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During the race, pit road can be a busy place. Under cautions, it’s not uncommon for 30 or more cars to hit pit road for service. When that happens, teams are at the mercy of those around them in regard to how they can get in and out of their pit stall. But during green flag pit stops, crew chiefs actually work together to give their drivers the best chance of getting on and off pit road quickly. By coordinating with their neighbors on when they come in for service, crew chiefs can ensure their drivers have a clean shot in and out of their pit stall.
What you often hear about, is crew chiefs coordinating with each other during superspeedway races like we just had at Talladega. In those cases, they are usually trying to work out drafting deals and figure out when they can come to pit road with their partners. But this type of collaboration isn’t just limited to Daytona and Talladega. It actually happens almost every week.
Once you are aware of what is going on, these interactions between rival crew chiefs can be interesting to witness. In the days of advanced technology with computers and digital radios, guys are usually reduced to yelling, hand signals, and sending runners from pit box to pit box.
Since the teams aren’t wired together, and with noise being an obstacle, the first challenge is getting your neighbor’s attention. From there, the goal is to figure out when the cars to your left and right are coming to pit road so you can come the lap before or after. By working together to stagger pit stops, everybody gets the best possible chance to gain or maintain track position.
It’s the little intricacies like this that make racing truly interesting. When I talk to new race fans, and those attending races for the first time, they often say that they didn’t realize how complex and involved it all was. The quote is usually something like “I just thought it was guys going in circles.” Those of us in the sport and the educated race fan know different. These interactions between rival crew chiefs are a small, but vital aspect to giving a driver the best possible chance to win.
There was an interesting piece today on NASCAR.com where Joe Menzer and Bill Kimm faced off about whether or not Chase teams should be allowed to make pit crew changes. They referenced the changes that have happened to Kevin Harvick’s team the last two years, and the mid-race change for the #48 at Texas last season. Kimm was against allowing changes, saying that no other sport allows changes to playoff rosters. I disagree, and instead side with Menzer in the debate. Teams should be allowed to make whatever changes they see fit, and at whatever time. NASCAR is a performance based business, and teams must be able to make changes when they are needed.
If NASCAR instituted some sort of roster rule, I believe it would actually create more problems than it would solve. First, when is the deadline for roster moves? If its something where teams can’t make changes before the Chase starts, everyone will just make their changes before hand. Second, what does a team do if they have an injury to a pit crew guy during the Chase? They are going to have to fill that spot. So if the roster rule has some sort of provision that allows for backups at each spot in case of injury, what’s to stop a team from reporting an injury or two just to make a change? NASCAR teams are known for finding ways to circumvent the rules, and we’ve seen a recent memo from the NFL regarding faking injuries, so you’d know it would happen in our sport.
From a team standpoint, it’s important to understand that they are trying to do everything possible to give their Chase drivers a shot at the championship. And at every multi-car team, there is going to be one pit crew that is better than the other(s). So if they can slide guys around to strengthen a team, they are going to do it. It certainly sucks if you are on the crew that gets replaced, but this isn’t little league racing. There is a lot at stake and we are all grown men. If you don’t like it, go find something else to do.
I also want to point out that I don’t think these moves give the affected drivers some sort of advantage. It isn’t like these Chase teams are sacking other teams to put together some sort of super pit crew. Everybody has contracts these days, and changes are just happening within organizations. And as close as the competition is on pit road, there isn’t a huge difference in the skill and ability of the top pit crews. Swapping the 33 guys to Harvick’s team might mean more consistency during stops, but he isn’t magically going to get 10 or 11 second stops. That bunch is still the same group that has pitted Bowyer’s car all year.
I think fans need to remember that races can be lost on pit road, but they cannot be won there. The crews can help put their drivers in the right position, but there is no finish line at the end of pit road. What a solid, consistent pit crew does, is allow their driver to be the reason why a race is won or lost. That’s really all we are asked to do.
As we head towards the weekend, I’ve got a couple of topics I wanted to cover regarding the recent goings on surrounding pit road.
New Gas Man Rule NASCAR announced a few weeks back that gas men are no longer allowed to attempt extra work while fueling the car during pit stops. What the rule was intended to do was put an end to gas men doing chassis adjustments or assisting with chassis adjustments while fueling the car. There were a few gas guys on pit road that were either doing adjustments themselves, or setting the wrench for their rear tire carrier. But if you’ve watched pit stops since the rule was implemented, you haven’t noticed a difference. And the reason you haven’t noticed a difference is because the rule really only affected a few teams. Teams are continuing to experiment with ways to speed up pit stops with the new fueling rules, and this was one method that NASCAR decided they weren’t okay with. But for most teams, it was no harm, no foul.
RCR’s New Pit Crew Coach Following a rough outing for Kevin Harvick’s pit crew on Sunday at Michigan, SPEEDTV.com’s Tom Jensen reported Monday that RCR had released it’s pit crew coach, Matt Clark. Clark had been with the team since 2008. RCR has since replaced Clark with Eric Wilson. Wilson is currently the jackman for Harvick’s #29 pit crew and was a jackman and coach for Richard Petty Motorsports last season.
