Are NASCAR Drivers Really in Control of Their Decisions on the Track, or Do Spotters and Crew Chiefs Take the Final Call?

Kyle Busch stressed the importance of spotters on superspeedways ahead of the Cup Series race at Talladega. The eyes in the sky are what tell drivers where to put their cars on the track and whom they are surrounded by. But then how much decision-making is actually done by the drivers during a race?

Michael McDowell was confronted with it in his pre-race interview. The Spire Motorsports driver was asked how much autonomy he has from his spotter and crew chief when driving the No. 71 Chevrolet.

He clarified that the way he drives comes from a mix of information shared by all the stakeholders. But ultimately, it all comes down to him since it is he who holds the keys to the car. As crucial as the spotter and the crew chief are, so is his gut feeling.

He said, “How I approach it is I’m taking that information that they’re giving me and trying to make, you know, the best decision based on what I’m feeling and seeing.” He admitted that tracks like Talladega make it so that drivers are extremely dependent on their spotter and crew chief. But even then, there is always the need to rely on the instinct that they have.

Explaining further, he added, “But you also have, as a driver, you have that gut feeling of — you know, I need to go now or I’m going to lose too much track position or it’s getting a little too wild, something’s about to happen. So I think that you’re always sort of balancing that, taking that information and trying to make the best decision with it.” That instinct helped him secure an 11th-place finish on Sunday.

Busch talks about the importance of spotters

The two-time Cup champion Kyle Busch was asked about the key to winning races on superspeedways ahead of the Sunday showing. He answered by pointing out how crucial spotters were on drafting-style tracks. Knowing which drivers are coming up behind is as important as knowing who is in front when attempting to draft. This cannot be known without the aid of the spotter.

He said, “You can use your mirrors and look in the camera and look behind you and whatnot. But, trying to figure out a way of being able to understand the energy that’s coming rows back behind you, the only way to get that is from your spotter.” 

Like McDowell, Rowdy underscored that while spotters are vital, the final call always rests with the driver. He finished the race in 27th place after being hit with a pit road speeding penalty.