We have written aplenty about all the rules (good, bad, and scandalous) that NASCAR race drivers have to follow, whether they like them or not. But what about the other half of the racing team, the one that makes sure it all goes smoothly? We are talking about the pit crew, the people behind the success of a race run well.
They may not be as famous as the driver or the owner of the team, but they are pivotal to the success of the entire racing team. The amount of stress and pressure these guys are under during the race is overwhelming, and they deserve just as much credit for the win as the driver himself.
And not only do they have to be fast and skilled but they also have to follow a specific set of rules and procedures in order to secure the win for their team. Here are the 15 most important ones.
15 They Can Only Work On The Car Once It's In The Pit Box
They are called the pit crew because there is a defined pit box for every race car to pull in to get work done on it. And the rule is simple, the car has to be within the pit box for the pit crew to be able to work on it – not near, beside or outside. This is done for the safety of the pit crew, as well.
14 The Right Tire Has To Be Changed Before The Left
When a car pulls into the pit box, the left tire is closer to the wall and the pit crew. But it is the right tires that get changed first, perhaps as a time-saving mechanism for the crew. Initially, it was more of a tradition than a rule, but now it's part of the pit crew's code of conduct.
13 The Wheel And Tire Have To Be Held At Arm’s Length
No, not from each other. The tire changers on the pit crew have to maintain an arm’s length of a distance between themselves and the wheels and tires. Of course, every person has a different arm length so it's not as if officials can take a tape measure and go about enforcing this. Mostly, this is a safety rule for the tire changers to prevent any untoward mishaps.
12 A Set Of Prescribed Tools Is All They Can Use
In a bid to rule out any and every kind of unfair advantage, pit crews have to use a set of prescribed tools that NASCAR approves. They cannot just use their custom-made tools on the cars, plus the tools cannot be taken home lest they are secretly tampered with. No modification on the tools is yet another NASCAR rule, enforced pretty strictly.
11 The Fuel Man Is Only Allowed To Man The Fuel
Pit crew members may rotate staff and their duties, but the gas can man, who stands ready with a tank to refuel the car (and ready to catch any stray drops that may cause a fire hazard) can only do that one job. He cannot be pulled in for any other roster, and if the car does not need fuel for a pit stop, he is not allowed over the wall either.
10 Pit Crews Have To Wear Helmets Too
It doesn’t matter if it's a 100 degrees outside, if you are a pit crew member, safety headgear in the form of hard hats and helmets is the norm. And no pit crew member is willing to play fast and loose with the rules, considering the driver depends on them for a job done well and quick, minus any delays.
9 Even With The Pit Crew, There Is A Need For The Speed
As fast and lightning-quick a driver needs to be behind the wheel, to win the race, and also to stay in it minus any crashes; the pit crews need to be speedy as well. It may sound like much, but races are often won with split seconds between the competitors, so pit crews have to be very, very quick about their job. Any pit stop that's over 11-12 seconds is bad news.
8 Pit Crew Members Need To Stay Away From Other Cars
While we doubt there would be any pit crew member willing to risk life and limb just to block a competitor’s car, there is still a rule in place that says they can’t. While this may sound more like a competitive issue, in actuality it is a safety issue put in place to keep everyone alive in a race.
7 Pit Crew Members Are Banned From Watching The Race
While the audience avidly catches the race from the stands, or in the comfort of their homes, pit crew members cannot watch the race. Instead, they have to be raring to go the moment their team car pulls into the pit box, which basically could be any moment the driver or the pit crew chief feels the need for a tire change, an oil change, or refueling.
6 NASCAR Does Not Allow For Too Many Cooks
Because they spoil the broth, that is. New rules state that only five guys can be in a pit at a time, so the crew chief has to think carefully about which ones will jump over the wall. Also, the car has to be fully in the pit box before the crew jumps over, too early and the pit crew can be penalized for their eagerness.
5 Training Days Are Non-Negotiable
The kind of speed that pit crews display does not come innately, they train to become faster and more efficient. More often than not, pit crew members are former athletes themselves, picked because of their speed, agility, and ability to take tough training. Plus, none of the pit crew members are allowed to skip a leg day either.
4 They Have To Be In Proper Gear Suits
The suits that pit crew members wear, much like the NASCAR drivers, aren’t just meant as a uniform for team spirit. They are specially-designed to withstand the wear and tear of a pit crew job and keep the pit crew worker as safe as safe can be in that environment. The suit is non-negotiable as far as NASCAR is concerned.
3 Pit Crew Members Are Not Allowed To Wave Flags
No team member, including the pit crew, is allowed to wave any kind of flag at the cars. The reason is simple, a driver is pretty much in the zone while whizzing past at crazy and constant speeds. NASCAR officials may wave flags to show final laps, or when there is a caution in place. So there are only so many flags that can be waved around, to avoid confusing the drivers.
2 The Lug Nuts Are All Important
There is talk of a single lug nut replacing the customary five in 2021 next-gen NASCAR, but there is still time on that. For now, each crew member is taught how to glue the lug nuts in a manner that they remain on while racing to keep the car and driver safe and sound and are syrupy enough to come off when it's time for a tire change at a pit stop. It sounds simple, but the glue of the lug nuts has to be just right, and there is extensive training given to each member about it.
1 Crew Members Must Know How To Multitask
In 2018, NASCAR introduced and enforced the five-pit-crew rule which means that, at any pit stop, only five pit crew members can jump the wall to do their stuff. While this adds to the safety of crew and driver, it also means that pit crew members need to be able to multitask and do more than just one thing when it comes to the cars. Crazy and high pressure, that’s a pit crew member's job at NASCAR!