CONCORD, N.C. — Behind every NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver, there is a teammate giving the driver instructions from above the racetrack.
That teammate? A spotter.
Meet T.J. Majors, the No. 88 team’s spotter. And for this week’s Fun Fact Friday, Majors shares what life is like through his eyes – and his binoculars.
Take a look at 14 realities about life in the spotters’ stand – and how Majors got there.
1) In 1997, Majors met Earnhardt playing iRacing, an authentic online racing experience computer game. iRacing helped Majors understand the sport of racing along with building a friendship with Earnhardt.
2) Before becoming a full-time spotter, Majors raced street stock and late models for JR Motorsports. Majors’ biggest victory came in a 200-lap race at Motor Mile Speedway in Fairlawn, Virginia, in 2004.
3) When Earnhardt signed with Hendrick Motorsports, Majors joined the team as Earnhardt’s spotter in 2008.
4) According to Majors, Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Pocono Raceway are two of the most difficult tracks for spotters. The Pagoda at Indianapolis makes it tough for spotters to see the entire track, while Pocono has a long front stretch where it can be difficult to see where the race cars are on Turn 1.
5) Spotters carry multiple pieces of equipment at the track each weekend. Majors takes a backpack filled with a headset, four radios, spare batteries, FanVision, a screw driver, extra cables, sunglasses and, of course, binoculars.
6) Majors’ most memorable moment as Earnhardt’s spotter is winning the Daytona 500 in 2014.
7) All spotters watch their drivers from atop the spotters’ stand high above the action. The location is different at each track. At Charlotte Motor Speedway, spotters watch over Turn 4.
8) Majors’ most-used spotter terminology is “Door, bumper, clear.” In February, Majors started a podcast called “Door, Bumper, Clear” on Dale Jr.’s Dirty Mo Radio, where Majors shares the life of a spotter.
9) Majors spends roughly 15 to 20 hours spotting at the track every weekend.
10) Majors has spotted for drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.
11) Majors believes the most challenging part of being a spotter is depth perception. When the race cars are coming towards a spotter’s view and then driving away, it gets tough for them to perceive the distance between where each car is on the track.
12) During any Sprint Cup race, fans can listen to a driver, crew chief and spotter on a scanner.
13) If Majors was not a full-time NASCAR spotter, he would look to be behind the wheel, racing at tracks.
14) During the week, NASCAR spotters may have other jobs than just spotting for their drivers. Majors’ second job is being a full-time dad during the week before traveling on Thursdays to the next racetrack.