Not Every Crew Change Gets A Press Release Within the last two seasons, we’ve seen some very notable changes happen within individual pit crews. The ongoing saga of the #48′s pit crew is the best example. The whole team was replaced mid race last year at Texas, and the crew is on it’s third front changer of the 2011 season. But I wanted to point out that there have been plenty of other changes this season to crews that didn’t get covered by the media. Pitting race cars is a tough business, and guys are going to lose their spots from time to time. It only becomes news when it happens to the five time defending champion or someone similar. If you are ever curious who is pitting for your favorite driver, check out Jayski’s pit crew pages. He does a solid job keeping track of who is where and updates when changes happen.
By now, I’m sure you know by heart the story behind Jimmie Johnson’s pit crew. The team struggles at Texas, gets replaced by Jeff Gordon’s crew for the remainder of the Chase, and all but a few are gone at season’s end. Coming into 2011, Chad Knaus decided to go in a different direction with his pit crews. Over the off season, the team held a ton of tryouts and brought in a big group of younger guys. His plan was to send the fastest six guys from the week’s practices over the wall during that week’s race. It would be the ultimate earn your spot crew. I told you in January that I thought it was a bad idea, and I’m being proven correct.
Before this last week’s race at Michigan, Johnson had a few quotes and comments about the situation and how it’s going. To hear him and Knaus talk, you’d think things were going well. In reality though, race fans have watched the team struggle at times this season. There have certainly been some bright spots, but there have also been some missteps. And those missteps have led to Knaus making changes. The front changer and front carrier were swapped out a few races back, but we’ve seen the new tandem make some mistakes recently. If that continues, expect more changes.
Like I said in my post back in January, the really good pit crews are those that have worked together for a while. Really tight pit stops only happen when guys know each other really well, and can anticipate each other’s every move. If a mistake happens, the team rallies, makes a correction, and keeps digging. Teamwork like that only comes from continuity. Knaus has dismissed this completely.
What every smart pit crew coach and crew chief understands is that mistakes are going to happen on pit road. There is just too much happening very quickly, and in very tight spaces for things to go right all the time. The guys who stick around on pit road for many years are those who are able to quickly forget about mistakes and get right back to business. A guy who is constantly worried about making one small mistake and getting replaced won’t be at the top of his game. He’s too focused on not screwing up, when he should be focused on staying loose and doing things right.
The pit crew situation at Hendrick Motorsports is really an interesting dichotomy. On one hand we’ve got Knaus with his brilliant plan, and on the other we’ve got the rest of the teams using the traditional method. The 88 and 5 pit crews consist of veteran guys who’ve been together for some time. The 24 crew has a mix of veteran and younger guys, but they have been kept together. You know the result.
At the end of the day, I feel bad for those six who strap up and don Lowe’s firesuits each week. In some sense, they are behind before they even start. They are already responsible for servicing the race car for the reigning five-time champ, but because of their leader’s plan, they are subject to an extra helping of pressure. Instead of hearing “hey, we’ve got your back and we support you,” they get “hey, don’t screw up or you’re out.” Not a great message. And everyone in the garage sees it, except for Chad Knaus.
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.
As we get ready for Darlington this week, pit crew coaches across the sport are preparing their crews for what will be a busy night of work. The Lady in Black is a unique track and it creates a lot of challenges for the teams. From it’s abrasive surface and looming walls, to it’s uncommon shape, Darlington always demands a lot from the pit crews.
Since the track was repaved in 2008, the surface hasn’t been quite as hard on tires as it had been previously. Fresh asphalt and a smoother surface are the reasons why. But as the asphalt continues to age, it will start to return to it’s historically abrasive self. This means lap times are sure to fall off quickly as the tires wear, which will place a large premium on fresh tires. Drivers and crew chiefs will want to take advantage of every opportunity to come get four fresh skins, and that equates to a lot of pit stops. With fuel mileage already dictating somewhere in the neighborhood of eight pit stops, you can be sure pit road is going to be a busy place all night.
Just like we saw last weekend at Richmond, this weekend’s race will start in the early evening, and end late under the lights. As the race progresses, you’ll see the handling characteristics of the cars change based on the track’s conditions. The teams build adjustability into the cars, especially on nights like this, so they can keep up with the changing race track. And it will be on the pit crews to execute those changes. Besides bolting on four fresh tires, crews will be making trackbar and wedge adjustments, pushing in and pulling out spring rubbers, possibly adding grill tape, and adding or removing front shims. A stop without some sort of adjustment becomes the exception, not the norm, even for the fast cars.
If there is one thing everybody always remembers about this track, it’s that famous “Darlington Stripe.” The fastest way around the track requires the cars to run right up against the wall through the corners, and that leads to plenty of chances for drivers to hit said wall. Besides making adjustments and changing tires, many pit crews will be tasked with fixing and clearing bent sheet metal from these brushes with the red and white retaining wall. Darlington is a fast race track, and aerodynamics are important here. Damaged front fenders will make any race car handle poorly on a fast track.
