Heat, severe storms to endanger NASCAR racers and fans at Chicagoland Speedway on Sunday

By Kristina Pydynowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist

It is not just sweltering heat and humidity that NASCAR racers and fans will face at Chicagoland Speedway on Sunday, but also a risk for a severe thunderstorm to cross the region.

The green flag is scheduled to drop for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Camping World 400 race at 2 p.m. CDT Sunday at Chicagoland Speedway, which is located outside of the city's suburb of Joliet.

Summer heat and humidity will be in full control of northern Illinois to end the weekend.

Temperatures at the start of the race will be not far from the day's high of 90 F. When humidity is factored in, AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures will soar to near or past the century mark.

Kevin Harvick drives to the garage during a practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois, on Saturday, June 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Fans will have to take the proper precautions to avoid suffering from heat exhaustion or stroke. Be sure to drink plenty of water and wear light clothing.

If sitting in the direct sun, fans should occasionally leave the stands to cool down in the shade.

Drivers will face even more severe conditions as temperatures inside their vehicles may climb over 130 F.

“We don’t have air conditioners inside our race cars," David Ragan, a driver in NASCAR’s premier division for 11 years, told AccuWeather's Brian Lada when asked how drivers deal with extreme heat.

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"We do have a little bit of fresh air that we pull from outside the race car that’s filtered with carbon monoxide filters, so it is nice to breath at least some clean air, but it’s not cold by any means," Ragan stated.

The heat and humidity may help to fuel a thunderstorm across northern Illinois on Sunday afternoon.

Thunderstorms, which are known as nature's air conditioners, can briefly knock down the temperature. However, the thunderstorms will bring dangers worse than delaying Sunday afternoon's race.

Racers and fans should be prepared to seek shelter to protect against lightning accompanying any thunderstorm. In addition, there is a risk for damaging winds to be produced.

Stands in the racecourse, as well as trees and canopies in surrounding areas are dangerous places to be during a thunderstorm.

"An enclosed, hardtop, metal vehicle can be a safe place to avoid being struck by lightning," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski.

"Even with the risk for storms causing delays, there is a good chance of getting the full race in," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alan Reppert. "Lights there should help with any need to extend the race later in the afternoon and evening."

Those leaving the raceway may face another round of severe weather that can cause travel hazards and disruptions in northern Illinois on Sunday night.

Download the free AccuWeather app to know when thunderstorms are threatening your community. Keep checking back for updates on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.