High performance supercar catches fire after full throttle launch

Strada is the biggest exotic and supercar show in Ontario, Canada. Car owners and enthusiasts come from all over the province to drool over beautiful machines, or to allow the crowd to appreciate theirs. Engines rev, people cheer, and the hype at these events is second to none.Show more

North Face Rally is an exotic car club in the Toronto area with more than one hundred members. They a big part of these events and their cars are a big part of the excitement. They gather and roll in, forming a line that stretches from the parking lot entrance out onto the highway.

In July 2018, Strada and the North Face Rally decided to provide the crowd with a new reason to get excited. They opened their doors and allowed passengers to hop in and experience a rocket ride around a closed track with full throttle acceleration, in exchange for a donation to charity. This event was in support of Cops for Cancer/Pedal for Hope, a Canadian Cancer Society research fundraiser. All proceeds directly fund pediatric (child) cancer research.

One of the many cars involved was this Nissan GTR, a twin turbo machine with horsepower to spare and 0 - 60 acceleration that is matched by very few street cars. T generously provided rides for several people in the crowd, treating them to a "launch" from a stopped position that pinned them to their seat. The car generated enough heat after several of these rides that the exhaust system ignited the car and it began to burn. The crowd noticed the smoke and flames and told T and his passenger.

A dash cam was running inside the GTR and there were other cameras recording the cars from outside. As T and his passenger hurriedly bailed out of the car, somebody called for a fire extinguisher. The crowd began to call for fire extinguishers but nobody was prepared to do much else.

Into the smoke, Ghostrider was filmed running in with a giant fire extinguisher and the flames were put out before they engulfed the car. With an expensive machine about to burn, and a crowd gathered around, a fire would have been a disaster. This car was saved and the event continued with only a short disruption.

More than $1,000 was raised for a very good cause thanks to a bunch of very generous drivers. A lot of people also experienced a dream ride that they would never have had elsewhere.