Timed To Perfection

In a highly synchronized ballet, 3,300 pounds of Brad Keselowski’s Gen 6 car flies down pit row looking to dance with six flesh and blood warriors for about 12 seconds. Men and machine meet in a choreographed series of movements executed to perfection.  It’s time to pay tribute to these highly skilled teammates, whose performance during a pit stop can make or break Keselowski’s standing out on the track during the race. Yes, I’m talking about Brad’s pit crew, and I think they deserve a word of thanks for their efforts on and off the track.

A lot of the magic also happens down in the pit box, and most of the time, the crew’s valiant efforts go somewhat unappreciated.

They are there each week in a narrow pit stall alongside 42 other teams, all battling for the win: Front tire changer, front tire carrier, rear tire changer, rear tire carrier, jack man and gas man. 

As I sat in front of the television cheering on pole winner Brad in the Camping World RV Sales 301 at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway, I began thinking about what was taking place down on pit row at the Magic Mile.  Brad does an incredible job driving as we all know, but it occurred to me that a lot of the magic also happens down in the pit box, and most of the time, the crew’s valiant efforts go somewhat unappreciated.

Pit crews have been an important part of Nascar since its creation in the 1940s, but they’ve come a long way since those days of pre-impact wrench tire changes, and hand-written communication boards instead of radios. With the evolution of crews from the past, who have morphed into the world class talents we see in the pits today, fitness and agility are the gold standard used when putting together this part of the team. Pit crews now train as vigorously as any other professional athletes because Nascar teams have discovered that these qualities have a direct effect on pit stop times as well as race results. A stellar pit stop time in the box can actually move a car up in track position, and be a major part of making it into victory lane.

In an excellent article, ESPN.com writer David Newton explained that crew members train in specialized facilities, and work out with the same intensity as other professional teams do. David wrote that when Brad originally came to the Penske team, he “saw the importance of physical fitness for the entire team, and had a big part in the building of the team weight room.”

Cardiovascular fitness and resistance training help increase athletic speed, and the quicker a tire changer or jack man gets to his position, the quicker the resulting pit stop can be. Hours are now spent at training facilities working out during the week, in addition to practicing pit stops in preparation for the few seconds an actual in-race pit stop takes.

Facing danger week after week, being able to remain cool under intense pressure and maintaining the ability to think on their feet when things get crazy are all a part of the emotional make-up of these talented pit crew members. Each must work to perfection during a pit stop. If they drop the ball, the rest of the pit stop goes down like a row of dominoes. That is a lot of pressure to work under. Every fraction of a second is critical to the race outcome. It takes both physical as well as mental toughness to perform this important job on the racing team and for this reason, I think Brad himself would agree, the No. 2 Pit Crew deserves our appreciation for the job they do each week.

So, thanks guys, for all that you do for Brad and the team. You make a difficult, dangerous job look pretty cool.