An industrial blaze broke out adjacent to the French team’s headquarters just before departing for the NASCAR GP Czech Republic – Quick thinking and a massive emergency response saved RDV’s race cars and equipment
- Major industrial fire broke out next to RDV Competition workshop during race preparations
- Team principal Franck Violas and crew evacuate race cars through thick smoke and intense heat
- Forty firefighters save key assets as the French squad works through the night to make the grid
The drama of the 2026 NASCAR Euro Series regular season finale began earlier than expected for French powerhouse RDV Competition. Just as the team was finalizing its preparations to head east for the high-stakes showdown at Autodrom Most, an unexpected crisis struck right outside their shop doors. What began as a routine departure day quickly turned into a high-stakes emergency that tested the resolve, bravery, and teamwork of the perennial frontrunners.
The emergency unfolded in the middle of standard race preparations, catching the crew off guard as flames spread rapidly from an adjoining facility. Thanks to the heroic actions of the crew and a swift, comprehensive deployment by local emergency services, disaster was averted. The team successfully protected its critical racing hardware and remains firmly on track to battle for regular season glory in the shadow of Most’s historic castle.
“Without the firefighters’ intervention, we would have lost all our equipment,” recounted RDV Compétition team boss Franck Violas. “Yesterday around 1:30 PM, a major industrial fire broke out in the company next to the RDV Competition workshop. We were preparing the load to leave for the NASCAR Czech Republic Grand Prix.”
Conditions deteriorated in seconds as toxic fumes and heat penetrated the shop, forcing Violas and his staff to act instantly.
“The fire immediately reached part of our workshop, which was instantly filled with very thick black smoke, making visibility zero in just a few minutes,” Violas explained. “With my mechanic, we started evacuating the race cars that were inside. Even though the NASCAR car got very hot, we managed to get them out in time, bypassing security instructions.”
A massive first-responder operation quickly mobilized to battle the inferno and contain the damage to the surrounding structures.
“The intervention of a very large firefighting operation, with 40 firefighters and 13 fire engines deployed, made it possible to save a large part of our equipment,” Violas noted. “At the end of the day, the firefighters let us access the building and recover some equipment. We spent the night cleaning what we needed to leave for the Czech Republic.”
Despite the exhausting ordeal, RDV Competition has loaded up and is heading to the NASCAR GP Czech Republic, determined to compete at the highest level while keeping their neighboring community in their thoughts.
“Hoping that our workshop will quickly return to its initial state, thanks to my team and to the fire department for their exemplary work,” Violas concluded. “We wish courage and strength to our neighbors, who have lost all of their working tools.” Most importantly: No person got hurt during the fire.
Featured image by RDV Competition
