CONCORD, N.C. – Hendrick Motorsports pit crew members Nick O’Dell and Landon Walker were named Mechanix Wear All-Stars for the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series. This honor identifies who was the best at their respective pit crew position over the course of the entire season.
O’Dell is a front-tire changer on the No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet team of driver Chase Elliott. The Springfield, Illinois, native has been a front-tire changer under crew chief Alan Gustafson since 2015. He was part of the No. 9 team's 2020 championship crew for Elliott. In 2022, the No. 9 pit crew helped their driver reach the Championship 4 for the third straight year. In the playoffs, O’Dell was named to Round of 8 Mechanix Wear All-Stars.
SEASON RECAPS: Alex Bowman | William Byron | Kyle Larson | Chase Elliott
Walker is the fueler for the No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet team of driver William Byron. The North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, native played football at Clemson University as a starting offensive tackle over four seasons. He was recruited by Hendrick Motorsports in 2012 and became the fueler for the former No. 5 (now No. 24 team) in 2015. Byron reached the Round of 8 for the first time in his Cup Series career thanks to his pit crew’s strong work on pit road throughout the playoffs.
The pit crews of the No. 9 and No. 24 placed in the top six for average four-tire pit stop times in 2022, based on data provided by Racing Insights. The No. 9 pit crew was fourth at 11.760 seconds, while the No. 24 team clocked in sixth at 11.879 seconds.