The NASCAR Pit Crew

What may at times look like a bunch of crazy people running amok around the race car is in actuality a well choreographed affair like any ballet. NASCAR pit crews are comprised of two parts - the "over the wall gang" and the remainder of the crew.

The "over the wall gang" is a seven member unit who must function as one. NASCAR only allows seven crew members over the pit wall on the pit lane itself. Occasionally if there is an issue that can interfere with visibility NASCAR officials may allow on eighth man over the wall for cleaning the windshield only. The seven member "over the wall gang" is comprised of a jack man, a gas man, a gas can catcher, two tire changers, and two tire carriers.

The jack man is responsible for jacking up the care for the purpose of changing the tires. The car is jacked up in the center on each side.

The gas man is responsible for filling the car full of fuel. The catch can man is responsible for catching any fuel that overflows during filling. He is also the one who makes any adjustments needed that require the wrench in the back of the car which is called a track bar change.

There is a tire changer for the fron and rear of the car. He is paired with a tire carrier who is responsible for the tires that are going on the care and keeping up with the tires that were taken off of the car. Tires are changed two at a time the left side and the right side. The tires used on a NASCAR are much different than those found on a car on the street. The NASCAR tires are much more expensive - several hundred dollars each - and they wear out faster; that is one reason why so many tires are used during the course of a race.

The pit crew member who do not go over the wall are mechanics, fabricators, and the crew chief. The crew chief is the leader and is frequently the one responsible for any decision requiring work on the car itself. Driver communicate with their crew chief during the race telling the crew chief how the car is handling and the crew chief makes the decisions on how to fix the problem.

Pit crew members work together and practice on working together in as efficient manner as possible. The "over the wall gang" must learn to work very quickly but efficiently in order to get their driver back out on the race track. How well a pit crew works together can either help a driver gain position or win the race, they can also cause the driver to lose positions on the track or lose the race if they are not quick enough.. These days a pit crew is expected to change four tires and fuel the car in less than 15 seconds.