season champion Robert Hight in the Funny Car final.

Hagan edged Hight with a 3.823-second pass at 335.90 mph.

Doug Kalitta won in Top Fuel, and Bo Butner topped the Pro Stock field. Kalitta had a 3.779 at 324.28 to edge Tony Schumacher in the final, and Butner ran a 6.549 at 209.62 against teammate Jason Line.