January 27th, 2009 
T.C. In December, we were the first to bring you news that NASCAR was working on changing a few rules in the Truck Series to help save the owners money. A few days back, we also gave you the opportunity to speak up on the issue.
Now, we are hearing from a few different folks that NASCAR has made a decision and for whatever reason just hasn’t announced it publicly. The main rule change regarding the pit crews as we understand it, is as follows:
NASCAR will allow only four guys over the wall at any given time. What this means, is teams will have to make one regular pit stop into two stops. They will come down and get tires on the first stop, then have to come back in for fuel. For those of you that were familiar with pit stop rules in the USAR ProCup Series, this new rule is similar to that.
From what I understand, this means teams will utilize two tire changers, a jackman, and a tire carrier for tire stops.
The logistics for how stops will work are complicated, and I won’t even try and explain it here. I will say though, that I feel bad for Truck Series crews this year. Incidents of guys getting hit on pit road and the chances for tires getting away will increase dramatically. Having one less guy over the wall to help corral tires is a mistake. And I know some teams are working on having the tire carrier carry both tires out. Also a mistake. There are too many things that can now go wrong.
I understand NASCAR is trying to help teams save money, and I commend them for trying, but this isn’t the way. Is the safety of guys on pit road really worth the $20, $30, or $40,000 this might save teams? This is one of those rumors I hope I end up being wrong about…
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WOW. The whole 6 teams with sponsorship this season, 2 pit stops per 30 laps, maybe 10 trucks that don’t start and park Just put a bullet in the thing and stop flogging it.
Hope it makes a comeback, because the racing is great and speed provides good coverage. However unless there is a influx of sponsorship we are looking at the final year or years of the series.
Question: After the tire change is complete, can you add fuel during that same pitstop? or is it mandatory that there be no mixing tire stops and fuel stops?
Leads me to wonder strategy of which stop do you make 1st?
What about the two tire changes carrying their own tires, one jack man and a fueler and vent man being the same person?
This is dumb, dumb, dumb. I can see this MAYBE working under a caution but under green flag conditions????? Someone will get hurt.
Who says reducing the number of employees will save teams money anyway? Not all teams pay their employees the same rate so the teams who are the best funded & can afford to pay their employees more will stand to save the most money. What about teams who use volunteer pit crews? How will this save them money?
NASCAR needs to cut it’s costs to the teams. Costs for teams that are the same across the board whether fully sponsored or not sponsored. I don’t know what these costs are or if they even exist because I am a NASCAR outsider.
I think this whole thing is rediculous. If the truck series would just cut one west coast race, it would save the teams just as much, if not more, money, than having to fire even more people. Keep the races at the small tracks in the towns where the people are passionate about racing. They are creating dangers for the guys that will go over the wall and alot of hardships and stress for the families of people that work for the teams. They could also make the purses bigger for the teams in the truck series, the cup guys make in one race what the truck guys make in an entire season, if not more… That is crazy. For the best series left in Nascar, they are really doing all they can to screw it up and loose viewers and attendees. The pit stops are one of the most exciting parts of the race. If it aint broke, dont fix it.
Ok TC I need to vent, first I hope your wrong about this. I didn’t think that anybody could employee anybody this dumb. If this is a fact they just wrecked the truck series. The truck series needs to run more races on local regional tracks,They need NASCAR to increase their purse money by 40% -50% when they run companion races with cup,so that the teams can afford to race and still make money. NASCAR needs to require ROOKIES to enter the upper series of NASCAR by starting in the TRUCK series for a year or two and then Nationwide then CUP when these kids have some experience. NASCAR is completly screwing the series up, they are not using their heads to solve these problems. Maybe teams may not want to employee Rookies but if you require the Hendricks, Roush Fenway and Gibbs Super Cup teams to run their slice of bread at the truck and Nationwide levels for a few years it would, make for better racing in ALL series. If NASCAR would not allow drivers to enter the CUP series without 2 years truck and 2 years NW, these kids would have the experience neccessary to compete in the CUP when they are ready. Sponsors would grow with the series when they had a slice of bread that was really GOOD, I have no clue what they (NASCAR ) is thinking but,,, in fact they are not thinking. TC what is your take??
Steve: I agree they are not necessarily helping the series with the choices they’ve made. These “money saving” moves aren’t really saving anybody any money, because they will just end up spending that cash in a different place. Kind of like the Cup teams and testing. No testing at sanctioned tracks? Fine, we’ll search out unsanctioned tracks and use more wind tunnels and manufacturer proving grounds. And in the process probably spend more then we were.
I do like the idea of required time for young guys at the lower levels. Rushing these drivers to the Cup Series isn’t doing anybody any favors…
does this 4 person over the wall pit change also in effect for other series?
Trudye- The rule is only in effect in the truck series. Thankfully you want have to see that the rest of the weekend.