There were many thoughts in Funny Car driver Robert Hight’s mind headed into Saturday’s final qualifying session at the Dollar General Four-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway. However, launching his AAA of Southern California Mustang body into the grandstands wasn’t one of them.  

In a frightening incident, Hight’s Funny Car exploded the engine near the finish line and parts of the carbon fiber body landed into the eastside grandstands walkway alongside the fence where a number of spectators stood. As a precaution two fans were evaluated and released by paramedics onsite.

Hight recalled the moments before the incident.

“I just went up there and did my burn out and knew I needed to make a good run,” said Hight. “I hit the throttle and it instantly goes to the right and I knew it had a cylinder out. The last few runs it has done that it has gone right down the race track. It doesn’t even put a mark on a piston. I am fighting it back to the left then all of a sudden it puts a cylinder out on the left side and it goes towards the center line but I get her straightened out.

There were many thoughts in Funny Car driver Robert Hight’s mind headed into Saturday’s final qualifying session at the Dollar General Four-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway. However, launching his AAA of Southern California Mustang body into the grandstands wasn’t one of them.  

In a frightening incident, Hight’s Funny Car exploded the engine near the finish line and parts of the carbon fiber body landed into the eastside grandstands walkway alongside the fence where a number of spectators stood. As a precaution two fans were evaluated and released by paramedics onsite.

Hight recalled the moments before the incident.

“I just went up there and did my burn out and knew I needed to make a good run,” said Hight. “I hit the throttle and it instantly goes to the right and I knew it had a cylinder out. The last few runs it has done that it has gone right down the race track. It doesn’t even put a mark on a piston. I am fighting it back to the left then all of a sudden it puts a cylinder out on the left side and it goes towards the center line but I get her straightened out.

“Everything is good but the motor didn’t sound right without a doubt. I didn’t know if I was qualified and I had to stay with it. It just blew up. Luckily no one was seriously hurt.”

Hight said the team will have the car repaired and ready to go. The cause of the engine failure remains unknown.

“It was obviously a malfunction,” said Hight. “If it would have just had one cylinder out at the hit that thing would have motored down there like it has done the last ten runs. There was some sort of malfunction and we will fix it tonight. We will be back up there tomorrow in the ball game trying to defend this four-wide title.”

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