A celebratory burnout by two-time Formula Drift champion Vaughn Gittin Jr. ended in flames when his RTR Ford Mustang FD car caught fire.

This looks to have happened during a 2024 Formula Drift celebration event. Luckily, the fire was extinguished quickly, and no one was hurt. Vaughn took the incident in stride, choosing to share it on social media with a humorous caption, “Gotta stay warm somehow!!”

Vaughn Gittin Jr. is a well-known name in the motorsports world, especially in the drifting community. Gittin won his first Formula Drift championship back in 2010, and a decade later, he grabbed his second title in 2020.

Gittin continues to be a crowd favorite, celebrated not just for his driving prowess but also for his “professional fun-haver” approach to the sport.

RTR Vehicles, the company that Gittin founded, is known for creating the RTR (Ready to Rock) series of modified Ford Mustangs, and these cars often feature prominently in drift competitions.

Ford’s influence in Formula Drift has grown over the years, with the manufacturer earning its first championship title in the 2023 season with the seventh-generation Mustang, thanks in part to Gittin’s exceptional performance.

RTR Vehicles shared additional footage from the celebratory event, writing:

“What an unforgettable day at the 2024 Formula Drift Championship Celebration!

“We opened the RTR Lab doors to hundreds of automotive enthusiasts and fans from across the country, the energy was unmatched.

“We’re incredibly thankful for all the love and support you’ve shown @jamesdeane130 and the RTR Team throughout the season—it truly means the world to us.”

The 2024 Formula Drift season ultimately led to James Deane securing a record-breaking fourth championship title. With a substantial lead, Deane only needed to participate in the Top 32 at the final round at Irwindale Speedway to claim the title.

2024 Formula Drift Standings

  1. James Deane – 666 points
  2. Aurimas Bakchis – 548 points
  3. Fredric Aasbo – 520 points
  4. Hiroya Minowa – 448 points
  5. Adam LZ – 406 points
  6. Ryan Tuerck – 394 points
  7. Matt Field – 392 points
  8. Conor Shanahan – 380 points
  9. Dylan Hughes – 378 points
  10. Branden Sorensen – 364 points
  11. Simen Olsen – 364 points
  12. Jeff Jones – 350 points
  13. Chris Forsberg – 350 points
  14. Ken Gushi – 336 points
  15. Jonathan Hurst – 322 points
  16. Trenton Beechum – 322 points
  17. Rome Charpentier – 308 points
  18. Kazuya Taguchi – 294 points
  19. Jhonnattan Castro – 280 points
  20. Taylor Hull – 280 points
  21. Nick Noback – 280 points
  22. Dan Burkett – 266 points
  23. Alec Robbins – 238 points
  24. Daniel Stuke – 224 points
  25. Diego Higa – 224 points
  26. Robert Thorne – 210 points
  27. Ryan Litteral – 196 points
  28. Federico Sceriffo – 182 points
  29. Andy Hateley – 182 points
  30. Kyle Mohan – 182 points
  31. Dmitriy Brutskiy – 168 points
  32. Derek Madison – 168 points
  33. Rudy Hansen – 154 points
  34. Ben Hobson – 126 points
  35. Forrest Wang – 112 points
  36. Mike Power – 112 points
  37. Joao Barion – 98 points
  38. Vaughn Gittin Jr – 56 points
  39. Dean Kearney – 28 points

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