MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF) – Weather plays a big role in how drivers prepare to race.
Rain can cause delays or postponements depending on the amount of rain the track receives, but temperatures can also play a big role in how drivers like Shane Van Gisbergen and Ryan Blaney approach race day.
HOW DOES HEAT AFFECT RACING?
Hot temperatures can cause the asphalt to release oil. Making the track slick and reducing tire grip. So, the hotter the air temperatures, the slicker the track is.
What makes Darlington Speedway difficult is the time of the race and the design of the track itself.
“The biggest thing is that track changes throughout the day, suns overhead at noon, you’re probably a hot slick track. It will start that way for Sunday as well at 6 o’clock, the sun is still out, but as the sun goes down, the track changes the dynamics,” said Josh Harris, the president of Darlington Raceway.
For NASCAR driver Ryan Blaney said drivers have to be ready for anything while racing around the track.
“You have to be ready for that change. When it cools off a lot, that’s a thing we also have to think about. It’s a fun race, I love Darlington,” Blaney said.
The changing track conditions and different turns in Darlington really challenge the drivers, and also challenge the teams because crew chiefs need to make sure they are making the right calls to keep up with the changing track conditions.
HOW DOES THE HEAT AFFECT THE DRIVERS
“These summer months, they get kind of tough. When it’s upper 90s outside, it’s an easy bake oven in there,” Blaney said.
The heat can be challenging to deal with for drivers, but luckily, they drive with cool suits and helmet fans to keep them cool.
But sometimes that cool suit can fail, which is exactly what happened to Shane Van Gisbergen earlier this year in his race in Chicago.
“That was one of the hottest races I’ve ever done. The suit turns into a blanket, and it just heats up, and that was a struggle,” said Van Gisbergen.
“It is another part of racing. You’re not only thinking of how to make as much lap time as I can and how to get my car faster, it’s also how do you prepare your body, how can you physically outlast everybody else,” said Blaney.
NASCAR truck series race starts Saturday, Aug. 30 at noon, followed by the Cup Series race at 6 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 31.
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