in 1981 at the Indy 500, Rick Mears’ pit stop on lap 58 turned dangerous when spilled fuel caused a fire. The flames, made of methanol, were invisible, making the situation even more terrifying. | History In Pictures
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in 1981 at the Indy 500, Rick Mears’ pit stop on lap 58 turned dangerou…
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The nearly invisible methanol fire at the 1981 Indy 500 became one of the race’s most unforgettable safety incidents. When Rick Mears’ car erupted in flames during a pit stop, the clear methanol burned without visible smoke or color, leaving crews briefly unaware of the danger surrounding him. Only the heat shimmer and Mears’ frantic movements alerted the team to the burning fuel. Track workers quickly sprayed water—one of the few ways to make methanol flames visible—and extinguished the fire. T
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The nearly invisible methanol fire at the 1981 Indy 500 became one of t…
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During the 1981 Indianapolis 500, veteran driver Rick Mears endured one of the sport’s most terrifying moments — not due to visible flames, but the lack thereof. On lap 58, a methanol fuel spill during a pit stop doused Mears, his car, and the crew, igniting into a nearly invisible fire. Methanol burns with a faint blue flame, virtually undetectable in daylight, leaving team members and marshals baffled as they instinctively fled the pit area. Mears later recalled, “I quit breathing… I kind of k
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During the 1981 Indianapolis 500, veteran driver Rick Mears endure…
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You can't fight a fire that you can't see. This is exactly what happened when the ‘Invisible Fire’ at the 1981 Indy 500 set Rick Mears and his car alight. The motorsports industry has come a long way since the incident. Formula 1 banned refuelling during the race in 2010 due to safety concerns for drivers. #physics #science #formula1 #rickmears | vt.physics
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You can't fight a fire that you can't see. This is exactly what happene…
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Back in 1981 at the Indy 500, something truly scary happened during Rick Mears’ pit stop on lap 58. Fuel spilled, and a fire started in the pit, but what made it even scarier was that the flames were invisible because they were made of methanol. 🔥 Like history? Follow us @historyphotographed 🌟 | History In Pictures
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"I quit breathing" - When Rick Mears narrated the horrifying 'invisible fire' story from the 1981 Indy 500
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