Jun 2nd, 2011 by T.C.
Pit road can be a very busy place. During a round of pit stops under caution there are crews flying around, cars fighting for position, and tires and fuel everywhere. But pit stops are hardly the busiest part of the race on pit road. There is no bigger circus at any time during a race weekend than the one you’ll find on pit road right before a race.
Combine 43 race cars, every driver, the necessary crew guys, NASCAR officials, PR people, reporters, photographers, team execs, sponsor reps, team and sponsor guests, friends and family, and every race fan that can beg, borrow, and steal their way out onto pit road and you’ve got one hell of a party.
Inside this big mass of people and race cars you’ll see that some drivers draw bigger crowds than others. And as you might guess, it’s the usual suspects. Want to get a quick picture or Dale Jr.’s autograph before your favorite race? Better take a number. You’ll be lucky to get within 50 feet of the 88. JR Nation is alive and well, and they congregate around their driver. Most of the big name drivers will be enveloped by similar mobs. Everybody is clamoring to get a chance to rub shoulders with NASCAR’s best.
Besides certain drivers, there are also certain tracks that are worse than others. And again, they are the tracks you’d expect. Races at tracks like Daytona, Charlotte, and the Brickyard always seem to draw the biggest grid crowds.
With so many people about, it can be a little difficult at times to get some of our race prep stuff done. Tasks like laying down our tape marks for pit stops have to wait until pit road is cleared and cars are rolling around during pace laps. And I bet the NASCAR and track security people pull their hair out trying to keep track of everyone’s credentials.
As big a pain as it can be at times, it can also be seriously entertaining. People watching is one of my favorite race track activities, and pre-race is one of the best times to do so. Words like “zoo” and “circus” often don’t even begin to describe it.
TheNASCARInsiders.com
Follow the Insiders on Twitter or be a fan on Facebook!
