CONCORD, N.C. – In Sunday’s All-Star Race at Texas Motor Speedway, the No. 9 pit crew put on a show in the pit crew challenge, executing a near-perfect four-tire pit stop and winning the $100,000 prize.
The team laid down a 11.59-second time during round five of the six-round event at Fort Worth. Including points-paying races, it is the fastest four-tire stop so far in the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season.
“Every single race, we want to be the best pit crew on pit road,” said John Gianninoto, fueler for the No. 9 team. “We wanted to show the fans that we believe we are the best and to show them that we are the best, and the pride that goes into that.”
The crew credits reigning Cup Series champion Chase Elliott with much of their success. So far this season, he has only had one speeding penalty coming to pit road.
"When you know what you’re getting, it just makes it easier,” said Chad Avrit, rear-tire changer for the No. 9 pit crew. “If you have the ability to come in perfect, stop perfect, right on the sign, exactly where want in, it just helps you perform at a high level.”
After winning the pit crew challenge, the No. 9 team feels like they are finding the same stride that carried them to the championship win last year after a slower start to the 2021 season.
“We started the year off the eight ball a little bit, there was some championship hangover there,” said Nick O’Dell, front-tire changer for the No. 9 pit crew. “We learned really early that we can’t sit down. No one is going to give us anything and we have to continue to work hard. It’s one thing to get to the top, it’s even harder to stay there.
“We just continue to work; we have a great group of guys and I’m excited to see what the rest of the year holds.”
So far this season, Elliott and his team are sitting atop the pit crew power rankings and hold the seventh-fastest stop for points-paying races, clocking in at a speedy 12.279 seconds.
“I think it’s a testament to all the guys and the work we put in,” said TJ Semke, jackman for the No. 9 pit crew. “I think we started off the year, not really where we wanted to be and I still don’t think are quite where we want to be, winning as many races like we should be. These guys just grind and grind every day, whether it’s in the weight room or in the shop, just putting in the work and it’s starting to pay off.”
Tune in this Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN to see the No. 9 crew make more fast stops to try and guide Elliott to his second win of the year at Nashville Superspeedway.