NASCAR Cars Heating Issues: How Race Cars Use Ice to Cool down the Car

NASCAR engines can often record a temperature of 290 degrees Fahrenheit, which is about 90 degrees Fahrenheit higher than a normal road car. This heat brings down the airflow through the radiator, which in turn aids in aerodynamics by contributing to the downforce. However, that might lead to overheating issues and this is where bags after bags of ice come in handy.

A Joe Gibbs Racing video showed exactly how the teams load copious amounts of ice into a special generator unit, from which the cold water is pumped through hoses into the car’s engine. After that, the radiator sucks up the cold water to cool the car down and the hot water is pumped out and discarded.

But that’s not the only way the teams ensure that the cars don’t get heated up too much after the practice sessions.

“We also use a bunch of blowers,” the video explained. “These can be hooked on the grill to circulate air. These attachments are actually 3D printed in-house. Magnetic blowers are hooked to the wheels to get everything cooled there too.”

How do NASCAR drivers keep themselves cool?

It’s now a known fact that a NASCAR car generates a lot of heat throughout a race. And that can be cooled down using ice and wind blowers. But that’s just the engine. The temperature inside a stock car can get anywhere between 100-140 degrees Fahrenheit.

“Some of the races that we run in the summertime are hot weather climates as well. We’ve been in Las Vegas and raced in 107-degree weather,” said Landon Cassill, driver of the #10 Kaulig Racing Xfinity car as per Fox. “You know, Texas, it gets really hot when we race there. If it’s north of 85 degrees outside, the inside of the car will get to be about 140.”

So how does a driver sit right next to these engines and yet manage to not succumb to a heatstroke? The best way to regulate one’s body temperature is to stay hydrated all the time. On top of that, any type of endurance training like running or cycling is beneficial for the drivers.

But the key is nutrition and a proper workout regimen. Furthermore, the drivers can use cool shirts to bring down the temperature of their bodies on exceptionally hot race days.