Chevy SS pace car catches fire at Daytona

Sun, 16 Feb 2014

All things considered, it's a pretty rare sight to see a stock car catch fire during a NASCAR race, but it happens. The racing can get pretty rough, after all, and they are powered by combustion engines – some of the most rudimentary still around, at that. But the pace car? Now that's another story.

What's known in other racing disciplines as the safety car is supposed to maintain just that: safety out on the racetrack. But during the Sprint Unlimited race at Daytona this weekend, the Chevrolet SS that was put on pace-car duty burst into flames while lapping the speedway. As our compatriots at WorldCarFans point out, the fire likely started from a glitch with the additional safety equipment fitted to the car – seeing as how the flames were shooting out the trunk and not the engine compartment.

Fortunately no one was hurt as pace car driver (and former NASCAR race winner) Brett Bodine pulled the car over in the infield where he and his co-pilot escaped from the smoke-filled cabin. A second Chevy SS was apparently on standby and was pressed into service to replace its grounded wingman.

According to the Associated Press, Chevy is investigating the fire, noting the presence of an "auxiliary electrical kit" in the trunk that governs the pace car's extra lighting. It is not yet known if the equipment contributed to the fire.

Watch the footage in the video clip below to see it all go down and share your favorite relevant Talladega Nights quotes in the Comments section.

By Noah Joseph