NASCAR monitoring heat and carbon monoxide inside cars

The thermometer hovered at 102 degrees just prior to Friday's qualifying at Infineon Raceway, which means the temperature inside the Sprint Cup cars was much hotter. Not to worry. NASCAR is monitoring the situation. The governing body began last week at Michigan International Speedway monitoring the heat inside the new cars after several drivers complained that they were hotter than the old cars. They also began doing random tests for carbon monoxide to guarantee nobody was at risk. The findings were just what officials anticipated, that cars with proper ventilation, vents and insulation had no problem. For example, the temperature inside the car of Brian Vickers was 130 degrees, compared to 105 for another. "You start looking at the cars and say how can this be, they're all the same?" series director John Darby said. "Well, the 105 degree car didn't have a lot of vents and stuff in it, but they did take the time to insulate the floorboard and put insulation around the exhaust pipes. There's so many little things that make a difference that if you want to do them you can do them." Darby said none of the eight to 10 drivers tested for carbon monoxide at Michigan showed a dangerous level. ESPN.com