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What's a Nascar race without a little bit of drama? Driver Paul Menard and his crew were nearly engulfed in flames after his rear tyre exploded at the Ford EcoBoost 400 at the Homestead-Miami Speedway in Florida, US. Watch the video!
FLORIDA, US - The Ford EcoBoost 400 in November 2013 almost turned deadly as Paul Menard’s car was engulfed in flames due to a tyre exploding in the pits.
Watch the tyre explode!
Menard brought his No.27 car into the pits on the 231st lap (of 267) after the right rear wheel had caught fire. As crew members approached the car and tried to douse flames, the wheel exploded and nearly took out the entire crew.
'HURRY UP YOU DUMBASSES'
In a video posted on YouTube, the explosion can barely be heard but according to the US Sports Today website, the explosion felt like a mini-tremor and could be heard right through the 2.4km Homestead-Miami Speedway.
The pitcrew must have been shocked since it almost looks as if they had forgotten there was still a fire following the explosion.
You can hear Menard say to the team afterwards “Hurry up you dumbasses, come on!” as one member waffled with the fire extinguisher before eventually putting the flames out.
Menard told US Sports Today: “That was pretty wild. We had some right rear damage and a bunch of rubber got wrapped around the axle. We pitted a couple of times to try to fix the damage and get the rubber off, but we couldn’t get it off. I guess it caught fire.”
He also said he only realised his car was on fire after he noticed a spark on his window net.
Menard added: “I lost my brakes, and the damned wheel blew right off.”
It’s not clear if Menard went back out to finish the race, but we doubt it.
Jimmie Johnson won his sixth championship in eight years during the third-last Nascar race of the 2013 season and making his mark as one of the most dominant competitors in the sport.
FLORIDA, US - The Ford EcoBoost 400 in November 2013 almost turned deadly as Paul Menard’s car was engulfed in flames due to a tyre exploding in the pits.
Watch the tyre explode!
Menard brought his No.27 car into the pits on the 231st lap (of 267) after the right rear wheel had caught fire. As crew members approached the car and tried to douse flames, the wheel exploded and nearly took out the entire crew.
'HURRY UP YOU DUMBASSES'
In a video posted on YouTube, the explosion can barely be heard but according to the US Sports Today website, the explosion felt like a mini-tremor and could be heard right through the 2.4km Homestead-Miami Speedway.
The pitcrew must have been shocked since it almost looks as if they had forgotten there was still a fire following the explosion.
You can hear Menard say to the team afterwards “Hurry up you dumbasses, come on!” as one member waffled with the fire extinguisher before eventually putting the flames out.
Menard told US Sports Today: “That was pretty wild. We had some right rear damage and a bunch of rubber got wrapped around the axle. We pitted a couple of times to try to fix the damage and get the rubber off, but we couldn’t get it off. I guess it caught fire.”
He also said he only realised his car was on fire after he noticed a spark on his window net.
Menard added: “I lost my brakes, and the damned wheel blew right off.”
It’s not clear if Menard went back out to finish the race, but we doubt it.
Jimmie Johnson won his sixth championship in eight years during the third-last Nascar race of the 2013 season and making his mark as one of the most dominant competitors in the sport.