Chase Elliott has issued a warning about overheating risks in NASCAR’s Next Gen cars, highlighting that current cockpit and exterior heat issues could become hazardous for drivers. This alert comes after several recent cooling-system failures, raising concerns just before the NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway and spotlighting the Chase Elliott NASCAR heat issue.
Drivers Report Increasing Heat Problems in Next Gen Cars
During a recent discussion, Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott pointed out significant differences in air circulation compared to older NASCAR models. He described how hot air now becomes trapped both inside and outside the vehicles, a change linked to the Next Gen design, which impacts driver comfort and safety.
Other drivers have also experienced these issues. For instance, A.J. Allmendinger suffered a cooling failure at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, making it to a ninth-place finish before immediately requiring attention at the infield care center. These types of incidents underline a broader pattern across recent races where both the temperature inside cockpits and sudden cooling-device breakdowns are becoming increasingly common.
NASCAR’s Cooling Technology Faces Reliability Challenges
To shield themselves from extreme heat during races often lasting up to three hours, NASCAR drivers rely on cooling suits. These suits circulate chilled liquid through tubes integrated into a shirt beneath the fireproof race suit, helping to mitigate the intense heat drivers endure. However, as Chase Elliott explained, the Next Gen car’s aerodynamic body and dual exhausts on both sides have changed how air flows around and out of the vehicle, limiting access to fresh, cooler air.
“If you’re going down the straightaway in the old car and you stuck your hand out the window, it was cool and fresh air. Whereas now you’re going down the straightaway, any track, but particularly like Speedways are a great example because when you stick your hand out the window, if you didn’t have your gloves on, you’d probably burn it,”
Chase Elliott told Jeff Gluck of The Atheletic.
“You have exhausts on both sides, whereas used to, exhaust was only on one side as well. So you’re kind of evacuating that air out one direction. So there was always some fresh air to be had that wasn’t already warm or warmed up if somebody was in front of you.”
Struggles to Find the Right Balance with Cooling Systems
The development of cooling suits dates back decades, but reliability has long been a sticking point. Despite improvements in recent years—affecting NASCAR teams including Hendrick Motorsports—drivers still face risks. Cool suits can fail when overloaded; if the system stops functioning, the hot fluid inside may actually make conditions worse.
“Anything that works like that, that has taken a really warm environment and cooling it is subject to failing and, in an environment that’s really saturated with heat. So, it’s a really tough balance,”
Chase Elliott said (1:50).
Chase Elliott also shared that not all failures are caused by defective parts. Sometimes, NASCAR teams tweak the cooling systems for slight aerodynamic or performance gains, restricting airflow through the suit’s system. These tweaks can cause the device to overheat and shut down mid-race, putting drivers at greater risk during crucial moments on the track.
Implications for Driver Safety and the Future of NASCAR Racing
The ongoing struggle with heat in the Next Gen cars highlights a critical area of concern for future NASCAR seasons. With more drivers facing both physical challenges and potential hazards from overheating, the series—teams, drivers, and organizers alike—must weigh the benefits of performance adjustments against overall driver health. The Chase Elliott NASCAR heat issue serves as a warning that improving both car safety and comfort remains urgent as competition and temperatures rise. Racing authorities, teams, and organizations like Hendrick Motorsports are likely to further investigate and develop solutions to prevent similar incidents in upcoming races across circuits like Speedways, Circuit of the Americas, and Phoenix Raceway.
This was an eye-opening explanation from @chaseelliott on the heat of the Next Gen car: If you stuck your hand out the window without a glove on, the air “would probably burn you.” 😳 pic.twitter.com/LjVKTao1cD
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) March 7, 2026
