Winning 'em over

With a "never quit" attitude to win at Daytona, Kyle Busch is doing the unthinkable: Becoming a fan favorite, Lee Spencer says.

Artful dodger

NASCAR boss Brian France spoke candidly about the sport, but Lee Spencer says many questions still remain unanswered.

Ask the Pros!

Need an answer from our NASCAR experts? Pick a question from our interactive Ask the Pros feature and get educated.

Driver change was pit perfect

by Larry McReynolds

FOX race analyst Larry McReynolds has more than 25 years of NASCAR experience as a mechanic, crew chief and broadcaster.

Updated: July 27, 2004, 10:47 PM EST

add this RSS blog email print

The 8 team did a phenomenal job of dotting every 'i' and crossing every 't' during Sunday's driver change. I know they practiced it quite a bit prior to the race, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. had to do a lot of things to help them accomplish it in under 40 seconds and beat the pace car off of pit road on a one-mile race track.

The pace car goes around there at a pretty rapid pace. Watching the in-car camera shots, Dale Jr. had his belts loose and his radio unplugged when he pulled in. He was completely ready to get out of that race car, and I was so impressed with some of the little things they did to save time. They had Martin Truex Jr.'s gloves stuffed underneath the seat prior to the race so they didn't have to give him gloves after he got in the race car.

I've planned driver changes, and it's something you definitely have to practice. It has to be orchestrated, and everybody has to know his or her job and how it's going to happen.

Speed Mail Larry McReynolds


SpeedMail Subject: Comment/Question: Name: Email: Hometown:

The head and neck restraint device and helmet are kind of complicated to hook up. It's not just a matter of throwing it on so Truex was ready for 61 laps. He must have been hot standing in the pits because, at least in the race car, there's a hose blowing air into that helmet.

On the track, the race cars were struggling with the handling in the corners. They were sliding around. If you missed your mark by about half a lane, you were up in the marbles, and you were in trouble. Truex had trouble and finished 31st, but the 8 crew did its best to keep him from falling no further than two laps down.

FOX race analyst Larry McReynolds has more than 25 years of NASCAR experience as a mechanic, crew chief and broadcaster. He and his fellow Crew Chief Club members take you behind the wall at www.crewchiefclub.com.

"Larry McReynolds: The Big Picture" is on bookstore shelves now, or you may order your own autographed copy from www.DWStore.com.

Please note by clicking on "Post Comment" you acknowledge that you have read the Terms of Use and the comment you are posting is in compliance with such terms. Be polite. Inappropriate posts may be removed by the moderator.