Ever wondered why a NASCAR driver appears all worked up after they climb out of the car? Indeed the conditions inside a stock car are not favorable at all. So what happens if a NASCAR driver gets sick while driving in a race?
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When so much is at stake with each race it goes without saying that they cannot just pull up and rest awhile. If not entirely unable to continue, the drivers hang in there and race it out. However, the crew members do provide assistance to their driver as he battles the humid in-car situation.
But that assistance is limited to minor health issues like, a scratchy throat. In that case, the pit crew will attach a cough drop to a water bottle and place it inside the holder adjacent to the driver’s seat during a pit stop.
Obviously, NASCAR drivers face situations far more adverse than just a rough throat. The biggest hurdle that the NASCAR drivers need to overcome health-wise during a race is the chance of getting dehydrated.
NASCAR vet opened up about the importance of temperature inside the stock cars
“It’s usually about 30 to 40 degrees [Fahrenheit] hotter inside the car than the outside ambient temperature,” said David Ragan, who retired from the Cup Series career back in 2019. The FOX Sports analyst mentioned that he used to lose about 5 to 7 pounds just by sweating while racing.
NASCAR races are often three or four hours long. Meaning, the drivers are exposed to heat and extreme humidity for long periods of time. During these long stretches, they must keep themselves hydrated.
“We don’t have air conditioners inside our race cars. We do have a little bit of fresh air that we pull from outside the race car that’s filtered with carbon monoxide filters, so it is nice to breath at least some clean air, but it’s not cold by any means,” Ragan added.
However, drinking water is not an option as that might induce the need to use the bathroom, which is not possible during a race. Hence, many drivers resort to sodium tablets to keep themselves from running out of vital minerals and salts in the form of sweat.
However, according to Ragan, the sweat is so much that the drivers don’t need to use the bathroom even if they drink lots of water. Ragan admitted, “Generally you sweat out so much you don’t have to go. In over 11 years of racing in the NASCAR cup series, I’ve never had to go to the bathroom bad enough to go.”
