Heat Index - When Do You Bail?

[Greg Amy]

Greg - When are we adding weight back to the car for a cool suit?

When you buy all the nifty bits we need to be 25 pounds below minimum weight...only 125 pounds left to go! Get motivated!

[mossaidis]

Why not use cold packs for those that don't have the $1K for the cool shirt setup?

[lateapex911]

Jeremy you better get in shape! What are you, 30?? Gregs not putting extra weight in that car for your comfort thats for sure!!

[Jeremy Billiel]

Jeremy you better get in shape! What are you, 30?? Gregs not putting extra weight in that car for your comfort thats for sure!!

LOL... Thats what makes it soo funny. He is taking off like 5 gram bolts to save weight. I should pack some lead in the rear somewhere to piss him off

[ulfelder]

Cool shirt, cool shirt, cool shirt. Changes your life. Puts spring in your step. Makes you look forward to climbing in the car - indeed, to strapping in, because when the harness compresses everything, that's when the ice-cold bennies truly kick in. Of all the dumb-ass things we spend money on, the cool shirt is my fave.

[JLawton]

I used a 1 gallon zip lock with ice and put it on my chest. The belts hold it in place. Then a sandwhich bag with ice on the back of the neck.

[mustanghammer]

Why not use cold packs for those that don't have the $1K for the cool shirt setup?

A cool shirt doesn't have to be expensive. Buy the shirt and the hose fittings from a dealer. Everything else can be purchased at a Walmart and a hardware store. I think I have a little over $200 in my setup and that includes the shirt, fittings, two different size coolers and spare fittings.

[rhygin]

Great thread...

1) Search on Miata.net as there is a thread from abotu 5 years ago that i used to build my own cool suit cooler/pump set up. I bought the shirt... but the pump set ended up at about $40 total, not including a few odds and ends around the garage. I know of at least 4 people that have loosely copied what I made and I am totally cool taking pics or showing at a race. Piece of cake and a testament to low budget racing and 20 min of thinking at the local hardware store. Definitely helps to keep sharp at the end of a race. If you have not used one... you cannot image the joy of feelign the cold water come through the shirt. Awesome... there are analogies... but not for this setting.

2) Strangely... I am kinda into the heat and while it makes me super frustrated on grid, i have taken some strong measures to make sure that the driver (me) is getting at least the prep of the car. I have been working out a lot more this year and am muuuuuch more comfortable with the heat and the stress that comes with it. For me, given a chosen lack of tire budget, I want it hot, humid, sunny, and hotter... my only advantage.

Regarding my second point... I do spend a lot of time taking care of myself... lots of water and electorlytes followed by lots of water. Very key if double dipping!

Come check out the cool suit set up at NHMS in a few weeks

BB

[lateapex911]

........ i have taken some strong measures to make sure that the driver (me) is getting at least the prep of the car. I have been working out a lot more this year and am muuuuuch more comfortable with the heat and the stress that comes with it...

BB

This. Typically, were racers and we bolt shit to the car to solve our problems. Ultimately it's US that needs more performance.

[gran racing]

BUT he also has a cool suit. Both are idea.

[tdw6974]

I was cleaning out my back office(ok the junk room) and I have an extra medical cooler just add the cool shirt tie power into car plug cool shirt in and your good to go. I'll bring to Watkins Glen (Garage 2 $75.00 ?

[JohnW8]

The first time using a cool shirt distracted me so much from my driving I shut it off. The race was a sprint and was over in 20-30 minutes. At my last race in Nashville I opted to not have the cool shirt in the car and I had no ill effects. Now if it was more than 30 minutes I definitely would have it hooked up. I'm not trying to be an arse but if our bodies cannot handle 30 minutes in a racecar without a cool shirt we all had better rethink racing as a hobby. Over 30 minutes is a different thing altogether.

Just my .02¢

[Streetwise guy]

I figure hot weather is an advantage for me, when I watch all the A/C type people dribbling onto the ground after a race as I pedal my bile around with my fire suit zipped up.

But I sleep in A/C that my wife controls (so its not that cold) and the rest of the summer is spent sweating outdoors or in the shop.

A/C is for the weak!