NASCAR at Phoenix: Stifling heat forces Dale Earnhardt Jr. to cool down any way he can

Dave DeLuca

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NASCAR at Phoenix: Stifling heat forces Dale Earnhardt Jr. to cool down any way he can image

Scorching temperatures at NASCAR's Camping World 500 in Phoenix is forcing drivers to do anything necessary to keep cool.

In-car temperature reached 144 degrees in Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s Nationwide 88 car, and that forced him him to get creative to stave off the heat.

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If you're wondering, no, stock cars don't have air conditioning. 

Drivers use ventilation systems in their seats, floors and helmet to manage the extreme heat. However, that's mainly used to keep air flowing in the car. The ventilation systems only bring the temperature down about 10 degrees.

Dave DeLuca

Dave DeLuca is an intern at Sporting News and a recent graduate of Buffalo State. He's a former intern and digital editor at The Buffalo News and executive editor of The Record, Buffalo State's student-run newspaper.