The Shocking Moment a NASCAR Driver Careened Into a Jet Dryer — and the Resulting Fireball
- Posted on February 28, 2012 at 6:43am by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (The Blaze/AP) — The Daytona 500 was halted by a fiery explosion on Monday, caused when Juan Pablo Montoya slammed into a jet dryer under caution.
Montoya was driving well behind the rest of the field when something on his car broke, and he started sliding out of control toward the truck, which holds a track dryer and 200 gallons of jet kerosene.
Montoya’s No. 42 Chevrolet hammered the truck, setting off an explosion and sending fuel pouring onto the famed track. Yahoo! has more details, including what led up to the crash:
With the race under caution, Montoya headed to the pits after feeling a vibration in his car. When his crew found nothing, he roared back onto the track in an effort to catch up to the pack before the race went back to green-flag conditions. But just as he entered Turn 3, he felt the vibration again, something broke and Montoya’s No. 42 went spinning right into the back of a jet dryer, which was blowing debris off the track.
Montoya got out unharmed, although he seemed to stagger around the infield grass. The driver of the truck had to be helped from the vehicle and was later taken to the hospital for observation.
“I have hit a lot of things, but a jet dryer? I mean, no,” Montoya said after. “I didn’t think about the truck, I thought, ‘I’m actually hitting the jet and it’s not going to be fun.’ Before I got there I was thinking, ‘This thing is going to be on fire pretty bad,’ and it was.”
The jet dryers do hold an actual jet engine and are used to dry the track and clear it of debris.
But the fiery crash was just the latest mess to hamper NASCAR’s season-opening race.
It was postponed more than 30 hours because of rain and then rescheduled as a primetime event under the lights. There was also a lap-two crash that knocked out NASCAR favorite Jimmy Johnson
The delay came two years after the 500 was halted for hours because of a pesky pothole in turn two. That one damaged the track so much that officials moved up a scheduled repaving to the track.
Officials were able to clean the track using, among other things, Tide laundry detergent. It delayed the race for over two hours.





















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Comments (84)
NewFoundingFathers
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 4:14pmGreat Job by the tracks crew to get it under control and back to racing. Hell of a JOB!!!
Report Post »ChiefGeorge
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 7:17pmIf you can’t maintain control of your car on the Yellow flag you have no business on the track….go back to dirt track racing.
Report Post »ReallyAUnionGuy
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 8:13pm@Chief
His car broke, there was no controlling it.
http://www.firefightersforfreedom.blogspot.com
Report Post »Gumbercules
Posted on March 1, 2012 at 4:27am@ReallyAUnionGuy
Learn to read carefully and analyze before you comment, please.
There was a warning anounced to all drivers. One must therefore reduce speed and use caution. Montoya did none of these.
Report Post »supressorgrid
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 4:11pmOh Jeez! I useJet Dry in my dishwasher at home!
Report Post »schroeder123
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 12:56pmWho would have thought. Yellow flag..people all over drying the track and this supposedly pro driver can’t maintain him self long enough to be safe. You are Fired.
Report Post »Notarichboy
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 1:11pmThea reason he was going at a higher rate of speed is because he was trying to catch up to the rest of the pack, as do all other drivers in the same situation
Report Post »grudgywoof
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 1:37pmIf you listen to the in car radio transmission you can hear him talking to his crew about a massive failure in the drive train. It broke loose right as he asked his spotter to look and see if there was a problem visible. When the rear end broke it locked a tire and shot the car to the right and into the dryer nothing more nothing less. The jet dryer was in the wrong place at the wrong time and they are both lucky to be unharmed because it could have been a death trap if the car would have become stuck under the jet engine.
Report Post »Uranium Wedge
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 2:38pmLearn to drive dude.
Report Post »Uranium Wedge
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 2:55pmCause the Boston Tea Party threw tea into the bay.. And today we use tea bags so we can drink tea.
Report Post »So fresh… I can smell the freshness in the air
And tea bags contain the word “tea” and the Tea Party contains the word “tea” in it too..
The connection has been established… So fresh.
tirepitstop
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 3:27pmI was wondering why a professional driver (with a bad vibration) would be going that fast in the first place? i know he was trying to catch up with the pack, but that was pretty STUPID. another stupid move was the jet dryer driver could have turned left, and steered the truck to the bottom of the track? i realize hind sight is 20/20, but no one ever thought this could ever happen? I bet they will have a plan now, and they should make Juan drive the jet dryers, because he can’t drive the cars…..
