On November 20, 2015, Big Red had returned from SEMA and the scheduled appearance on Dax Shepard’s movie, CHiPs. The long-standing plan to rebuild the car officially started in order to get it ready for the 100th anniversary of the running of Pikes Peak in June 2016. On May 24, 2016, the Big Red rebuild was officially finished. Every nut, bolt, component, and panel was rebuilt, replaced, and refinished. To get the car prepared for running Pikes Peak, the unthinkable happened. A fire occurred during testing.

The team received an outpouring of support. The kind words from so many fans went a long way toward Dan and RJ’s decision to rebuild Big Red and to not hang up the driving gloves and helmet forever.

While testing, a failed bolt attaching the fuel rail to the intake manifold led to a fuel fire that got out of control. Thanks to the track emergency crew and ours, Big Red was not a total loss.

Rebuild her they did. Big Red, like the phoenix, arose from the ashes. It was one of the hardest, most emotional experiences in the history of the team. The teardown in the shop looked like a plane-crash investigation scene. Once
disassembled, the assessment of what could be salvaged, as well as the cleaning process, officially started.