How much water does a NASCAR driver drink during a race? JGR team weighs in
Joe Gibbs Racing's social media team recently weighed in on the amount of water a NASCAR driver consumes during a race. Using part-time Xfinity Series driver Aric Almirola as an example, the team said drivers drink about a gallon of water throughout a two-and-a-half-hour race.
In a post to Joe Gibbs Racing's Instagram, the team raised the question. During a compilation of Almirola highlights from the season finale race at the Phoenix Raceway, a voiceover could be heard saying that some drivers choose a hydration system in the race car, while some prefer actual water bottles.
The voice claimed that Almirola prefers bottled water and showed clips of his #20 JGR team handing him bottles through the window during pit stops.
"They'll start with one bottle in the car and get new ones when they make pit stops," the team said. "Aric Almirola started with one water bottle and got bottles number two, three, four, and five when making pit stops."
While the driver was given a new bottle on nearly every pit stop in the race, JGR said they may not finish drinking every bottle. Still, the team said it's close to a gallon consumed per race.
"While he [Almirola] may not finish each bottle, this is close to a gallon of water over a two-and-a-half hour race."
Almirola went on to finish third in the final race of the 2024 season at Phoenix, capping off his first part-time year with JGR. The 40-year-old won three races in 2024, including at the Kansas Speedway and both at the Martinsville Speedway.
The Florida native parted ways with Stewart-Haas Racing in the Cup Series at the end of the 2023 season after six years with the team, where he picked up two victories. Almirola has seven victories in the Xfinity Series and three wins in the Cup Series.
Brad Keselowski once sparked controversy by throwing a water bottle out of his car during a NASCAR race
In the closing laps of the 2012 NRA American Warrior 300 Xfinity Series race at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, Brad Keselowski tossed a water bottle out of his car. A short time later, a caution was called.
Prior to that, Kevin Harvick was in prime position to win after dominating much of the race. However, he was passed on the final lap by Ricky Stenhouse Jr. for the victory.
In the post-race press conference, a furious Harvick explained how Keselowski throwing the bottle onto the racing surface brought out the caution and ultimately cost him the win.
"It's pretty obvious," Harvick said. "They put it on TV and showed the caution came out the same lap. He [Keselowski] told me after the race that he never threw a water bottle out, and you know what that means. He told me it was intentional."
Keselowski, meanwhile, said he tossed the bottle onto the track 15-20 laps before the caution was called and was surprised to hear that the caution was called because of it.
"I guess that's why I was caught off guard with the water bottle caused the yellow," Keselowski said. "I'm not going to say I didn't throw a water bottle. Heck yeah. I threw about three of them out through the course of the race."
Harvick retired from full-time NASCAR competition at the end of the 2023 season and is now part of the FOX Sports broadcast team. Keselowski now co-owns RFK Racing and snapped a three-year winless drought this season at Darlington.