One track enthusiast is lucky to be alive after a fiery incident involving his 2016 Ford Motor Company [NYSE:F] Shelby GT350.
As explained in detail on his Facebook page, Joe Charles was enjoying a long day at the track when a series of disasters struck, culminating in his car being engulfed in flames, with no brakes and while running at 100 mph.
Trouble in the engine led to a major oil leak. The oil came into contact with the exhaust and a fire quickly ensued. The fire then caused the fuel line to rupture at which point most of the car’s underbody was engulfed in flames.
Joe Charles in his 2016 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 that caught fire during track day
All of the heat caused damage to the brake system as the pedal went straight to the floor. Relying on the handbrake also failed as the cable snapped.
By now Charles had cleared a wall and had the engine switched off. His last resort was putting the car into first gear. Fortunately this worked as the car managed to come to a controlled stop, and luckily not too far from where some of the track’s fire extinguishers were stored.
The good news is that Charles was uninjured and is already keen to get back on the track. He also has a new 2017 Shelby GT350R on the way.
