NASCAR Pit Crews: The Unsung Heroes Of Race Day

 In The Buzz
NASCAR season is well underway for the year! The big Daytona 500 race has come and gone and we’ve already had a couple different race winners in the past few weeks. It’s exciting to see all the racers back in the game and darting around the track in the hopes of winning first place prize. Certainly, these drivers possess an immense amount of skill to maneuver race cars at speeds of up to 200 miles per hour. But, in order to keep the cars fully functional during the race, all NASCAR drivers need one other essential tool – a skilled set of mechanics on their pit crews. The Evolution Of The Pit Crew In the very beginning of NASCAR, pit crews weren’t as essential as they are today. It wasn’t until the early 1950s when races started to stretch into the 500 mile lengths (with the Southern 500 race) that drivers realized their cars needed to be serviced while the race flew by them. In the early days, the crews used old fashioned bumper jacks and 4-way tire irons to replace the wheels on the car. It wasn’t until closer to 1955 that we began to see more modern air tools and floor jacks come into the game. Over the years, there have also been a lot of conversations around the speed at which the pit crews work. Of course, a speedy crew is essential to getting back into the race. However, this was not always the norm. The Wood Brothers were the first to make the quick-as-lightening pit crew a reality when they reworked all of their tools and strategies into a choreographed performance. Today, a team of six mechanics can have a car maintenanced in about 12 seconds! Pit Crew Positions In NASCAR today, the pit crew consists of six active mechanics, including the following:
  • Rear tire carrier
  • Rear tire changer
  • Front tire carrier
  • Front tire changer
  • Gas man
  • Jack man
The pit crew can also include other supporting members behind the wall to help during the race:
  • Crew chief – develops strategy for pit stops
  • Car chief – executes adjustments to strategy based on car needs
  • Support crew – rolls tires, hands tools, untangle hoses
  • Extra man – sometimes aloud by NASCAR over the boundary to wipe the windshield and assist driver
All of these members work as a team to ensure they have the best strategy to keep the driver safe and the car going as fast as possible. As you can see, the NASCAR pit crews have come a long way from their early days. From changing all the tires to giving the car a full tank of gas, the pit crew is responsible for making sure the race car can to finish the entire race. Because of this, we want to recognize the dedicated pit crews as the unsung heroes of NASCAR.

  • “Bar-B-Que sauce is easy enough to clean up when it’s on your fingers and lips, but it’s an entirely different story when a five-gallon jug of it ruptures and flows onto a warehouse floor. SpillFix was applied to the entire disaster area – from the pallet to the cardboard, the shrink wrap and the growing puddle on the floor. In three and a half minutes, the entire mess was cleaned, and the warehouse was restored to a safe workplace again — using just one product.”

    Warehouse Supervisor, Food Manufacturing

  • "I have yet to encounter a spill or leak this product can’t handle. Without SpillFix, my job would be much more difficult to achieve. I fully give this product a 100% success. I’ve been working here for almost 8 years. Best thing I’ve ever used in my job to date." Read case study.

    Ground Operations Administrator, FedEX

  • "Our company mission is all about sustainability so SpillFix is a great fit for us."

    John C., Oil & Steel Industry

  • "I’ve been in this business for a long time, and I’ve never seen anything like it." Read case study.

    Scott B, Maintenance Manager

  • "SpillFix left no residue removing any slip and fall threat to our workers."

    Chris B., Heavy Manufacturing Industry

  • "The most important thing for us is that the product works, and it does." Read case study.

    Travis B., Operations Manager

  • "SpillFix played an essential role to get us LEAN Certified."

    Anonymous

  • "SpillFix is the fastest, easiest and the most effective absorbent we have ever used. Hands down."

    Tim O., Manufacturing Industry

  • "SpillFix helps us keep spills under control in dorms, cafeterias and other common areas. Huge savings in disposal costs and maintenance and repairs deferred."

    Joe K., Higher Education Sector

  • "SpillFix cleans the spills up on our floors better than the previous current products. However, the cleaning has to be done correctly, this is a watch-out-change for our team. In the past, we put down our current product and walked away for a few hours or a day. SpillFix should be cleaned up right away." Read case study.

    Fleet Manager, Beverage Manufacturer
0