Juan Montoya Gets Wrecked, Then Catches on Fire
June 8, 2008 by Tim Zaegel
Filed under Racing
Clint Bowyer got loose and spun out on lap 81 of Sunday’s Pocono 500 as he tried to get under the no. 15 car of Paul Menard. Bowyer’s spin collected the no. 42 Havoline Dodge of Juan Pablo Montoya in the process, crashing him out of the race and ending his day. As Montoya pulled off the track, though, his car caught fire, and it was several minutes before the designated NASCAR safety crew was able to respond.
I really didn’t buy NASCAR’s explanation as to why the crew in front of Montoya’s burning car didn’t put out the fire. They were supposed to be in charge of helping the driver in a wreck and not the car, yet they didn’t even go to help Montoya get out of the burning car. Are there black helicopters flying around Pocono Raceway? No, but I think NASCAR is trying to cover up the poor training the safety crews had.
Well, in the safety crew’s defense, as far as getting Montoya out of the car, Juan got out of that thing with lightning speed as soon as he parked it, so I don’t think they really had much of a chance.
But, I agree, it sounded an awful lot like NASCAR was trying to cover one up when they had the announcers chime in with that little comment.