It’s been said that if you drive a Funny Car long enough, you’ll have to experience a fire. Both Gary Densham and Billy Meyer certainly did, as evidenced from this vintage footage from the early 1980s. Both guys light them up like roman candles and haul them down safely at the big end.
The truly wild stuff is in the details of the commentary by Steve Evans and Don Prudhomme. Listen closely to the men touting the safety of the “five layer fire suit” worn by the drivers. While they worked great in this instance, modern Funny Car drivers are in 20 layer “snowsuits” to protect them from flames.
Dig Densham’s Datsun Z-car body (or what’s left of it)
