Lessons Learned From The EV Battery Fire At Wagler Motorsports Park

On the race track, things can go bad in a hurry. And, when it comes to electrical fires, it can escalate exponentially into high-risk territory. As electric vehicles and battery-powered technology become more mainstream, the potential for possible problems also increases precipitously.

Recently, the safety team at Wagler Motorsports Park in Lyons, Indiana, handled an alarming emergency involving an electric Junior Dragster and an explosive battery fire. Fortunately, everyone escaped unharmed, and the lessons they learned in the mitigation process will hopefully help many other track operators, racers, and crew.

The incident began while the Junior Dragster was still on the track. Its driver finished the run, departed the racing surface, and approached the ET ticket shack, as usual. The facility’s owner, Jeremy Wagler, was working trackside and saw that the whole back of the car was full of smoke as it approached.

At first, Wagler assumed the diminutive dragster simply had an engine issue, but as it got closer, Wagler realized it was far different – it was a battery fire – and he immediately called on the radio for the safety crew to come quickly. To further intensify the issue, Wagler saw that the large battery, roughly 12”x12”x16” and weighing approximately 50 pounds, had actually burst and exploded inside its case directly underneath the driver’s seat.

“The chemicals were on him [the driver] and had burnt his helmet, his fire suit, everything,” recalled Wagler of the harrowing incident where, thankfully, the young driver was able to safely get out of the car. “Within seconds, it blew up with six-foot tall flames. It was on fire, hissing like crazy, and everyone was moving quickly to get away from the area.”

Wagler wisely called his colleague, Ben Wrightsman, Founder and Lead Advisor of XC TECHnology who is a 30+ year veteran in the battery industry for urgent advice. Wrightsman directed Wagler’s team to cover the battery with sand from the pit area to contain the burning battery.

It was clear to the safety team at Wagler Motorsports Park that standard safety protocols wouldn’t cover this fire.

To make the situation even more concerning, Wrightsman told Wagler the inhaling the smoke and chemicals released by the battery fire is harmful since they’re hazardous and should be avoided. This was a problem as everyone was around it in the heat of the moment, and the wind was…