After today’s NASCAR Truck Series race at the Circuit of the Americas, Zane Smith celebrated like most NASCAR winners: with a burnout at the front. Unfortunately for Smith, that burnout quickly turned into two separate fires behind both wheel wells.
At least once a week, NASCAR drivers celebrate victories with burnouts, almost always without lighting any fire. However, as Cup Series driver and Fox analyst Kevin Harvick notes, these trucks come equipped with mud flaps, which were introduced to improve visibility during rainy races on flat courses like the Circuit of the Americas. Unfortunately for Smith’s team, these flaps appear to have played a role in the burnout, which started a serious fire.
Smith, however, seemed stunned. Stepping further away from the truck, he continued to celebrate as the fire raged for about 30 seconds. Luckily, nearby security guards arrived seconds later with fire extinguishers and put out the flames before they could engulf the entire winning truck.
In more than three seasons in the NASCAR Truck Series, Smith has won nine races, secured the championship in 2022 and has never finished lower than second in a full season. He is a prospect linked to Ford and appears to be on track to next compete in full-time Cup Series competition, beginning with a part-time stint with Front Row Motorsports this season. This is his first post-race fire in 85 NASCAR National Series starts of his career, which is a better tally than some.
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