CompetitionPlus.com has learned that veteran crew chief Austin Coil will miss this weekend's NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis due to health reasons. A media representative from John Force Racing confirmed that Coil checked himself into the hospital recently when he didn't feel well. Coil is expected to spend a few days in the hospital undergoing tests to determine the reason for not feeling well.

As it stands now, Robert Hight will be rejoined with Jimmy Prock in the AAA Car. This provides the team with the most stable opportunity to contend for a Countdown berth.

John Force will return to the Castrol High Mileage team with Bernie Fedderly assuming the lead tuner role and assisted as needed by Dean Antonelli and Mike Neff.

“I wanted Robert to go into the biggest race of the year with confidence and I decided that putting him back with Jimmy Prock was best,” Force said. “That’s the team he’s been with and I showed at Reading that Jimmy’s car is starting to come around.

“I’m going back with Bernie,” Force said. “He’ll run my car with help from ‘Guido’ (Dean Antonelli, crew chief on daughter Ashley Force Hood’s Castrol GTX Mustang) and the rest of my brain trust. That’s why we’ve trained back-ups at every position, so that when someone goes down, we don’t miss a step.

“Even though he’s in the hospital, Coil will be involved in all the decisions. He told me he’s going to be fine. At the end of the day, the best medicine for Coil is for us to go out and win a drag race.”

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