Raptor Advantage
Race car drivers need to have good aerobic fitness and muscle endurance. They must also be able to maintain mental focus during races lasting 3-4 hours often in very hot environments. Consequently, the ability to delay fatigue, maintain mental focus, and recover from race to race plays an important role in their success. Pit crews also have to train in order to lift heavy objects and perform explosive tasks within a short period of time. The Raptor bar can help race car drivers gain a competitive edge by helping them meet their nutritional needs to optimize performance and recovery.

Race car drivers and their pit crews often have to compete in hot and humid environments for 3-4 hours at a time while wearing protective clothing. This means that race car drivers and their crews are particularly susceptible to dehydration that can lead to poor reaction and mental errors. Therefore, the first goal in optimizing performance of race car drivers is to prevent dehydration. Recent research indicates that athletes may need more electrolytes than typically found in sports drinks in order to maintain hydration during intense exercise. The Raptor bar contains recommended levels of sodium and other electrolytes needed to promote hydration and help reduce the incidence of muscle cramping during exercise. In addition, the Raptor bar contains glycerol which has been shown to help promote fluid retention. Race car drivers and crew members should consume a Raptor bar with fluids before the race and consume fluids during each pit stop and/or frequently during the race in order to maintain hydration and maintain performance.

The second nutritional goal for race car drivers is to provide carbohydrate to sustain blood glucose levels. While people may not think that racing is a demanding sport, race car drivers expend a significant amount of energy steering and shifting and heart rate is typically in the 130 – 160 range. Members of the pit crew also train heavily to be able lift heavy objects and perform high intensity exercise during short periods of time in order to maximize the efficiency of pit stops. Preventing dehydration and fatigue towards the end of the race is particularly important for both the driver and members of the pit crew. The Raptor bar contains a mixture of fast, intermediate, and slow releasing carbohydrates that can provide a sustained release of carbohydrate over time. Ingesting a Raptor bar 30-minutes prior to the race can help maintain carbohydrate availability throughout the event. Pit crew members may also find benefit by ingesting 1/3 to 1/2 of a Raptor bar every hour during the race in order to sustain energy.

The third goal to optimize performance of race car drivers is to help them maintain mental focus throughout the race. Mental focus and concentration often declines throughout a race leading to poor decisions and driving errors. The Raptor bar contains branched chain amino acids (BCAA), taurine, and choline that can help maintain mental focus and concentration throughout the race for both the driver and pit crew.

The fourth nutritional goal to optimize performance of race car drivers is to provide nutrients that can enhance exercise performance. Research has shown that sodium and calcium phosphates and β-alanine can help buffer muscle acidity and increase anaerobic threshold. In addition, sodium phosphate supplementation has been reported to increase maximal aerobic capacity. The Raptor bar contains high levels of sodium and calcium phosphate as well as β-alanine content that can help race car drivers and members of the pit crew maintain performance.

The fifth goal of optimizing performance of race car drivers is to minimize the catabolic and immune-suppressive effects of intense exercise. This is particularly important for race car drivers and pit crew members who have to recover from race to race in order to compete in multiple races over several days. The Raptor bar contains the right amount and type of protein and amino acids that can help minimize catabolism during exercise and promote protein synthesis after exercise. The Raptor bar also contains a rich source of antioxidants (Vitamin E, Vitamin C, selenium, Coenzyme Q10, alpha lipoic acid, and taurine) that have been reported to minimize the effects of intense exercise on muscle damage. In addition, the Raptor bar contains high levels of nutrients that support the immune system (i.e., L-glutamine, Vitamin C, zinc). For race car drivers and members of their pit crew, ingesting a Raptor bar 30-minutes prior to a race can help minimize the catabolic effects of competition.

The final nutritional goal for race car drivers and members of their pit crew is to provide nutrients after races to promote recovery. Ingesting carbohydrate, protein/amino acids, electrolytes, antioxidants, and nutrients that support the immune system can help race car drivers and their crew recover from intense exercise and tolerate training to a better degree.

Exercise

• 3-5 hours per week of aerobic exercise, resistance-training, and stretching to increase aerobic capacity and fitness
  
  
• 3-4 hours of low intensity exercise in hot environments
  
  
• Ability to compete in 2-3 races over a weekend

Nutrition

• Fluids and electrolytes to prevent dehydration
  
  
• Carbohydrate to sustain blood glucose levels and exercise capacity throughout the race
  
  
• Nutrients to help maintain mental focus during races
  
  
• Protein/amino acids and antioxidants to reduce muscle breakdown, oxidative stress, and muscle damage from exercise
  
  
• Nutrients to promote recovery and support the immune system

Refueling

• Consume a high carbohydrate/low fat meal 3-4 hours prior to practices, training sessions, and races
  
  
• Ingest one Raptor bar 30-60 minutes prior to practices, training sessions, and races
  
  
• Consume 1-2 cups of water and/or sports drinks every 15-20 minutes during competition with a goal of not losing more that 2% of body weight (e.g., 3-4 lbs for a 150-200 lbs athlete) as a result of dehydration during exercise
  
  
• If possible, Ingest 1/3 to ½ of a Raptor bar every 1-1.5 hours of competition with 1-2 cups of water and/or sports drink
  
  
• Ingest one Raptor bar within 30 minutes following practice, training sessions, and/or races
  
  
• Consume a high carbohydrate/low fat meal within 2 hours following practice, training sessions, and races
  
  
• Consume enough fluids to regain weight lost from exercise (3 cups per pound lost)
  
  
• Consume Raptor bars as a nutrient dense snack between meals and races