This weekend’s Coke 600 at Charlotte marks the end of a five week southern swing of races. The stretch included stops at Talladega, Richmond, Darlington, and Lowes; all being within about a six hour drive from Charlotte. These races close to home allow the teams to regroup and prepare for the busy summer ahead.
After this weekend’s races, both the Nationwide and Cup Series schedules kick into high gear. The NNS goes seventeen straight races, with their next off weekend not happening until September. And the Cup cars will also log some serious miles with upcoming stops at Dover, Pocono, Sonoma, and Michigan. The long schedule means more days away from home and less time to prepare race cars.
The tough schedule ahead affects the “A” team crew members the most. This includes the mechanics and hauler drivers. They are the ones dealing with long days at the shop and longer days on the road. For many guys in the Cup series, they won’t get home until late Sunday or early Monday. They then work in the shop until Wednesday, when they are back on a plane again headed for the next track. And the truck drivers may only get one day back home to resupply, load, and then hit the road again.
Teams will take the opportunities afforded to them by racing close to home to get as prepared as possible for upcoming races so they aren’t scrambling last minute trying to put cars together. Having cars built and setup early for future races makes life easier on everyone. And if their driver happens to wad one up, there is less pressure to get the car repaired and back in the rotation because other cars in the fleet are already to race.
The strain on the crew’s personal lives is also a little less during these weeks. They get to spend an extra day or two a week at home and sleeping in their own beds, which is always good. Plus, races close to Charlotte allow friends and family to get pit passes and come hang out while we race. Those pit pass lists are always a little fuller, and a little tougher to add to during these weeks.
Personally, I enjoy off days as much as the next guy. I’ve used the last few weeks to charge my batteries and spend some time with loved ones. But I love what I do and look forward to every opportunity I get to be at the track. I’m certainly ready to dive in head first and tackle a busy summer. It should be fun!
**Just a quick side note, we were able to recently make a significant acquisition to add to our blog. On top of having www.TheNASCARInsiders.com as our web address, we’ve also added www.NASCARInsiders.com as well. Feel free to use either to find us online!
