That is nasty. From the above posts it sounds like the driver is OK.

Having raced a pushbutton 727 for 15 years behind a 440 in a relatively heavy car (3,450 lbs), I've picked up a few habits along the way. 1) Always run a billet drum; 2) never lift the throttle while in 1st gear (like in the case of a red-light), stay under full power to 2nd gear then lift; 3) always run a blanket or a shield. If you're concerned about heat with a blanket, you can fold the blanket up alongside itself to keep the pan exposed; 4) if I ever have a drivetrain issue under full power (blown rear, engine, u-joint), it's a given that I'm taking the trans out, too.

Again, glad he's OK.