Derrike Cope’s car explosion resulted from tire failure

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. — Derrike Cope’s Xfinity Series explosion on Saturday at Watkins Glen International was the result of typical tire failure with one key variable.

NASCAR vice president, officiating and technical inspection Elton Sawyer said Cope’s No. 70 Chevrolet was never actually on fire during the massive concussive incident, and the plume of black that rose from the car was actually brake dust.

Cope’s tire failed, Sawyer said, because excess heat degraded a right front tire. These type of failures generally happen at speed with a rapid deflation of the tire. The difference this time was no speed and no airflow, with a spectacular result. A broken spindle initially created higher temperatures in a right front tire that is stressed greatly on the 2.45-mile, seven-turn road course. The sidewall of the tire subsequently weakened and when Cope pulled off course, air flow was impeded and allowed the still-inflate tire to, in essence, roast.

“So he lost a bead, then basically you’ve got all the fabric in the side wall that is starting to deteriorate and as soon as the vehicle came to a stop you’ve got all that radiant heat that’s basically just sitting there, the soft point of the side wall is where it basically explodes,” Sawyer said.

Derrike Cope's car explodes at Watkins Glen

Sawyer said NASCAR has given the car back to Cope, who, he said, was uninjured and never in danger despite a “major concussion” within the engine compartment.

“We’ll look into it to see if there’s something we can do on our end for sure,” he said. “It’s not something we’ll sweep under the rug. But it’s nothing I could equate to a Martinsville if we have that situation.”