The Southern 500 at Darlington turned terrifying when Derek Kraus’s No. 44 NY Racing Team Chevrolet erupted in flames, bringing out a caution with 50 laps left. Running multiple laps down, Kraus suffered what looked like a catastrophic engine failure, forcing him to stop on the track as thick smoke and fire swallowed his car.

Racecar fires are no joke, and they are among the scariest moments a driver can face. The heavy smoke pouring from Kraus’s ride signaled serious trouble. He scrambled out in time, a huge relief, and was whisked to the infield care center for evaluation. Darlington’s “Lady in Black” threw another gut-punch curveball in a night already packed with chaos.

Kraus, a young journeyman grinding in the Cup Series, gave it his all with limited equipment, but this was a brut

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