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Alex Bowman is now well-known for driving the iconic #48 car for Hendrick Motorsports. It is safe to say that the driver has come a long way, especially considering the 2015 New Hampshire race that marked an unfortunate end to his stint with Tommy Baldwin Racing, as a roaring flame almost engulfed the driver.

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But as it turns out, a fellow NASCAR driver was not so empathetic about Bowman’s accident.

Recently, NASCAR on FOX brought back a scary memory of Bowman from 2015 when his car caught fire.

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Alex pitted his #7 car for a flat tire that was smoking. So, the team extinguished the fire, replaced his tire, and sent him back out. However, the flame reignited, as it had already reached the engine. This forced the current Hendrick Motorsports driver to climb out of his Chevrolet.

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Shockingly, a fellow NASCAR driver, Jeb Burton, recalls sitting in his car, laughing at the incident.

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On the Instagram post, Burton commented, “I remember being in the car laughing At Alex lol.”

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This was surely a shocking comment from a fellow driver. Although they train drivers to deal with car fires, is Jeb Burton’s reaction fair?

What Does NASCAR Do To Protect Drivers Like Alex Bowman From Fires?

A car catching fire is scary. Sure, it happens a lot, but that doesn’t make it any less of a concern. And to protect drivers from cases like Alex Bowman’s, NASCAR has some safety features in place.

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USA Today via Reuters

Of course, the driver and the pit crew are required to wear a fireproof suit, along with certified helmets. On top of that, NASCAR drivers also wear fire-retardant shoes and gloves. This also shields them from the heat of the engine.

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WATCH THIS STORY: Worst crashes in NASCAR history

In the end, it’s great how NASCAR has procedures in place to help drivers. But, do you think it’s more than enough? Or they should add more? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

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Hetul Katyal

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Hetul Katyal is a NASCAR and F1 Writer at Essentially Sports. Currently pursuing his degree in Journalism from Delhi College of Arts and Commerce. When the Stock Cars rev up, you can find him cheering Chase Elliott and Kyle Busch, in hopes of seeing one of them drive to the Victory Lane. Short tracks have a special place in Hetul's heart, but he gets really excited for Superspeedways, especially when the race is at Talladega. However, when the Formula One paddock gets ready to race, you'll find Hetul hoping to see Carlos Sainz stand at the top of the podium.

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Edited by

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Ranvijay Singh

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