Holden catches fire during NASCAR race...

[janddbone]

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Here's a new one: The pace car caught fire during a NASCAR race on Saturday night.

Just before the final segment of the season-opening Sprint Unlimited exhibition race, pace car driver Brett Bodine pulled his blue Chevrolet SS pace car down to the apron when he had smoke inside the vehicle.

"Tower, we're on fire," Bodine radioed.

As soon as he stopped and got out of the car, flames erupted from the rear of the vehicle. They were quickly extinguished by safety crews.

A replacement pace car was brought out to finish the race.

The fire took place at the same track -- Daytona International Speedway -- where a jet dryer exploded in a fireball after Juan Pablo Montoya's race car hit it in the 2012 Daytona 500.

It's been a tough week for GM.

Earlier this week, the car manufacturer had to recall 778,562 of its 2005-2007 Chevrolet Cobalt and 2007 Pontiac G5 compacts in North America after faulty ignition switches were linked to six deaths.

And a sinkhole swallowed eight cars at the National Corvette Museum.

Denny Hamlin won the race after taking the lead on the final lap and finishing uncontested.



http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports...mited/5523123/