The pit work I’ve talked about in this post is not really any different than what is expected out of teams on a weekly basis, but Darlington seems to amp up the importance. Whoever comes home with the win on Saturday night (and Friday night) will most certainly have had a very good night on pit road. Why? Because the Lady in Black always seems to penalize mistakes just a little bit more.
As we get ready to head to Talladega this weekend, pit crew coaches across the sport will spend the week preaching to their crews about the importance of not making mistakes. Even if it means pit stops take a few extra seconds than normal, it’s more important to get things right, than it is to have quick stops. Why? Because pit stops in the new era of superspeedway racing really don’t matter.
In a world where races often have multiple leaders per lap, the importance of track position has been lowered. Cars can go from the back to the front, or front to the back, very quickly. Having blazing fast pit stops and picking up spots on pit road is really not worth the risk of possibly having dropped lugnuts, loose wheels, and other mistakes. Obviously crew chiefs don’t want slow stops, but there is less of a focus on being quick, and more of a focus on being mistake free.
Besides the nature of the racing, another reason why pit stops mean less has to do with the tires. Now that both Daytona and Talladega have new surfaces, tire wear over the course of a race has become a non-issue. Some even said that it may have been possible to run the entire Daytona 500 on one set of tires! In any case, crew chiefs want to spend the least amount of time on pit road possible, and if they don’t need to take tires, they won’t. At Daytona in February, this led to a lot of fuel only and two tire pit stops.
Something else to keep in mind when watching pit stops this weekend, is that some teams will set the cars up to maximize speed on track, and in turn sacrifice speed on pit road. What I am referring to specifically is the shock package that some teams use. We’ve seen in the past that the front tire changers and carriers will struggle with the right front. When the car is jacked up, the shock won’t bleed down and it causes the right front tire to stay up in the fender. It makes it very difficult for the changers to get the old tire off, and for the carriers to get the new tire in. Not every team has this problem, but it can significantly slow down pit stops for the teams that do.
Like I’ve said here before, races can’t necessarily be won on pit road, but they can certainly be lost there. This weekend, crews will be doing everything possible to ensure the race is decided on the track and not on pit road.
During Sunday’s Jeff Byrd 500 at Bristol, there was a sequence of pit stops in which it was shown on TV that Jimmie Johnson was actually passing cars on pit road. There was some question and discussion about how it could be possible that he would be able to pass cars and not get caught for speeding. In accordance to NASCAR’s rules though, what Johnson and a ton of other drivers do is totally legal. They’ve found a loophole in the system that allows them to legally speed on pit road.
I’m going to attempt to explain how this works, so try and follow along. If you get lost at any point, leave your question in the comment section below and I’ll answer. Here goes…
NASCAR measures the speed of the cars on pit road by segment times. Each pit road is broken into several timing segments. The car’s transponder along with timing & scoring sensors at the beginning and ending of each segment determine segment times. At legal speeds, it takes a certain amount of time (X) to complete a segment. If a car completes a segment in less time than it should legally take to do so, then that car is guilty of speeding. Follow so far?
Okay, now that we’ve established how it works, here’s how they can legally speed. The smart drivers and crew chiefs have figured out at each track where the segments are. They then pick a pit stall in between two timing lines. This means a driver must maintain legal speed until he crosses the timing line before his pit stall. Once over that line, he can hit the throttle and drive into his pit stall over the legal speed limit. Once the pit stop is complete, he can then race out of his stall at a speed over the legal limit, until he reaches the next timing mark, where he then must be at legal speed. What allows for the speeding? The pit stop.
Because a four tire pit stop takes 13ish seconds, it screws up the time for that specific segment. When you take the time it takes for the driver to complete that segment, and add to it the time it takes to complete a pit stop, you’ve got an amount of time that will be way over the legal segment time. Still follow?
I’ll give you an example with some ridiculously hypothetical numbers. Let’s say we are at California, where pit road is 2200 feet. And for our example, let’s say there are ten timing segments (I don’t know how many there are exactly). That means each segment is 220 feet. If pit road speed is 45mph, that means a car can travel 66 feet a second. At 45mph, a car will complete a legal segment in about 3.3 seconds. Now add to that a pit stop that takes 13 seconds. That means a car will be in that specific segment for over 16 seconds. There is no way to illegally “speed” in that segment now. A driver could technically do 200mph into and out of his pit stall and not be guilty of speeding. Crazy right?
So, because pit road speeds are based on these timing segments, and not what a car’s actual speed is at any point on pit road, one can actually legally speed. That’s why Jimmie Johnson was not busted for speeding at Bristol, and why any number of other drivers who do it regularly don’t get busted either. It’s actually quite an art form, although it can be a little unnerving as a pit crew guy to see the car accelerate right before it enters the pit stall.
There are a ton of really smart people who work in this sport, and no matter the rule, somebody will always find a way around it. Welcome to NASCAR.