What The F*ck Is A Jet Dryer And Why Did One Just Explode At Daytona?

Those who tuned into Fox tonight to watch the Daytona 500 (the first NASCAR broadcast ever on primetime television) didn't get too much race before there was a massive fire delaying the proceedings. So what is a jet dryer and why did one explode?

Tonight's Daytona 500 was supposed to be yesterday's Daytona 500, but massive amounts of rain delayed the event until today, and would have likely continued to delay the start time had it not been for the slowest cars on the track, the jet dryers. Modified trucks with 1960s jet engines, jet dryers blast hot air and (literally) boil the rain off of race tracks. They move very slowly (rarely moving faster than 5 mph), hold 200 gallons of kerosene jet fuel, and once the race starts do their best to stay out of the way. Why? Because if a car loses control and hits a jet dryer, like Juan Pablo Montoya's did tonight, it will explode.

(Disclaimer: Both Montoya and the driver of the dryer were unharmed)

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Juan Pablo Montoya after the accident.

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Juan Pablo Montoya's Wrecked Car

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