An Entire Fuel Can Caught Fire in the Middle of NASCAR Pit Road

Today's NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega has had all of the traditional pack racing and big pack wrecks you might expect from a NASCAR race at a drafting track. Compared to a Truck Series race day that involved a crew member effortlessly brush off being hit by a race car and ended with a bloody fight between drivers, all of that might seem relatively tame. That would have been a good thing, but Talladega is nothing if not full of surprises. Today, surprises came in the form of a burning gas can left in the middle of the pit lane during a cycle of stops.

The can was dropped by a car that stopped early, so the fire became a major obstacle for about half the field while leaving the pit lane. Fortunately, every driver was able to avoid hitting it and making the situation worse. The fire was eventually put out and racing continued.

The can came from the No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing crew, which left it attached to the car after a routine pit stop. A video shot by RFK Racing shows the can in the car while rolling down the pit lane before ejecting it at pit lane speeds, throwing the can into the middle of the pit lane and instantly sparking a massive fire. Driver Ty Gibbs received a penalty for equipment leaving the pit lane, but his race continued until he was caught in a predictably massive crash in the closing stages of the race.

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