The Hard Way
Terry Haddock of Woodinville, Washington, was participating in the Torco Northern Nationals in Martin, Michigan, when he experienced this massive explosion. In the first round of qualifying on Friday night, Haddock launched his '07 Dodge Stratus and went only a few feet before the supercharger exploded, leaving a trail of fire that followed the car as it rolled to a stop about 200 feet down the track.
"The car spun the tires a bit at the hit of the accelerator and saw 9,600 rpm before hanging an intake valve open, causing the explosion back through the blower. The explosion ruptured a fuel line, adding additional fuel and creating a much larger fire than normal for a supercharger boomer," Haddock says. "There was little damage to the body other than the burst panel having to be replaced. The fire bottles knocked the flames out really quickly, and there wasn't really that much to be replaced. We had to do a bit more cleanup to prepare for the next round, but we actually made the next round and were able to qualify fourth for the event."