Think being a NASCAR driver isn’t as physically demanding as other sports? Think

(The Conversation) – Imagine an NBA game played outdoors. In August. In Phoenix. Tip-off is at noon. There are no timeouts. There is no halftime. There are no substitutions. And players must wear snowsuits, gloves, and ski masks.

Sounds ridiculous, right?

Yet race car drivers routinely compete under similar conditions.

On July 1, 2023, for the first time in over 60 years, NASCAR, the nation’s premier stock car series, will hold a race on the streets of a U.S. city at the Grant Park 220 in Chicago.

The fans who attend are sure to appreciate the sound, speed and spectacle. But how many truly grasp the physical and mental strain placed on the drivers?

Our research team from the University of Florida and Michigan State University is collaborating with NASCAR to better understand the stressors drivers experience on the track.

We’ve learned that professional drivers need extraordinary physical and mental stamina to compete in major racing series such as NASCAR, IndyCar and Formula One. Our data shows the metabolic demands of auto racing and basketball are similar. But unlike other athletes, race car drivers compete in full-body safety gear while sitting in a piping hot car for hours at a time.

Not your mom’s minivan

Race car drivers face unique challenges that require strength, endurance and hand-eye coordination.

First, the physical effort of driving a race car is much greater than that of driving your family car.

Turning and braking require more force due to the high speeds and the unique engineering of race cars. Drivers control the vehicle by constantly engaging the muscles of the arms, upper body and legs.

“There’s tremendous kick-back through the steering wheel,” IndyCar driver Dario Franchitti said in a 2012 interview, “and there’s no power steering, so every movement of the wheel requires a lot of energy.”

After being hooked up to sensors to track the stresses and strains he endured a race, Franchitti learned he needed to generate 35 pounds of force just to steer, and 135 pounds of force to brake.

“Imagine a string tied to your hand where you have to pull that 35 pounds up or down constantly,” he added.

Also, fast turns and abrupt braking create accelerative forces, known as G-forces. Like a jet fighter pilot in a dogfight, intense G-forces make it hard for racers to maintain their posture and promote muscle fatigue. It can even become impossible to hold their heads up.

For these reasons, drivers undergo rigorous training to strengthen key muscle groups in the neck, upper body and legs while working to improve their cardiovascular fitness.

Heat is also a major challenge for driver athletes. Like any exercise, the work of driving a race car causes the body to generate metabolic heat. In most sports, athletes wear lightweight clothes that promote cooling by convection and sweat evaporation.

Not so in auto racing. Driver body