Report Post »Knexman37
Posted on February 29, 2012 at 1:37am@tirepitstop The truck had the engine knocked off of it. If he tried to drive to the bottom of the track, he would have done more damage to the track by dragging the engine and spilling the fuel further down the track. Once the fire was out they moved the truck using two forklifts because it was beat to hell and back. That and I doubt the driver thought about it when he saw 200 gallons of jet fuel pouring out. As Juan said “he looked scared”
Report Post »Machtyn
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 12:38pmAs a friend of mine wrote on fb:
Report Post »Hello, jet drier truck. My name is Juan Pablo Montoya… You killed my father, prepare to die.
Wyratt
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 2:24pmBest comment yet!! Well done!!
Report Post »HTuttle
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 4:35pmCurses! Beat me to it!
Report Post »VRW Conspirator
Posted on February 29, 2012 at 12:00pmthat is AWESOME!!
i think of the same line every time i hear Antonio Banderas speak in ANY role…even Puss in Boots…
Report Post »RedSoloCup
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 11:55amToo bad it wasn’t Michael Moore or Bill Maher he crashed into.
Report Post »RedSoloCup
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 11:58am“I keed, I keed.”
Report Post »bankerpapaw
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 12:58pmMichael Moore is too fat to get into a race car and Bill Maher is too stupid to drive.
Report Post »Bible Quotin' Science Fearin' Conservative American
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 12:59pmDurrrr I love Toby Keith. durrrrrrrr.
Report Post »Uranium Wedge
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 2:46pmOOOH I get it you’re trying to make fun of the Tea Party…
Report Post »Thats sooo fresh and original
Using a tea bag pic to describe the Tea Party… Hum and so fresh and clever.
Damn you is smart…. S-M-R-T…. I mean S-M-A-R-T. And so fresh.
TexBork
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 11:48amSo, there was a fire reported on the Blaze? (Sorry! Had to go there. Had to.) That was oen of the oddest things I’ve seen in a long time as a NASCAR fan since 1976. This Daytona opener for the top 3 series was incredible and couldn‘t have generated more attention than anything I’ve seen before. Congrats to NASCAR for really one for one of the best season openers ever for Craftsman, Nationwide, and Sprint Cup series.
Report Post »Puddle Duck
Posted on February 29, 2012 at 6:49amAt the 25th Silver Aniversay 500 I was in the crowd in the infield during speedweek and saw Cale Yarborough in his 1982 Monte Carlo SS take off and fly over the embankment (right off the track entirely) in turn 4 during qualifying…that day it was very windy …his speed was 224 mph…the next year NASCAR mandated restrictor plates which dropped the speed down to 200 mph (max). He was unharmed but freaked out a little by the short flight. The only other event in racing that I’ve seen that compares with that (for strange ) is this incident and the freak accident that killed Gilles Villaneuve at the F1 race in Montreal (I think). That crash at Indy that killed Suede Savage was also pretty damn bizarre. He hit the divider wall at the begining of pit row if I remember correectly. That was also a huge fireball.
Report Post »SheriS
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 11:37amI was watching something else and tuned in just in time to see this awful accident! Couldn‘t believe that either of the drivers wasn’t injured! Wow were they lucky in this! Ended up falling asleep before the race ended!
Report Post »NOTALOTTAYITTAYADDA
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 11:24amNotice how the kerosene (sensationalized as “jet fuel”) flowing down the track did not catch fire until warmed by spreading flames. It takes alot more than a “spark” to ignite this fuel source b/c everything that burns must turn into a vapor first. The only reason the dryer burst into flames was due to the extremely hot turbine. This goes to show how commercial jet liners slamming into a structrual steel skyscraper was a HOAX. 20K gallons of jet fuel (kerosene) will not vaporize fast enough to create an explosion through 2 sides of a building. It’s not possible to have happened that way and ur brainwashed to continue believing it.
Report Post »PlowMan
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 12:42pmLook in the mirror for brainwashing! Let it go. Have you ever seen a salamander type heater? There is a mist of fuel and an ignition source. Man O Man, let it go!!
Report Post »Cat
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 1:30pmHere’ some free education for ya, Notalot >
There is an energy source in nearly every habitable structure, and it’s typically used for;
Oh, let’s say …
General & emergency lighting, HVAC, security systems, elevators, automatic doors, just to name a few uses.
Cut a hot 220v/60a electrical cable and watch what happens.
Report Post »HellPhish89
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 4:27pmsomeone is too dumb to know metallurgy or what JP5 is
Report Post »Scooder
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 5:29pmI take it science was not one of your better subjects, if you attended class at all.
