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Watch these videos of an NHRA racer's bodywork blowing off into a crowd

Just a few months ago, fan safety at racetracks was a hot topic following the last-lap NASCAR Nationwide Series crash at Daytona that sent large pieces of racecars into the grandstands injuring 33 fans. Now, a freak incident at a National Hot Rod Association event resulted in a drag racer's bodywork flying into the crowd at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in Charlotte over the weekend. The carbon-fiber body of Robert Hight's Ford Mustang funny car blew off toward the end of a run when his engine exploded, but fortunately, the two fans evaluated after the incident were later released without serious injury.
As you can see in the image above, the body flew high into the air before landing on a walkway in front of the grandstands, a bit of happenstance that likely gave most fans enough time and space to move out of the way. Scroll down to watch a couple of videos showing what happened, including one from a fan's perspective that also reveals what appears to be part of the body's metal bracing landing dangerously close to the crowd.

Four Wheeler crowns Ultimate Factory 4x4... who wins?

Nearly every automaker doing business in the SUV or pickup truck segments offers a package designed to improve the off-road capabilities of its wares. But, of course, not all such factory kits are created equal. How, then, to separate the wheat from the chaff? Gather each of them up and put them through their paces, naturally.
The folks from Four Wheeler and PickupTrucks.com joined forces to run just such a comparison test, with the winner named the Ultimate Factory 4x4. A total of seven vehicles showed up to the fight: the 2012 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor, 2013 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2012 Nissan Frontier PRO-4X and Xterra PRO-4X, 2012 Ram Power Wagon, and 2012 Toyota 4Runner Trail and Tacoma TRD T|X Baja Series.
With the contestants in place, the whole crew put each vehicle through a battery of tests that included skidpad and acceleration measurements, a hillclimb, a rocky stairstep course and a rock garden. Considering the nature of the beasts, on-road ride and comfort were not part of the routine.

Ford reveals Fiesta ST race car, points at road ahead for bigger things in Global RallyCross

The 2014 Ford Fiesta ST doesn't go on sale until this summer, but fans of Global RallyCross will be able to catch the car in action before then. Announced ahead of the Chicago Auto Show, the Fiesta ST will be the car run by Ford GRC teams this season, and the model on display in Chicago will be the racecar built by Swedish tuner OlsbergsMSE driven by Tanner Foust and Brian Deegan. Ken Block and his newly renamed Hoonigan Racing Division will also be competing in the Fiesta ST.
The 2013 GRC season has not been announced yet, but the venues will also include the summer X Games events in Brazil, Spain, Germany and, of course, Los Angeles. Ford announced that it will be the sole automotive sponsor of this year's summer X Games, and it will be looking to bring home a gold medal this year after Block placed silver last year.
In other Ken Block- and Ford-related news, another Chicago debut will be a tuned Focus ST called the TrackSTer project. Built in cooperation with Block, Ford and automotive tuner fifteen52, the TrackSTer will get plenty of styling, performance and handling upgrades. Some of the add-ons include a performance exhaust and short-throw shifter from Ford Racing, a rebuilt engine, upgraded components such as the limited-slip differential, intercooler, engine controller and clutch as well as upgraded brakes.