CONCORD, N.C.-- Every weekend, pit crews play an important role while at the race track. Check out a few fun facts you may not have known about our pit athletes.
1) Between pit practice, strength training and field work, our pit athletes train more than 20 hours every week.
2) During the football season, the pit department participates in a weekly “Gene Monahan” pick contest named in honor of the organization’s trainer.
3) Our pit crews spend a total of 20 hours at the track — eight hours for the NASCAR XFINITY Series and 12 hours for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series — throughout a race weekend.
4) Adam Nissley, a member of the developmental team, played tight end as a free agent in the NFL for the Atlanta Falcons (2012-2013) before tearing his ACL.
5) In 2015, the No. 5 team pit crew team won the 11-week summer competition between all four pit crew teams.
6) Each coach’s team uses 18 sets of tires per practice between both Cup and developmental teams.
7) Our pit athletes watch a total of eight hours of video each month -- two hours every week.
8) Our coaches hold themed competitions between our pit athletes, relating to the time of year and/or holiday.
9) Our pit crews practice live stops, skills and strength almost 11 full months each year.
10) Brandon Harder, who is the No. 48 fueler, also works in the race shop throughout the week.
11) The average stop in 2015 was 11.79 seconds for the No. 48 team and 12.28 seconds for the No. 88 team. In 2014, the two teams tied with an average stop of 12.48 seconds.
12) The Thursday training atmosphere is most enjoyed by the athletes with arm blast strength training, hip hop music and “dunking” on one another.
13) Mike McClure, a developmental team member, considered wrestling professionally in the WWE before trying out for the Hendrick Motorsports pit crew.
14) Each year, our pit crews practice and perform backwards at Watkins Glen International during the road-course race.
