Stock Car Temperature Control - Keeping Your Cool

Thermo-Tec Automotive of Greenwich, Ohio, makes a variety of products, all specifically designed to keep the fluids cooler inside the engine. The company has a product called the Heat Sleeve that resists up to 90 percent of radiant heat, but even more impressive is that it is capable of continuous protection to 500 degrees and short term exposure through 2,200 degrees. Simply slip the sleeve over your hose or wires for protection.

Don't let anyone fool you-brakes are crucial to success no matter how many laps you will be running. Even if you run 20-lap mains you should be concerned with the temperature of your brakes. At New Smyrna Speedway in February, I spotted for a team that had to drop out halfway through a race because of the brakes overheating.

Each time I bring my car in from practice we double-check not only the tire temperatures, but also the brake temps. If your brakes get too hot, the rotors will glow bright red and you also might encounter a soft pedal when you press the brake. Overheated brakes can also cause warped rotors.

Check with your sanctioning body rules and run brake blowers and brake hoses to cool your brakes, if permitted. This will not only ensure that your brakes are staying as cool as possible, but it will also help the budget. Cooler brakes will last longer than brakes that are constantly being overheated.

If the rules prevent a brake blower, then simply drill a hole in the front end of the car and run a brake hose to the brake pads and fasten it in a way that the air coming through will blow directly on the brake pads. Most rulebooks will at least allow this simple helper.

It amazes me the amount of money and time racers will spend to ensure that everything is running as cool as possible, but then forget about the most important part that needs to remain cool -the driver. Simply drinking more water throughout a race day can help with this. This will also help a driver stay as focused as possible. To help a driver stay hydrated during a race Heinz Performance offers a water bottle with a bite down valve that prevents unwanted leakage.

Another way to stay cool while in the car is by wearing a shirt designed for cooling. A Cool Shirt, made by Schaffer Enterprises, is designed to cool your body during a race. Most shirts have a temperature control in case you're getting too cold. Remember the idea is to cool you down, not make you shiver. If you start to shiver, your body is trying to produce heat-not a good idea in the middle of the summer.

After my first race, I quickly learned I needed to do something about the heat my bottom side was experiencing. In most cars, the exhaust runs underneath the driver's seat, turning the seat and cockpit into a virtual oven. Thermo-Tec has a mat designed to resist the heat that an exhaust produces. This product is perfect for the undercarriage of the car because all that's required is to drill a hole and rivet it in place, and then put the exhaust back on the car. Besides alleviating the heat, it has the secondary effect of controlling the sound level in the cockpit.

An easy fix for the heat is to simply take a brake blower, hook a hose to it and run it where it can get a steady flow of air. Then run the other half to where it connects to your helmet or slides in your race suit. This way, even with a driving suit, helmet, and gloves on, you can get at least a breeze inside the cockpit of the car.

Remember, heat is your enemy. During the summer months you will have to take extra time and precautions to ensure that the pieces that make up your car are remaining as cool as they possibly can be.