NASCAR Driver Jumps Out Of Car As Feet Are Engulfed In Flames
Matt DiBenedetto was a real hot shoe during the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Portland on Saturday, but not in a good way.
At the end of stage one of the Pacific Office Automation 147, the Viking Motorsports driver pulled off the track and jumped out of the window and onto the grass.
He then took off his shoes and sat there, appearing to be in distress. After he left the infield care center without injury, he explained on The CW what happened.
“There was a big fire at my feet, so, I was all of a sudden, my feet were getting really hot, I looked down and they were engulfed in flames,” he said.
“So, I pulled off and tried to get out really quick and in a hurry ’cause they were fully on fire and when I was getting out one of my laces from my shoes got wrapped around the pedals, so I went to get out and I was actually stuck, feet were directly in the flames.”
He said he was thankful for the heat shields and safety gear drivers wear, which include shields strapped on the outside of the fireproof shoes.
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“I prayed on the third time getting out for God to get me out of that thing and thankful I got out on that last try,” he said.
The cause of the fire has not yet been announced by the team.