I'm worried about the heat/ventilation because lately it has been so hot here that Cody is miserable if he is in the car for more than 45 minutes, and this is going to be a 5 hour drive. Last year around this time, when I made the trip just to visit, the a/c really didn't help much. I think it's just the humidity in NC, it's horrible. I just want it to be as safe and as comfortable as possible for him.
renaultf1, situating his crate behind and between the seats sounds like the best bet. Thank you for the suggestion.
dmcarty, thanks, and I will definitely look into the fans.