NASCAR's best athletes show off on pit road
NASCAR roundup
 |
Race Trax:
News:
Video:
Analysis:
Photo galleries:
Blog:
Can you dig it?
There is just something about going head-to-head with your competitors. This isn't a knock against the drivers, but this doesn't involve them. It is all about the teams. Yes, it may be their car being used, but it's the crew member's moment. Those guys work their guts out, so they can be very proud when they walk out of there as winners. They take a lot of pride in performing and making it happen. This is no different than a slam-dunk contest in the NBA or a home-run competition in MLB.
When you win this competition, you are the best of the best. That's what it is all about. Don't believe that those guys that go over the wall don't believe they are the best of the best. If you don't, then you don't belong going over the wall anyway. You live for someone to say, "Great job, guys. That was a 12½-second stop or a 13 flat."
When you do it and you've experienced it, sometimes it's hard to remember what you did because it happened so fast. It's like everything goes in slow motion at the same time that everything goes into hyper-speed. It's an unbelievable feeling you get when it's all said and done. It's like you have to go back to the tape to review and say, "OK, yes, I did do this."
It's just another world when that car comes in and you go off that wall into action. Sure, you know what your job is, but it's like you go into auto-pilot. You don't think, you react. The pit crew competition is the same way. It is total focus. It is total commitment and a lot of pressure. This is about how much you can push yourself to the maximum limit.
The energy that will be coming off the floor of Bobcat Arena Thursday night from these team members would be enough to light the city of Charlotte. Those guys are throwing everything at it. They are going to bring their A-game and leave nothing on the table. They all know they only get one shot a year. It's all or nothing Thursday night.
These guys are some of the most dedicated athletes I have ever seen. It's hard to believe there are people still out there that don't believe these guys are athletes. These guys work so hard — especially the way they train these days. What makes me especially proud is that I feel we gave folks a glimpse of what pit crews would evolve into today — we worked out, we had pit practice, and we were doing things that other teams weren't doing.
Now it has evolved to where these guys don't even work on the race car. Their main job and their main focus is pitting the car. They are great athletes. They train and work hard.
For example, I will take the two Red Bull teams and I'll put them up against any major league sport where conditioning is concerned. Shoot, I would even put them up against some of the guys I train for the Marine Corps. They are in such great shape and they work so well together.
| Speed Mail Jeff Hammond |
|---|
|
|
Hey, I am envious. For that matter, I am very envious of what they get to do. As much as I enjoyed being a crew chief, I loved being on pit road. I loved when it came down to us and it was time to get it on. And now to see these guys work and work and do this on a daily basis, I just admire them. I really do.
Finally, just know that this weekend in the All Star Race, it is all or nothing. I can guarantee you that we are not going to be disappointed. With this new car and $1 million up for grabs, you better not blink because this is going to be something everyone will be talking about at the water cooler come Monday morning.
FOX race analyst Jeff Hammond led Darrell Waltrip to two of DW's three Winston Cup championships as his crew chief. They also teamed to win the 1989 Daytona 500.
For autographed copies of Jeff Hammond's book "Real Men Work in the Pits" plus magnets, hats and more, check out www.dwstore.com.
For photos and appearances, visit Jeff's web site www.jeffhammond.com.
advertisement
