NASCAR involves lightning-quick reflexes, otherworldly driving abilities, and a sense of fearlessness, knowing death could be just a crash away. On the other side is a set of challenges not discussed on TV.

Among these obstacles, which some fans have likely considered, is the answer to a simple question. How do NASCAR drivers pee during races?

NASCAR’s unspoken question

NASCAR drivers spend several hours in their cars in the scorching heat. It’s one of the most stressful environments one can imagine. However, one of the biggest racing challenges has nothing to do with life and death; it has to do with their ability to relieve themselves.

Unlike a movie theater, where someone can get up and go to the bathroom, NASCAR drivers are stuck inside their cars. The fact is that if somebody spends as much time in a car as NASCAR drivers do, they will have to go to the bathroom.

Fans have speculated on this since NASCAR first gained popularity. But drivers rarely comment on what happens when nature calls during a race. Whether diapers are involved or other things entirely, most drivers keep this a secret, reports Beyond the Flag. 

Nature calls for NASCAR drivers

In 2004, Tony Stewart pulled off a victory. This is nothing new for one of NASCAR’s superstars. However, Crash reports that Stewart had a stomach bug, which can lead to dehydration.

In a car that can warm up to hotter temperatures than the most scorching day in the Arizona desert, it does not take a genius to know what kind of shape Stewart was in. Although Stewart never acknowledged the elephant in the room, the visual evidence about what happened spoke for itself.

After taking his victory lap, Stewart stepped gingerly out of his car and onto the winners’ circle. Some noticed the driver was waddling on his way out of the vehicle. While nobody asked the question on everybody’s mind, the speculation behind Stewart’s interesting race flew rampant. 

Going to the bathroom is part of any pro sport. After all, everybody gets the urge to go at one point or another. NBA superstar Paul Pierce once reportedly left an NBA Finals game because of bathroom-related issues. In NASCAR, however, all bets are off. Decisions must be made on the fly, and drivers often have to throw away their shame to stay in the race. 

NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr. recently confirmed this in an interview. 

Dale Earnhardt Jr. comes clean

Dale Earnhardt Jr. grew up on the race track both as a racer and spectator. As such, he had to go to the bathroom on more than one occasion. When he couldn’t hold it in any longer, however, the NASCAR royalty was blunt. 

“Well, you do go to the bathroom,” he told Fox Sports. “Yeah, so if you can hold it, you hold it. If you can’t hold it, you go.” However, while everyone reacts differently on the racetrack, Earnhardt Jr. claims that presenting these problems is part of the preparation.

“It’s not too often that this happens because the car is real hot, and you sweat a lot, and you basically lose all your water weight through sweating,” he said. “So your bladder never fills up. If it’s a hot day and you get real nervous before the race, and you drank too much water because you think you are going to dehydrate, you typically end up having to go to the bathroom before you even get the green flag.”

Earnhardt Jr. shed light on a funny, albeit serious issue in the NASCAR world. Perhaps it’s best not to think about what’s going on inside the car.