Report Post »Babylonandon
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 7:04pmNotalott … jet fuel IS kerosine mixed with gasoline and/or other like additives depending on season or country.
Jet engines will burn any type of liquid/gaseous fuel available. The Navy uses marine diesel fuel for the gas turbines in its non-nuclear warships and a kerosine mix with reduced static characteristics for its aircraft. Many states use natural gas to run gas turbines to run booster power stations on their electric grids during peak hours.
Report Post »Babylonandon
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 7:11pmYou are wrong about the fuel vaporization. You are forgetting that the fuel bladders in those jets impacted the buildings at over 500 mph – quite enough to vaporize not only them but liquify enough of the actual aircraft frame (aluminum and magnesium) to provide enough of a fuel source for the burning aluminum of the aircraft to be part of the heat source that brought down the WTC.
The Brits had a problem with aluminum ignition after missile hits during the Falkland Islands war. It cost them several ships. You get aluminum hot enough and it will burn at a tremendous temperature. Burning Magnesium will generally be sufficient to ignite it – which is why it is used along with Phosphorus (plus the C4) in missile warheads.
Report Post »NOTALOTTAYITTAYADDA
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 7:22pmHow funny, nothing more than dogma and adhominum attacks that amount to a single sentence. Do u guys expect to be taken serious?
Even wood turns to vapor to burn. Sawdust explosions only happen under OPTIMUM conditions. 20,000 gallons of fuel will not instantly atomize. Sell ur Islamic extremist mumbo jumbo to someone of “faith”, those willing to believe anything u tell them w/o prof or action.
Report Post »NOTALOTTAYITTAYADDA
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 7:50pm@babylon 500mph is NOT POSSIBLE for such a large air craft at sealevel. Skip to 44min mark here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBTZ3nSLrFw&feature=channel_video_title
Report Post »That is a USAF Lt Col in a 4 turbine performance tanker above 20K feet, states 340kts MAX. Sealevel requires SIX times as much energy due to the air density as confirmed by this engineer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtDa7B_LG10
LEARN SOME PHYSICS!!
Dr. David Bowman former DoD w/ 3 engineering deg: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_4X8OVL5vo
Richalu
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 11:39pmNottalottasomething. You seem to have a hard time believing that jet fuel will vaporize while passing thru a building, with it’s walls, flooring, struts, braces, columns, etc. All those things that will break up the fuel into smaller and smaller particles. I contend that ALL of those 20,000 gallons won’t have to vaporize. Some will, which will ignite the larger fuel mist, which ignites the larger droplets, which then ignites the larger bucket loads that are propelling thru the building at a high rate of speed.
The ignition sources have already been pointed out to you.
Experiment if you will. Make a molotov cocktail and throw it at a brick wall at the sedate pace of about 20 mph. Note the resultant ‘explosion’ of flames? Now throw it at about 20 times that speed.
Report Post »NOTALOTTAYITTAYADDA
Posted on February 29, 2012 at 10:07am@bich 4mm of sheet aluminum can not shear 20mm of structural steel. U are convinced the the glass bottle will completely penetrate the brick wall b/c u some one brainwashed u into believing a human can throw a bottle 400mph (20×20).
Keep trying to find a comparison to justify what is NOT POSSIBLE!
Aluminum burns w/ a very bright light that would have been seen by reflection in the smoke. Look at some REAL crash footage tards, it’s nowhere near the same.
Report Post »Blinded by the MSM!
VRW Conspirator
Posted on February 29, 2012 at 12:19pmNOTALOTTAYITTAYADDA – dude…give it a rest..seriously…for every “expert” you have that spouts some nonsense about the one angle of film they reviewed…there are 100 that will say your “expert” is wrong.. based on ALL the angles of film…
I do this EVERY year on the anniversary in my science/mathematics classes. I show the videos of the engineering side…actually news footage wouldn’t probably sit well with liberal teachers and administrators…
and before you bash teachers…every male science teacher at my school first worked in the private sector in our subject…all Chemists and Physicists….every time I plug in the data, I get EXACTLY what happened…time of fall, metal melting/fatigue/fracturing, and even the resulting fireball from the crash…I will not spend time going over EVERY item that others have already confronted you with…
but after 10 years of looking at this and talking about it and explaining it…and having the degree and knowledge to understand the math and physics…sorry…the conspiracy ideas are just that…being put out by glory seekers, anarchists, and nut jobs…all seeking their 15 minutes of fame…
and when you think that 15% of American’s believe aliens visit us regularly and that Elvis is still alive.. well…i guess all i can say is… Welcome to the 15% NOTALOTTAYITTAYADDA…… I am sure your momma is proud…
Report Post »BlackAce41
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 11:14amI notice they had a camera on his car i would love to see the on board cam…
Report Post »teddrunk
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 10:46amHmmm..if NASCAR is such a second rate sport, why do the open wheelers flock to it? It’s not new either, Andretti & Foyt, (USAC) raced NASCAR in the 60s & early 70s.
