These shocking pictures show the moment a drag racing car exploded, sending its wrecked body hurtling through the air into the watching crowd.
The dramatic video footage showed race driver Robert Hight's car explode at the beginning of the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) drag race near Charlotte in North Carolina.
The car's carbon fibre body is sent flying into the air by the force of the blast and lands in a stand packed with spectators.
Scroll down for video:
Explosion: The dramatic incident began when the car exploded soon after the race began (left) sending the body flying into the air
Horror: Video footage shows the moment the body of a drag racing car is sent hurtling into the watching crowd at a track near Charlotte in North Carolina
Fear: Spectators scatter in panic as the body flies towards where they are standing
Landing: Thew crowd looks on as the wreckage crashes into the stands which was packed at the time
Mr Hight was uninjured by the explosion and even managed to finish the race, 9 News reports.
Two people hit by the debris needed medical treatment for minor scrapes. Mr Hight told USA today that he was shocked by the incident.
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'It was like, 'Oh man…'. But they came back to me real quick and said no one was injured and everybody is good,' he said. 'That's not what you want (to) have happening.'
Drag racing involves specially prepared cars or motorcycles competing, usually two at a time, to be first to cross a set finish line.
The race follows a straight course from a standing start over a measured distance, most commonly quarter of a mile
The NHRA oversees the majority of drag racing events in North America.
Watch video here:
Drag racing fans hit by flying car at race
Debris: The bodywork hurtles through the air towards the stands as the race goes on
Lucky: It crashes into the stand - but fortunately no spectators were seriously harmed during the incident
Escape: Driver Robert Hight emerges from the wreckage of the car seemingly unhurt by the explosion