What NASCAR drivers eat before 500-mile races — and how they avoid uncomfortable 'gut bombs'

From a bucket of chicken to skyline chili, NASCAR drivers told us what the best and worst pre-race meals are.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Deciding what to eat before climbing into a race car for 500 miles is a delicate balance between guaranteeing you have enough energy to aggressively compete for several hours but ensuring you don’t have to relieve yourself in the middle of the race (without getting out of the car).

Sunday’s Daytona 500 — along with the rest of the NASCAR Cup Series’ schedule and so many other motor sports series — is as much about endurance as it is speed, especially when temperatures in the car can hit 130 degrees.

So what do NASCAR drivers say is the best pre-race meal to eat? And more importantly, what’s the worst thing, the dish you absolutely want to steer clear of?

For The Win spoke to several drivers at Daytona International Speedway this week about their food preferences before racing. Here’s what they had to say about how they keep their stomachs cool and avoid disasters.

Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Chevrolet

“I would think a big Mexican meal would probably be one of the worst things to eat. Best would be a nice Italian, carb-loading pasta session.”

Joey Logano, No. 22 Ford

(Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

“The best thing you can have is something bland, normal. Chicken, unless I have some salmon or something like that. And I usually throw a lot of barbecue sauce on it because that’s my jam.”

Barbecue sauce on salmon?

“Yeah, barbecue sauce on everything. … I was having eggs this morning and I had barbecue sauce on my eggs because it’s good!

“Worst? Worst would be something that upsets your stomach, obviously, because you’re stuck in there. Spicy foods may not be a good one. … Raisins and grapes don’t really mesh well for me. But it’s different for everybody. Everybody’s got their thing.”

Clint Bowyer, No. 14 Ford

“I would not eat a bowl of chili before the race. I would say the answer to that is: Just imagine yourself in those gut bombs you have after whatever meal it is. Thats’s not the one I would eat before a four-hour where you’re strapped in a race car and can’t move. You gotta have a little wiggle room when you eat something like that.

“Forever, I’ve always said khaki colors only, you know, meat, cheese and the bun. Don’t venture out anything. Just eat something clean. Winner, winner, chicken dinner’s never wrong. I always grew up around racers like, ‘Absolutely no chicken.’ I’m like, ‘Haven’t you ever heard winner, winner, chicken dinner?’

“We used to win all the time after eating a bucket of chicken on the way to the races.”

Brad Keselowski, No. 2 Ford

“Best: chicken. Worst: ice cream. Ice cream in a race car is going to make some things happen to your body that you don’t want to happen.”

(Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports)

Martin Truex Jr., No. 19 Toyota

“There’s a lot of things you probably shouldn’t . Anything spicy is probably a bad idea. I keep it simple: Chicken and rice, maybe steak and rice, a little salad. Nothing too heavy that’s going to upset your stomach, obviously.”

Kurt Busch, No. 1 Chevrolet

“The worst pre-race meal is something spicy. You don’t want that happening the wrong way during the race. I did some pasta back in the day trying to load up on some carbs, and, no pun intended, that just felt noodley.

“So I switched to a turkey sandwich, and I’ve been doing a turkey sandwich for the last 20 years.

Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Ford

“The best, for what I like, I’m a big chicken guy, rice, and corn. Corn’s pretty good, but mainly chicken and rice.

“Worst would be like Thai food or something. You don’t want something spicy that’s going to upset your stomach. The last thing you want in there when you’re on mile 250 out of 500 is your stomach starts rumbling because you ate some spicy food, and it’s not going to end well.”

Darrell “Bubba” Wallace Jr., No. 43 Chevrolet

(Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports)

“Probably nothing spicy for pre-race. The best stuff? Probably some pasta. We’ll do that or some grilled chicken. Bob Evans’ mashed potatoes, phenomenal if you haven’t had those.

Seems kind of heavy.

“Maybe that’s my problem. I need to change up my diet. But I like what I like, and I’m gonna keep doing it!”

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Chevrolet

“I keep it safe a lot of times and go with grilled fish or chicken and rice and some vegetables. Worst thing: Probably some tacos. Any and all.”

Austin Dillon, No. 3 Chevrolet

“Man, the worst thing I ate was peanut butter and jelly one time. I had like, acid reflux or something and I was burping the whole race. I never use peanut butter before the race. I don’t know why. I like peanut butter. That was not fun.

“Best thing? Some type of bar. Something really stale and easy on your stomach. I do some wraps, but I’ve got to be careful with that too. I just keep it super light.

“I eat a big breakfast, and then hopefully that moves through my system. If you want to know my bowel movements, I can record them for you and give them to you.”

No thanks.

Erik Jones, No. 20 Toyota

“The best thing? Chicken and vegetables, salad maybe.

“The worst thing? I know a guy who ate skyline chili — I don’t know if everybody knows what that is, it’s a midwestern thing — ate some skyline chili before a race. Didn’t work very good for him. I stay away from that. I eat the light stuff.”

Ross Chastain, No. 77 Chevrolet

(Chris Trotman/Getty Images)

Well, the best is a watermelon. There’s just no way around that, OK? Goodness gracious. Everybody should know that.

Obviously, from a watermelon farmer.

“The worst for me is anything spicy. I’m a pretty bland guy, like ketchup is a spice to me. You put ketchup on something, that’s doing something. I’m very bland. I’m like baked chicken with barbecue sauce on it is an ideal spice palette for me.”

Tyler Reddick, No. 8 Chevrolet

“I love eating seafood. On top of that, I like eating sashimi. That could either be the best thing or worst thing before you get in the race car.”

Is that what you usually eat?

“I wish I had the ability to do that. I just keep it simple and light. A little bit of grilled chicken, a wrap or something like that. Maybe a salad. I like to eat — really eat good during the week, so I can get to the race weekend and then try and clean up what I eat so my body isn’t pissed off I ate too much of one thing.”