Report Post »COFemale
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 11:14amAnd what point are you trying to make in your drunken’ stupor?
Report Post »Grapeknutz
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 12:05pmNascar back then REALLY resembled the car of the era, now with the cookie cutter car and the body profiles of today’s cars its getting harder to identify the car in the distance, I guess soon the will have a prescribed engine like indy cars do.
Report Post »Puddle Duck
Posted on February 29, 2012 at 6:56amThe prescribed engine was mandated a long time ago. They all use the same cu in block, heads etc…
Report Post »Buddynoel
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 10:14amIt appears that it may be a defective rear-end gear because his teammate, Jamie McMurray, says he also developed the same problem which caused one of the final multi-car wrecks. If a differential was to break, it could cause the car to swerve if the load wheel stays fully engaged. Both wrecks show the cars sending out sparks and swerving sideways as if a tire had blown.
Report Post »dinadp
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 9:56amJan Pablo was such a douche when he was in F1. I was glad when he moved on to a lesser sport.
Report Post »Wyratt
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 9:29amFluke. You couldn’t get the odds on this happening again. Damn lucky nobody was killed. I would bet that the dryers have fuel cells by next week though.
Report Post »PlowMan
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 9:46amYour right on the fuel cells. This is a testament to the safety built into these cars though. I’m not a sports fan at all but these guys seem to be more sportsman like than most any sport out there. Probably has a lot to do with this sport having southern roots.
Report Post »kim
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 9:22amas long as no one got killed people need to look at that and not if he was a mex or not if he was then so be it there was a spark from the car and then he hit
Report Post »COFemale
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 11:20amWhat crap are you trying to spout, might poorly I say. Take your racist crap back to the DU or Huffington Roast or Media Blathers, where they appreciate those type of comments. Your kind is not welcomed here.
Report Post »COFemale
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 11:21amApparently you dropped out of school, since your sentences are run-on sentences. Did anyone teach you how to use a period?
Report Post »jimay
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 9:05amFrom today on Juan Pablo Montoya’s nickname will be “Cole Trickle”. I couldn’t help remembering this scene from the movie Days of Thunder: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDvZq0y2z1o
Report Post »RaiderNationKissArmy
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 8:36amI used to really love NASCAR until it became NAPCAR. They keep spouting off that these are the best drivers in the world. Please. Could someone tell me how many races these goobers won at the local level? Dale Jr for example…how many raced did he win at Myrtle Beach? Shane Dole and Ron Barfield used to lap him every weekend. How many smaller touring division championships do most of them have (and no, I’m not talking about the trucks or that Saturday series)? Tony Stewart is a great dirt driver? Cool, how many Dirt Track World Championships or World 100s has he won? Last night they bragged on what a great sprint driver Kasey Khane is….uh, his best ever World of Outlaws finish is fourth. Look it up. Back in the day you had to earn the right to be there. Now if you have pretty face or a big name that can bring in a sponsor you’re suddenly “the best in the world.”
Last night was my first NAPCAR race in about 8 years. It will be another 8 before I watch them again.
Report Post »PS, I’m glad the driver of the race car and jet dry truck are ok.
Puddle Duck
Posted on February 29, 2012 at 7:09amI have to agree…the lates 60‘s to early 80’s was the best era IMO. When NASCAR decided to penalize Chrysler for the technical brilliance that they rightly deserved in the early 70′s , dominating the super speedways the officials at NASCAR listened to Ford and GM whine and knuclekd under banning both the Charger Daytona superbird and it’s killer engine the 426 Hemi from competition. The drivers of that era really eraned the right to race in the big show. I met some of those legends and wish that today’s drivers would take the time to study just how down to earth those old timers were, how appraochable they were and how easy they were to talk to, relate to. I guess I’m getting old.
Report Post »Tickdog
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 8:28amI wonder what that does for his points?
Report Post »Txwinger54
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 8:18amIf you watch the video closely, you’ll see a puff of smoke just before his car goes sideways, as in a blown tire. Could also explain the vibration.
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 7:48am.
Juan Pablo Montoya drives like your average Mexican. No Skills. They just let him into NASCAR to be Politicaly Correct…….
Dale rolled over in his grave. Long Live #3………..
