There was a time when NASCAR drivers did not need cooling shirts. However, today, most of them can’t survive the extreme heat inside their cockpits without these liquid-cooled vests. Usually worn inside the firesuit, the cooling shirt (or vest) contains medical-grade tubes that circulate cold water from an onboard cooler.

Now the question is: Why didn’t past drivers like Richard Petty, David Pearson, Cale Yarborough, and Dale Earnhardt Sr. rely on cool shirts? Well, Todd Gordon, who served as Joey Logano’s crew chief from 2013 to 2019, seems to have the answer.

Back then, cars didn’t heat up as much as they do today in the NextGen era. Speaking with SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Gordon explained:

“The radiator air actually ducks out of the hood. And it’s to try to keep that air comes in the front and goes out the ducks in a hood. Well that air, that hot air coming out of the radiator, ends up wrapping around the A-post and into the cabin.”

“And we even have, and in order to create this car was much hotter than the old cars,” Gordon further stated. “Because now all that engine heat and radiator heat is actually dumping out on the hood.”

The NextGen car also has a new exhaust system that runs directly under the driver, thus transferring extreme heat into the cockpit. Furthermore, drivers are needed to keep the windows on the right side of their cars rolled up before a race, which traps even more heat inside.

2022 marked the first season of competition for the NextGen machine. Joey Logano won the championship that year, marking his second titular win. Most recently, he won his third Cup Series championship in November 2024.

Joey Logano is all set to drive his first retro livery of the 2026 NASCAR season

This coming Sunday at Phoenix, Joey Logano will be seen driving a special livery on his No. 22 Team Penske Ford Mustang. Notably, it’s all part of the team’s 60th anniversary celebration in 2026.

The livery is also an unmistakable tribute to the Bathurst 1000, one of the most iconic endurance races in the world. Each year, the Bathurst 1000 is held on the Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia.

And Logano’s car will be a close replica of the Mustang that Scott McLaughlin and Alexandre Prémat drove en route to their 2019 Bathurst 1000 victory. On that note, Team Penske on X posted:

“Bringing a classic back. Joey Logano will be running the 2019 Bathurst 1000-winning livery for Phoenix this weekend.”

All eyes are now on Phoenix Raceway, which will host this coming Sunday’s (March 8) Cup Series event. Fans can watch it live on FS1, starting at 3:30 pm ET, or listen to exclusive radio updates on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.