NASCAR History: Cup Series Teams to Win Last Five All-Star Pit Crew Challenges

Rahul Ahluwalia | 19/05/2024
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The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series All-Star weekend has seen the return of the pit crew challenge for the second consecutive year since 2012. The exhibition-style weekend aims to shift the focus from the team’s drivers to crucial members on the pit road who allow a team and driver to execute their desired races out on the track.

One of the many different events that lead up to the newest format of the NASCAR All-Star weekend, the pit crew challenge consists of a competition in which the team’s crew can execute a 4-tire pitstop along with refueling in the shortest time possible.

While refueling is mocked for the challenge, drivers still have to head out on track for one full lap before heading to the pit road, following all pit road rules such as maximum speed, etc. After stopping in their designated pit box, the driver is required to leave his box and pit road and complete another lap of the track. The total elapsed time of the activity determines which team wins a cash prize of $100,000.

Which teams have won the NASCAR Pit Crew Challenge in the last five appearances of the format?

Joe Gibbs Racing has managed to sweep the All-Star Pit Crew Challenge ever since the format’s return last year. The #54 crew at JGR won the challenge in 2023 with Ty Gibbs behind the wheel of the #54 Toyota Camry TRD. This year’s challenge leading up to Sunday’s race has been swept by the #20 team with driver Christopher Bell from Coach Gibbs’ racing outfit.

The 2012 edition of the challenge was won by 7-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson. The #48 crew at Hendrick Motorsports managed to blitz the field during a time when the California-based driver was at the peak of his career in the sport with Hendrick Motorsports.

The 2011 and 2010 editions of the same challenge saw a return of Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin and the #11 crew, followed by the #31 crew from Richard Childress Racing in 2009 which saw Jeff Burton at the wheel of the racecar at the time.

Meanwhile, the sport prepares to go live from the historic North Wilkesboro Speedway for this year’s running of the All-Star Race this Sunday. The event goes live at 8:00 pm ET.

Post Edited By: Ankit Sharma
NASCAR Cup Series

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Rahul Ahluwalia

Rahul Ahluwalia is a NASCAR Content Strategist and Journalist at The SportsRush. Hailing from a Journalism and Mass Communication background, Rahul's love for automobiles transformed into his passion for all things racing. With over 1200+ articles under his belt covering a mixture of NASCAR and F1, he has realized his calling in the world of motorsports with actual first hand experience behind the wheel to back it up. He has competed in several autocross events as well as rallycross-style competitions to hone his skills behind the wheel and better understand the mindset of a racecar driver, allowing him to further improve his writing as well. He also has an editorial background with respect to racing and has eye for stories which otherwise go unnoticed. Rahul is also an avid sim racer indulging in various disciplines such as rallying and oval racing during his free time. Having begun his motorsports journey at the start of 2020, he turned his passion into his work allowing him to delve deeper into the ever evolving and world of cars and motorsports. Apart from racing, Rahul also has sound technical knowledge of the automotive industry and automobiles in general. Having grown up playing video games such as Need for Speed, Forza Motorsport and Gran Turismo, it is easy to see where the love for racing and machines inculcated in the first place.

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