More than speed and precision on the racetrack, NASCAR teams need a solid pit crew that can execute under pressure. Now, more than ever in the era of parity racing, a pit stop can make or break a driver’s chances to win a race. Well, all the teams are fighting to save that tenth of a second on the pit road that allows their team to make gains on the racetrack. Surprisingly, it’s not a Next-Gen era trend. Take a look at the classic photo from the 1968 season, where Junior Johnson’s master mechanic Herb Nab would be on his toes with his air gun to change the tires.

Well, back in the day, the crew didn’t have synchronized choreography, but Nab would have the lug nuts lodged in his teeth for quicker access. Again, the motive was to minimize the time on the pit road and allow the driver to gain those extra spots. Fast forward to 2025, the crew are pushing to complete the stop in 9 seconds or less. Denny Hamlin wasn’t the front runner to win the race at Darlington Raceway, yet a money stop clocked at 9.42 seconds helped him clinch the win.

With the growing technology and invention, the teams are trying to push the limit. But with the single lug nut system on the Next Gen car, this has led to safety concerns, not just for the fans but for the crews on the pit road. Daniel Saurez’s crew had a close call with a rolling tire that came off from the No. 42 car last weekend at Bristol. And this wasn’t just a one-off incident. In fact the year 2025 has seen a rise in wheels coming off from the race car with the single lug nut.

It is hard to see NASCAR backtrack and adopt a five lug nut system again, especially with the Next Gen. But how can they prevent or curb the rampant loose wheel situation? Industry veteran Chris Hussey has the answer to this problem.

It’s not a mystery at all to Chris Hussey, the seasoned crew chief who used to make decisions for Adam Petty. Hussey observes today’s Cup Series races from his position at Petty’s Garage in Level Cross, North Carolina, with the keen insight of a guy who has been in the trenches, changing tires for Mark Martin, spotting for John Andretti, and molding up-and-coming talent from the Busch era. His judgment was brutal and blunt: “They just gotta be better on pit road.”  

He believes that this constant drive by the crews to minimize the time on pit road has led to this issue. With five lug nuts, you had the odds in your favor and with three firmly attached lug nuts. But the margin for error is zero with a single lug nut system, and the crews need to be extra careful with their craft, or it could lead to detrimental outcomes.

“It’s not that single lug nut’s fault. It’s back to trying to be fast, be fast as you can. But at the end of the day percentage-wise, every weekend, 99 percent get put on and get put on tight. So it’s not the design; they just gotta be better on the pit road.” Hussey explained.

John Hunter Nemechek’s flying tires wasn’t an isolated incident. Carson Hocevar’s crew had their share of troubles on the pit road, and it wasn’t with the lug nut system.

Carson Hocevar’s Spire Motorsports No. 77 Chevrolet was causing a stir at Bristol Motor Speedway during the 2025 Cup Series event. The rookie was on the cusp of a breakthrough finish, running comfortably inside the top five. However, on lap 392, he had a disastrous stop as his car fell off the jack while the team worked on the left-side tires. Cody French managed to snag a spare jack behind the wall and work to lift the car up without the tires being fully attached. Hocevar could’ve had a top 5 finish, but in the end, he had to settle for an 11th place finish.

From the heyday of the Busch Grand National to the current Cup Series mayhem, Chris Hussey has left a lasting legacy. Yet, his message transcends time. It’s not about clinging to the past or blaming technology. It’s about taking responsibility and acting quickly. Nevertheless, Hussey’s appeal to action is more relevant than ever in a sport where one misstep can ruin a championship dream.

Loose wheel incidents from the NASCAR 2025 Cup Series season

The issues started with Kyle Larson at the Circuit of the Americas. The Hendrick Motorsports driver pitted from 12th position, and as he left the pit lane, his right front tire fell off. Thankfully, the wheel rolled off into the grass away from the race track, and the race was able to stay green. But, he couldn’t escape a two-lap penalty and suspension of two crew members for two or more races.

Moving on, we have the Las Vegas Motor Speedway spring race, and this is where the loose wheel issues were at their peak. Chase Briscoe and Kyle Busch both suffered a similar fate as Larson after their sketchy pit stops, but the antics by Christopher Bell stole the show. Like his teammate, he knew he had a loose wheel after making his stop. But his crew chief advised him to stop at a box and get the wheel tight. In a split second decision, he parked his car in the #19 pit box and secured his wheel. Had it not been for Bell’s ability to improvise, we could’ve seen three teams being handed crew suspensions after the Vegas race.

Not to forget Brad Keselowski’s Darlington incident, where the nut came flying off his race car on the track. And the debris caution forced the teams into a strategy call. Well, NASCAR has to step in with a new technology or with restrictions that keep the crews in check. What are your thoughts on this discussion?