Racing in 100+ heat, any advice?

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RockinRobin

RockinRobin

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1st year in SSS points series, really want to make every race, but here in Central Tx we're starting to get into the 100+ days with fairly high humidity. So far I've been able to use shade and fans to get the car cooled down enough in between rounds, but it's getting hotter out there! My wife and I (my pit crew) seem to be taking it worse than the car but we don't want to sit in the truck with the A/C running, we feel like that will make the heat worse when we go back out. I switched from a 1 piece to a 2 piece fire suit so I can take the jacket off and I'm now wearing shorts instead of jeans under the fire suit. I have a 12V fan attached to the roll cage that blows right in my face, but sometimes all it does is blow hot air on me. Late at night my glasses will fog up bad in the staging lanes(this track is right next to a river) so I use the fan to clear off the glasses, too.
 
Next points race is forecast to be 102 that day and humid, so I guess it's time to jet down and adjust the idle mixture.
 
I can't take the heat like that! You may refer to my post about 10 or 12 down "too hot to race".
I don't know how ya-all do it? I'm sorry I don't have any answers for you, but I sure sympathize!
 
medium size cooler with ice and water. drop a towel in, ring it out, and put it on your head and neck area.
 
The biggest help you can have is the medium sized cooler full of ice water, and a towel.

Between rounds, open the cooler and cup your hands. Throw that cold ice water on your face and head a few times. Also, hold your arms over the cooler and rub the ice water on them. You would be amazed at how this helps bring down your body temp.

I also wet the towel and only half ring it out. I then put it around my neck before going to the staging lanes.
 
Well it could be worse. I gotta wear a -20 firesuit at times. I also wear a full face helmet. And glasses. Fog up real quick. What helps the most is stuffing some paper towel down inside the helmet next to my nose and back to my ears. And keeping the visor open as long as possible. To remind me to close it I took a red marker and lined the lower edge of the visor so I see red when its open.
 
Spray radiator with water. Cheapo weed sprayer. Stay in the shade as much as possible. Big cooler full of ice and bottled water. Sun screen is a must. Bottom line there is no good day at the track when its 100+. Our last race cancelled due to 105 degree forecast.
 
Vegas starts at 8 pm...last race 109 degree at 1st time trial. ..all the above plus have windows that roll down
 
Do you have a pop up shade canopy? I also bring a cooler with ice blocks and a fan that i run off my generator. I set the fan on a table behind the ice blocks blowing at a couple chairs under the canopy.
 
There use to be a guy at Texas raceway whom use to make a ac unit for your car but you would have to fill it with ice every round
 
Bigdummy said:
There use to be a guy at Texas raceway whom use to make a ac unit for your car but you would have to fill it with ice every round
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Thanks, I don't have a problem cooling the car down enough, it's the wife and I that are dying out there :)
I've seen those A/C units that you can make with a 5 gallon bucket, that might be something to consider. blow its output behind the box fan that is blowing on us.......
 
daredevil said:
Do you have a pop up shade canopy? I also bring a cooler with ice blocks and a fan that i run off my generator. I set the fan on a table behind the ice blocks blowing at a couple chairs under the canopy.
Click to expand...
Yeah, we have a pop up shade, but I use it for the car. It pisses the wife off that I'm more concerned about the car being in shade than us. :) I have a 28' car hauler trailer that gives us enough shade to sit in. I like the ice block idea, I'm thinking about jury rigging a variation of that.
 
Go to summit racing.com and enter this, "cooling shirts" in the search bar.
 
RockinRobin said:
Time trials at 8pm or eliminations?
Also, does the temp drop pretty fast out there in the desert after sundown?
Click to expand...

Time trials start at 8 pm....Yeah the temp drops like a rock...hot rock...usually down to 104 around midnight..

Buy a second pop up shade for the wife...don't be cheap...LOL
 
Drink lots of water and once in a while a PowerAde or similar to replace the electrolytes in your body... The past two years at New England Dragway for the NHRA Divisional it has gotten up to above 106 and Very High humidity... And were leaving Wednesday night for it.. Looks like its gonna be hot again
 
I just quit going till it cools off. My local track starts time trials around 2 o'clock , that is ridiculous.
 
Racing is suppose to be enjoyed, hard to enjoy it when your bleeding sweat, i take it light during summer months, return to regular racing in the fall:finga:
 
Stand 21 makes rather pricey but excellent breathable (like a cotton shirt ) drivers suits - huge improvement over anything else on the market.

Hydrate the day before. At the track drink water & maybe a little gator-aid.
Also eat healthy the two days before racing, you'll need carbs at least two days before you race.

As others said use a cooler with a lot of ice to bring your body temp down. Cold towels on neck & arms (wrist ) can make a big difference.
 
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