My Hero

We so rarely have issues when we're racing. (*knock wood*) It's upsetting when we do. 

We had an ignition issue this weekend that resulted in two fires.  Small fires, but fires all the same.

Quick explanation: when an ignition doesn't fire adequately, fuel can burn, not spark like usual.  The ignition failed thus creating a small fire in our carb, which sits atop the engine.  The hood of the racecar is bolted down, not hinged.  (not the correct descriptor but it explains it well)

The first fire happened in our pits and Kevin's brother put it out quickly with an extinguisher  We were at the end of the first day and just loaded the car in the trailer so we could go to the hotel.

Well, big surprise, it did it again the next morning only this time in the staging lanes.  I had walked away but heard a pop/woosh sound and turned around.  I needed a rag to lay over the carburetor to smother the flame.  Kevin was strapped in the car and turning the key so the fire didn't get bigger thus unable to help.  To boot, no one can hear you yelling from inside the car because you're next to the racetrack.

Turns out NO ONE has a rag and I felt myself begin to panic.  Finally, a friend of ours produces one and throws it to me.  Then I realize that I am SHORT and can't reach over and under the cowl hood.  I yelled at another team's crew member to do it for me.  Again, felt myself begin to panic when our friend Scott came out of freaking NO WHERE, grabbed the rag and threw himself across the hood of the car.

Here's what you need to know: Scott was strapped into his own racecar, three cars behind Kevin.  He managed to get out of his racecar and run to help before people even fully realized what happened.  He slid across the hood like Beau Duke of Dukes of Hazzard to put out the fire.  Then had to retrieve the rag, which had fallen down past the carb onto the hot headers.

Scott is in his firesuit and HELMET while doing this.

He made sure I was okay, stuck his head in the racecar & said something to Kevin, then returned to his racecar like nothing happened.

He's my forever favorite person.  He stepped up, put himself at risk, and saved the day.