After winter like conditions over the first two weeks of the 2026 NASCAR season, the teams travelled to Texas…and some summer like weather with temperatures in the 80’s and track temperatures of over 100 at Circuit of the Americas.

Drivers pulled out the cool suits to try and keep their body temps down in the hot cars.  But unfortunately not all of them worked as planned.

During the third stage of the race, Alex Bowman reported that he was not feeling very well.  Part time driver Myatt Snider was serving as a pit road spotter for FOX broadcaster Jamie Little and quickly hopped into a fire suit to take over the driving duties in the number 48 car for Bowman.  It was the first time that Snider had driven a Cup Series car; he is a Craftsman Truck and O’Reilly Auto Series driver.

There was no report of whether Bowman had a cool suit – a “shirt” with coils running through

it to carry water to help cool the driver’s core.  But when the suit fails, the water can literally boil and burn the driver.

President and general manager of Hendrick Motorsports Jeff Andrews reported on Bowman saying, “it was an unexpected situation. Alex wasn’t feeling well enough to continue, so we made the call to get him out of the car.   It came on suddenly. He was seen in the care center and received fluids, but we don’t have anything further to share at this time. We’re grateful to Myatt for stepping in on such short notice.”

As Tyler Reddick was celebrating his third win of the season, fans saw AJ Allmendinger climb from his number 16 car and collapse to the ground.  He had reported earlier in the race that his cool suit had failed but managed to hold on long enough to earn a top 10 finish on the road course.

“The Dinger” was taken to the infield care center via stretcher and ambulance where he received medical help and was released.

Kaulig Racing posted an update via social media saying Allmendinger was an “Absolute warrior”; adding that he, “will be okay.”

Allmendinger responded via social media saying, “All Good!”

The drivers head for the desert and Phoenix this weekend.