SIGNATURE SIGNS FOR HEAT EXHAUSTION include:

  • Cool, moist skin with goose bumps when in the heat

  • Heavy sweating

  • Faintness

  • Dizziness

  • Fatigue

  • Weak, rapid pulse

  • Low blood pressure upon standing

  • Muscle cramps

  • Nausea

  • Headache

Your body needs to regulate the heat gained from the car’s cockpit environment to maintain a core temperature that's close to normal, approximately 98.6 F (37 C). This is usually achieved by sweating. However, this is hard to adequately achieve in closed cockpit cars especially when the driver wears fire-retardant, racing apparel.

Temperatures inside can quickly reach to 130 F degrees

First an overheated body can quickly develop heat cramps (the mildest and first form of a heat-related illness.)

Signs and symptoms of heat cramps usually include heavy sweating, fatigue, thirst and muscle cramps.

Prompt treatment can prevents heat cramps from progressing to heat exhaustion.

Untreated, heat exhaustion can lead to heat stroke, a life-threatening condition that occurs when your core body temperature reaches 104 F (40 C) or higher.

Heat stroke - (the body’s natural cooling system has broken down.)THeat stroke is the most serious heat-related illness. It occurs when the body can no longer control its temperature. When this happens the body's temperature rises rapidly, its sweating mechanism fails, and the body fails to cool down. When heat stroke occurs, the body’s core temperature can rise to a deadly 106°F or higher within 10 to 15 minutes.

Be prepared and wise to these conditions. Frequently drivers are so focused on their track performance that they are unaware that they are in trouble.