We're on fire! Get out! Get out! Get out!"
With those words, Kreg Donahoe pulled the 9,000-pound Super Duty off the course and yanked his five-point harness wide open. Springing onto the desert floor, he nabbed a fire extinguisher from its mount, pulled the pin, and emptied the contents onto the flames. The fire hiccoughed, gathered strength, and sprang back to life.
Then something awesome happened. Each and every one of Kreg's competitors pulled over and gave up their fire extinguishers to save the DR Super Duty. The wicked flames fought valiantly, ultimately succumbing to the relentless fog of fire-retardant powder. The truck, although badly wounded, was intact and its crew unharmed.
Off-Road Hall of Fame Vice Chairman Bob Bower occupied the third seat when the fire broke out during the 2006 Best In The Desert Las Vegas 300. In addition to the usual safety gear, Bob brought two other accessories along for the ride: his wits and his Nikon D200. Before exiting the truck, Bob's wits prompted him to call in to the Donahoe main pit and tell them that yes, the truck was on fire but that the crew was OK. Safely outside and cool under fire, he proceeded to snap several frames of the unfolding event. "I got no end of grief for taking photos during the fire," he related later. "But everyone was safe, and the fire was being knocked down. If I didn't take a few pictures, who was going to?"
Since a picture is worth a thousand words, we'll cut to the photos here. Follow along as Team Donahoe brings its wounded beast back from the brink, thrusting it immediately into the thick of the BITD Parker 425.