As we move through our third week since the season finales at Homestead, the off-season is in full swing. Just because we aren’t racing every weekend, don’t think we are all sitting at home eating bon-bons and watching Golden Girls re-runs. Teams are busy preparing cars and equipment for the 2009 season, and after maybe taking some time off, many pit crews will start getting back into training.
Because the margin for error on pit road shrinks every year, teams are turning more and more to guys with athletic backgrounds, including guys with college and professional sports experience. These guys not only have serious ability coming in, but they also already have the work ethnic needed to be the best. I think it takes a certain mindset to continue pushing yourself in the gym and at practice, and many who come into the sport don’t have it.
For me personally, I took a little bit of time off, but am now into some off-season conditioning. Getting into better shape and making myself stronger will only make me a better tire changer. Just like any other athletic activity, natural talent can only take somebody so far. In order to be one of the elite, pit crew members need to do all the right things in terms of preparing their bodies. And you might be surprised what some teams are doing to get there.
Scheduled practices and required weight room time have become the norms for many teams. But in order to gain an edge, some are starting to add other elements to their training programs.
Speed and agility drills have long been used in football, baseball, basketball and other sports. Now they are becoming an essential part of pit crew training. Trainers will run crews through cone drills, ladder agility drills, and use evil devices like weighted sleds to make us faster. The reason for these drills, in addition to quick hands and good technique, is that foot speed and travel times are where the real money is made during pit stops. The really good pit crews are always able to move around the car just a little bit faster then their competition.
On top of agility, conditioning is extremely important on pit road. While it may not appear that a 13 second pit stop is physically taxing, let me say this isn’t the case. Doing just one stop may not take a whole lot out of a guy, but when Cup teams are at tracks like Darlington and Indy this year, pit stops can become grueling. Being able to maintain mistake free stops when your driver is coming to pit road every 10 or 15 minutes takes some serious conditioning. Because of this, many coaches and trainers will focus their workouts more towards overall conditioning, as opposed to just strength training.
Beyond these elements, teams have even started experimenting with unconventional methods of training such as yoga. Besides being a great workout, yoga can improve flexibility and help guys control their breathing.
Heading into 2009, I would not be surprised to see more teams in the low 12 second, or even high 11 second bracket for stop times. Unless NASCAR changes the rules on pit road again this year, which I don’t expect, times will continue to improve as coaches find more ways to make guys better.
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on Dec 4th, 2008 at 6:46 pm
Great post; thanks for something both different and informative.
A subsequent and related post with more detail of a training program would be appreciated by this (relatively new) reader.
Thanks for what you and Journo do.
on Dec 5th, 2008 at 11:30 am
11 second pit stops??? Jeez.
Who was the announcer who 3 or 4 years ago offered money to any pit crew who could bust a sub 13 second, four tire pit stop during a race? Was it Benny? I can’t remember.
on Dec 5th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
KFY: First off, welcome to the site! We are glad you are enjoying the blog. I’ll definitely put that on my list of topics for the future.
windowlicker: I believe you are correct, I think it was Benny Parsons who had the challenge. It may be even more surprising to hear, but some teams have been recorded in the high 10 second range in practices. 10.8’s and 10.9’s are not unheard of. Teams will slow down during races though, to ensure lugnuts are tight and to cut down on mistakes. I do think though, that teams consistently being in the low 12’s or high 11’s is very realistic.