How Do NASCAR Drivers Select Their Fire Suits?

On-track incidents that include massive fires are not uncommon in NASCAR. Just a week ago, NASCAR Xfinity Series Ryan Sieg’s number 39 Ford caught a major fire ending his day. That one incident and many others throughout the history of NASCAR is enough to point out the danger that lurks around the nook and corner of the sport.

The cars that the teams field are expensive for sure, but at the end of the day, they are replaceable. A car getting destroyed by fire or by a wreck is not the end of the world. But if the driver is injured by any means, the team will suffer damage that would prove to be too pricey. Therefore, protecting the driver is a must. And that's why the driver's fire suit is such an important element in the list that reads ‘driving gear’.

But do the drivers get a say in choosing their driving suits? Let's find out.

Can NASCAR drivers choose their fire suits?

The simplest answer to that question would be yes they can. A Joe Gibbs Racing video from last year explained it further. The video explained that every driver at Joe Gibbs Racing has their own custom-made fire suit. They can choose their brands and measurements. “Each gets a say in which is more comfortable to them and then it's made with their exact measurements and preferences,” the video revealed.

“PR and branding take care of the communications so that the firesuit company knows what needs to be on the fire suit and then it gets sent off to the driver and the sponsor for approval,” they added. It goes to say that the fire suit plays an inconspicuous role in the professional life of a NASCAR driver. But what is so special about the fire suit that makes it such an important piece of racing equipment?

What is the fire suit made of?

There was a time when the drivers would simply slide in a pair of rugged jeans and a plain t-shirt before buckling themselves to the seat of a stock car. Other racing equipment like gloves or helmets were not mandatory even though some chose to wear them. But those years are long gone.

NASCAR Hall of Famer Tim Flock was one of the first drivers to use what we call the modern fire suit today. However, what he wore was not designed to fight fire and, therefore, was more like a uniform and less of a fire suit. During the 1960s, the drivers even dipped their uniforms in a mixture of baking soda to make them fireproof. But certainly, it didn't produce the results that they had expected.

The modern fire suit worn by drivers today is made of a substance known as Nomex, a special fire-resistant fiber that is manufactured by DuPont. When NASCAR's popularity started hitting the boom during the 1980s, the fire suits started becoming a way for the sponsors to endorse their brand name as well as keep their drivers out of danger.