Report Post »Unbelievable
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 7:57amFirst off.. JPM is NOT a Mexican.. and even if he was what does it matter?
Your rude comment about his race is one of the big issues that is getting out of control. All it does is fuel the left with more ammo to demonize Republicans.
Report Post »Baddoggy
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 8:03amMonkey…He is just a bad driver. Tell us what the color of his skin ot Nationality has to do with it? Yea…justify your stupid comment.
Report Post »Buddynoel
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 9:36amThis car racin’ stuff must be too complex for you. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be calling a multi-time Indy champion and Formula One winner “unskilled.” Let’s just call your comment a “misprint by an unskilled computer operator.”
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 10:46am.
I said nothing about his color or nationality. Ya’ll did. All I said was he drives like a Mexican. No Skills….
You Racist’s owe me an Apology………..
Report Post »COFemale
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 11:24amUnbelievable that is Spanks intent. Post racist remarks to prove the Democrat lies we are all racist. The jig is up Spanks; by the way does your avatar name mean you are a pedophile too?
Report Post »COFemale
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 11:26amSpanks – Bull_______________. We owe you nothing. Your statements were intentional and made to reap comments. Like I said your jig is up.
Perhaps you drive like a girl?
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 11:41am.
Report Post »You Racist’s crack me up. C’Mon Tell The Truth, you Voted for Obama. And now your Pissed, cause of what you’ve done to the country. Admit it, Just another bunch of Racist PC White Guilt Obama Voting Morons. The Democrats have you trained well. And I almost feel sorry for you……………
lukerw
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 7:29amMex… drivers!
Report Post »Unbelievable
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 7:58amHe’s NOT Mexican and so what if he is?
Quit giving the left more ammo to demonize Republicans on race.
Report Post »Jester311
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 7:28amSeriously!? You guys ripping on the driver have no clue. The car lost control due to mechanical failure. Secondly, all NASCAR drivers are trained to get to the center barriers of the track for safety. If you had bothered to watch the whole video he talked to the jet truck driver in the ambulance (which was provided by trained and qualified emergency response crews) to see if he was ok.
On another note, NASCAR was under this self-perceived notion that they absolutely had to have that race yesterday. Yes we know why it was delayed. So what? Wait until it is safe to have the race. If you need a jet truck riding around the track to dry it, then maybe you should have delayed the race until the next day.
Report Post »Unbelievable
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 8:00amI was with you until you started ripping NASCAR. FYI.. The track was not wet… The truck was blowing debris off the track NOT drying it.
Report Post »Mr.Fitnah
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 7:13amNice, crash into the truck and then walk away don’t check on the other driver , just wander off.
Report Post »thunder4570
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 7:41amthat would have been real helpfull, an untrained person with no safety equipment in the way of the trained emrgency crews! I believe the deal is to get out of harms way and let the professonals deal with the incident.
Report Post »Unbelievable
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 8:02amSafety officials went out to the truck and both JPM and the truck driver were in the same ambulance to the care center.
Report Post »COFemale
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 11:32amGosh darn Mr. Fitnah – are you really this stupid? I swear you Liberals say the most stupid __________ stuff; you’d think you got your education from public schools. Oh wait, you did.
As some of the others say, you leave it too the professionals. If this was on the open road and as long as the driver was not seriously hurt or dazed from the crash, yes he should try (key word try) to render help if he can.
Report Post »rawmilker
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 6:52pmWOW….drive fast, turn left. Did you see that DW? he turned left…. now there he goes again Larry….he turned left AGAIN!…..there he goes down the tri oval….he done passed Tricklin Dick with a cigarette in his hand…diggity, diggity, diggity….now thats exciting!
Report Post »OlefromMN
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 7:07am(Knowing that everybody was OK), There’s nothing like the smell of Jet A in the evening.
Report Post »militarybrat1
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 6:54am…and the 9/11 Truther‘s say that jet fuel doesn’t ignite that easily.
Report Post »Baddoggy
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 7:03amI am not a truther. The first fire was the cars gas tank. It exploded. The jet drier causght fire about a minute later when the jet fuel leaked out.
Report Post »And yes, the WTC was taken down by terrorists. You nutjobs can weigh in and tell us how metal does not melt hehehe
4xeverything
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 7:11am…the common sense spouter says don’t brake hard around a curve.
Report Post »Baddoggy
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 6:46amIt’s Juan Pablo…what else would you expect from a crummy driver like hm? He needed to be thrown out of NASCAR two years ago.
Report Post »krispy01
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 9:43amI guess he got tired of wrecking other drivers, as is his norm.
Report Post »