The 2003 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing season has been a swerving, careening roller coaster ride for 12-time Funny Car champion John Force.

And the ride just got rockier.

Late Wednesday, while working in his Yorba Linda, Calif., race shop and office facility, Force seriously cut both hands when a crystal trophy he had won at the now-defunct Winston Invitational shattered as he was moving it. The cuts required 40 stitches to close and after receiving treatment at nearby Placentia Linda Hospital, Force returned home.

After consulting with doctors, it appeared Force would be unable to drive at the season-ending Auto Club Finals at Pomona Raceway next week. "The doctor said no way I can drive," Force said, "and he doesn't know how long it'll be before I can sign an autograph."

However, by Friday afternoon, there were some indications that there may be plans afoot for Force to drive his Castrol Mustang in Pomona after all. His executive assistant, Kelli Antonelli, when contacted by phone said, "John was in some pain right after the accident and was given some pain medication and told to rest. This morning, he said he was feeling much better so right now it's a wait-and-see kind of thing."

Force ultimately was cleared to compete on the Thursday before race weekend by medical officials.

This latest incident in a wildly eventful season comes amid the strong possibility that Force will be looking to replace two drivers over the off-season. Gary Densham has announced his anticipated departure at the end of this year's schedule and Tony Pedregon continues to evaluate his future with John Force Racing. There are unsubstantiated rumors that the newly-crowned Funny Car champion will be heading for the team owned by his brother, Cruz Pedregon, in 2004.

Meanwhile, Force is heavily involved in the drag racing pursuits of his two daughters, Ashley and Brittany, who will both be competing next year in two different NHRA categories. Ashley will be moving from her Super Comp ride to the A/Fuel Dragster owned and campaigned by Jerry Darien and Ken Meadows, while Brittany will race in the S/C dragster which Ashley will vacate at season's end.

Since 1990, Force has won every NHRA Funny Car title except two and as 2003 comes to a close, he finds himself in a unique situation for three reasons: First, he will enter the 2004 season without the No. 1 on his racecar for the first time since 1993; second, he will likely be replacing at least one and maybe two key members of his team -- a rarity for an operation which experiences little turnover; and third, should Pedregon leave, Force will be in the market for a driver who will be capable of racing competitively and winning in the car which won the '03 championship.

If there's one team owner/driver who longs for the relative quiet of the upcoming off-season, it's John Force.

Bill Stephens covers the NHRA for ESPN and ESPN.com.