In a sport dominated by drivers, NASCAR teams also owe a major chunk of their success to their pit crews. Despite Motorsport being more about raw speed, impeccable strategy and the prowess of one’s pit crew are essentials to executing victories.
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Naturally, while accounting for the logistics of a race team, NASCAR teams have to factor in the traveling and upkeep of their pit members. Joe Gibbs Racing recently explained how their pit crew travels from one venue to another during a season.
“We actually have our own airplanes, so as part of being on the pit crew you get to travel on one of our planes to and from the race track,” explained Dave Alpern, President at Joe Gibbs Racing. Subsequent hotel expenses are also covered by the team.
For races on the country’s West Coast, the pit crew is usually flown in a day before and fixed up in an all-inclusive accommodation. Alpern also explained that the pit crew get their race salaries and per diem payments for each Cup Series weekend.
How many people make up a NASCAR pit crew?
A NASCAR pit crew’s over-the-wall team consists of five individuals who are tasked with servicing a car during high-pressure scenarios, such as green flag stops during races. Teams have two tire changers each, a tire carrier for each changer, a gasman (for refueling), and a jackman. They are overseen by the Crew Chief — the heart and soul of trackside operations during the races.
Now from the outside, people may mistake the job of a pit crew member as a walk in the park. However, the high stakes of American Stock Car racing mean that every crew member has to be at the height of their powers and expertise. This means a grueling training schedule across the year.
Behind every @NASCAR driver is an essential pit crew that changes tires and adds gas to a car, all within 9 seconds.
And most crew members are former athletes — not mechanics: “I never watched NASCAR a day in my life … But I was willing to try something new.” pic.twitter.com/m5pBEKn6HW
— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) July 11, 2024
“We practice, we work out, we watch film, we have a turf field that we do running and sprinting drills on,” explained Matthew Tyrrell — fueler for the #19 JGR entry back in 2018.
“We do strength training, we do speed training, we do practice the pit stops and have a film review from our practice stops and our race film to see where we can get better and make improvements,” he added.
But for all the toil and turmoil, pit crews get handsome remuneration. Tire changers can make up to $1,500 per race, with fuel and jackmen racking up to $3,000 per event. Crew Chiefs get paid the most with salaries upwards of $10,000 per race. These figures don’t account for bonuses based on the car’s results.
