CONCORD, N.C. – There’s no place like home.
And this week in Fontana, California, Chad Avrit -- the rear-tire changer for the No. 24 NAPA AUTO PARTS team -- will be making a homecoming of his own.
The El Centro, California, native will return to his home track, Auto Club Speedway, this Sunday for the fifth time with the No. 24 Chevrolet SS team.
Before joining the world of motor sports, Avrit was an avid athlete back in California.
“I surfed a little bit,” he said, “so my summers kind of consisted of the beach in the San Diego area and then in the winters it kind of consisted of riding motorcycles and stuff like that in the desert and going camping with my parents.”
Avrit said his decision to move to North Carolina and pursue a career in motor sports was a bit random.
“I just decided to move to North Carolina to see what racing was all about,” he said.
He attended the NASCAR Technical Institute before going to the 5 Off 5 On pit crew training facility in Mooresville, North Carolina. Avrit attended an athletic combines and got his start in the sport that way. He has been with Hendrick Motorsports since 2012.
With his family still residing in California, Avrit said he is looking forward to returning home for this week’s race and seeing his family.
“I get to go home and visit the family,” the pit athlete said. “Competing, I guess it’s cool because it’s a California track; there’s a little bit to it of being my home track, it’s awesome obviously to get a win or to have your family there and involved in what you’re doing. That would probably be my favorite part, having my family be involved in what I’m doing now."