CONCORD, N.C. – Hendrick Motorsports heads to Pocono Raceway this weekend for back-to-back races at the Pennsylvania venue, and the pit crews are primed to show their speed on pit road.
Through the first 17 races of the NASCAR Cup Series season, all four Hendrick Motorsports pit crews are inside the top 10 for the fastest average four-tire pit stops, including the three fastest times. This week, pit crew coaches Jon Carvin and Chris Burkey have prepared each team for the long weekend of racing by keeping the reps lighter at practice.
“The physical aspect of it will be a huge deal because our guys have to be fresh” said Burkey. “Our guys have had hot races the last two weeks and our guys have felt really good about it.”
Currently, teammates Kyle Larson and Alex Bowman hold the second- and third-fastest four-tire pit stop this Cup Series season. The No. 5 crew posted a 12.12-second stop at Nashville Superspeedway last Sunday and the No. 48 team has posted a 12.18-second stop at Dover International Speedway on May 16.
“We have been focusing on being clean, being consistent, making sure their mental side is ready to go,” Burkey said. “We’re just making sure they are hydrating and ready to go for that long, grueling grind, and it will be a grind.”
Since the teams will be facing the only doubleheader weekend in the 2021 season, the coaches have stressed the importance of pit crew members focusing on their nutrition and hydration to maintain their high level of performance.
“Sunday will be a long day, for sure. Saturday will be like a normal race day where they do one race,” Carvin. “Rest, recovery, hydration; all that stuff is going to be critical for those guys and that’s what we will be asking they make sure they take care of.”
On top of pitting for both NASCAR Cup Series races this weekend, the crews will also be jumping over the wall in the NASCAR Xfinity Series before Sunday’s Cup Series race.
Be sure to tune in this Saturday, June 26 at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN to see the first race of the two-part series at Pocono Raceway. The second Cup race at “The Tricky Triangle” will be broadcast Sunday, June 27 at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN.