JOLIET, Ill. -- Race-car driver Jesse Iwuji hopes he has a less dramatic trip home from the track this weekend than he did last. But he is prepared if someone needs his help.
Iwuji, who competes in NASCAR regional series as well as the ARCA Racing Series, was driving home Sunday from Sonoma Raceway when he saw a minivan on the side of Interstate 5 near Lebec, California, with a pool of fluid and small fire underneath.
He pulled over and saw a family of four still at the van, getting some stuff out of the vehicle but not realizing the severity of the situation. A former Navy football player who began his racing career after completing his full-time academy duties, Iwuji knew he had to get the family away from the vehicle.
"We probably got about 20-30 yards away and turned around and the motor just ignites," Iwuji said. "It turns into this ball of fiery flame. It moves back to the driver's seat area, the back seat area and the next thing you know, it gets to the fuel cell and that was it. It just erupts."
Safety safety safety guys and girls. I saw a small little fire underneath this family of 4's van and I knew right then it was about to be bad news. I'm glad I stopped and got them away because they were still worried about getting stuff out the car. Things went from small to bad pic.twitter.com/av6C7j76Nd
— Jesse Iwuji (@Jesse_Iwuji) June 25, 2018
Iwuji said firefighters got there and were able to keep the fire from spreading to much of the grass.
The race-car driver said he has not been in touch with the family, which he believes is of Asian descent and did not speak much English.
"The sad part about it was, during this entire time, maybe only one other person actually stopped to try to figure out what was going on. ... That's why I put the video out on social media to tell people to be human, be good," Iwuji said.
"If you see someone in need, stop and help them."