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

Imagine an outdoor NBA game. In August. In Phoenix. Kick-off at 12:00 p.m. There are no breaks. There is no halftime break. There are no substitutions. And players have to wear snowsuits, gloves, and ski masks.

It sounds witty, right?

However, racing drivers regularly compete in similar conditions.

The fans who attend will certainly appreciate the sound, speed and spectacle. But how many of them truly understand the physical and mental strain drivers put on themselves?

Our research team at the University of Florida and Michigan State University is working with NASCAR to better understand the stressors drivers face on the racetrack.

We have learned that professional drivers need extraordinary physical and mental endurance to compete in major racing series such as NASCAR, IndyCar and Formula 1. Our data shows that metabolic demands car racing and basketball are similarBut unlike other athletes, racing drivers compete in full protective gear, sitting in a sizzling car for hours.

Not your mom’s minivan

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

First, the physical effort involved in driving a race car is significantly greater than that involved in driving a family car.

Turning and braking require more force due to the high speeds and unique design of racing cars. Drivers control the vehicle through continuous involvement muscles of the arms, upper body and legs.

“There’s a huge amount of kickback from the steering wheel,” said IndyCar driver Dario Franchitti he said in an interview in 2012“and there’s no power steering, so every movement of the steering wheel requires a lot of energy.”

After hooking up sensors to measure the stresses and loads he was subjected to during the race, Franchitti learned he had to generate 35 pounds of force to steer and 135 pounds to brake.

“Imagine a string tied to your hand and having to constantly raise or lower that 35-pound weight,” he added.

In addition, speedy cornering and weighty braking create acceleration forces, known as G-forcesLike a fighter pilot in a dogfight, the intense G-forces make it harder for drivers to maintain their posture and cause muscle fatigue. This can even become can’t keep your head up.

For these reasons, drivers undergo strict training to: strengthen key muscle groups in the neck, upper body and legs, thereby improving cardiovascular efficiency.

The heat is also a stern challenge for sports drivers. Like any exercise, the job of a race car driver causes the body to produce metabolic heat. In most sports, athletes wear lightweight clothing that aids in cooling through convection and evaporation of sweat.

It’s not like that in car racing. The driver’s body heat is retained by safety equipment worn during competition to protect against fire in the event of an accident. Equipment includes a long fireproof T-shirt and underpants, a full firefighting suit, driving socks and boots, gloves, a fireproof balaclava and a full-face helmet with closed eye shield.

Bodies pushed to their limits

To make matters worse, drivers compete in what is essentially a moving oven.

A huge amount of heat is generated by a race car’s engine, exhaust system, brakes and tires. These sources heat the cockpit and driver, especially in cars with a roof like in production cars. In the summer, cockpit temperatures can exceed 135 degrees Fahrenheit (57 degrees Celsius), leading to profuse sweating, dehydration and even heat stroke.

Most race cars don’t have air conditioning. Instead, technologies used to fight heat include hoses that supply fresh air to drivers’ helmets and cold T-shirts worn by drivers. In-car beverage systems can also provide rehydration fluids.

Drivers and other endurance athletes metabolize oxygen to fuel their muscles and regulate their body temperature. By comparing data from different sports, my colleague and I found that the metabolic demands of car racing are similar to basketball, football or boxing.

Providing more oxygen to a driver’s body puts a strain on the heart. Drivers often keep your heart rate close to maximum during many hours of racing.

Besides the heat, other aspects of racing also challenge the heart.

First, there’s speed. the faster you drive a racing car on a given track, the higher the driver’s heart rate due to the greater physical and mental effort. The configuration of the race track is also critical. Compared to oval tracks, the heart rate is higher on road tracks and street races. This reflects the extra work required for weighty braking and acute cornering.

This mental stress related to competitioncompounded by the imminent risk of stern injury, can cause the heart to pound like a jackhammer. The weather can also play a role. This is especially true on sizzling summer days, when the heart works harder to regulate the driver’s body temperature. Even a racing car contributes to this: in addition to the sizzling cabin environment, the car produces vibrations that also make your heart beat faster.

NASCAR racing, especially on city streets, involves all of these challenges, which puts a lot of stress on the drivers. Drivers will race cars with closed cockpits, wheel-to-wheel around the twists and turns of an unfamiliar street circuit in the heat of summer. These athletes must overcome all of these challenges for two hours or more, racing 220 miles (354 kilometers) at speeds in excess of 100 mph (161 km/h).

While the outcome is unpredictable, drivers will be putting their bodies – in addition to their cars – to the test.