Recently, NASCAR has been welcoming a wave of Supercars drivers. This has given an exciting twist to the sport, to say the least. Talking of Supercars drivers who have tried their luck in NASCAR, the first name that comes to mind is ‘Shane Van Gisbergen’. The Kiwi, who re-wrote the history books in Chicago last year, had an equally glorious Xfinity run during the Sonoma weekend. However, there was another Supercars driver in our midst who saw a very different fate for his debut in NASCAR.

The driver in question here is Will Brown, who drove Richard Childress Racing’s #31 car in the Cup race. He encountered an issue with his car’s electronic control unit (ECU) in his first qualifiers. This raises a crucial question: Can Brown overcome these technical challenges and make a successful transition to NASCAR?

Early NASCAR challenges for rookies

Will Brown, the Repco Supercars Championship leader, stepped out of his comfort zone just like SVG. In his NASCAR debut at Sonoma, he showcased his skills during the practice session. He was able to lap within two-tenths of the best pace set by Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney. Brown was not only the fastest Chevrolet driver of the day but also outperformed his RCR teammates, with Austin Dillon in 11th and Kyle Busch in 15th place.

Reflecting on his performance in the practice session, he said, “No one would really say expectations, but I think a lot of people were thinking if we ran inside the [top] 20 then it would be a pretty good day. To run top three, I think they’re pretty excited.” His strong showing initially indicated a promising start. But sadly, Brown’s excitement was short-lived.

He faced an unexpected ECU issue with his #33 Chevy during the qualifiers for the Toyota Save Mart 350. “It’s not a drama,” Brown remarked. “Yesterday, we ran really well. I think then I put together a good lap and I was surprised to see where we finished. But yeah, it’s one of those things we were a bit unsure after that throttle and there was a fault there so we don’t know yet what sort of happened.”

Amid these struggles, he could only muster a 31st-place finish in the main race.

Still, Brown’s composed demeanor and focus on resolving the problem highlight his resilience. He said, “We’ve had some troubles, but the team is working hard. I’m here to do a good job for Richard and the crew, and we’ll keep pushing forward,” he stated.

These technical issues, however, aren’t the only ones that RCR has been dealing with lately. They are already experiencing pit road woes for a long time.

Pit road blunders: A recurring issue for RCR

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These issues have been a recurring theme this season. It can not only take a toll on newcomers like Will Brown but also on veterans like Kyle Busch. During the Coca-Cola 600, Busch was penalized for interfering with the #77 Spire Motorsports team’s pit stop. This cost him crucial stage points and a potential top finish. “We’ve had some bad luck with pit road this year,” Busch noted. “The orange box rule is there for safety, but it’s been tough navigating around it without issues.”

This incident was not an isolated case. Earlier in the season, following costly pit road mistakes, RCR replaced the entire pit crew for Busch’s #8 Chevrolet. Despite these changes, the new crew also struggled with the task at hand, highlighting deeper systemic issues within the team’s pit operations.

“I didn’t have any idea of who were in the new crew or what their caliber was,” Busch admitted before the Phoenix race, indicating the adjustments the team had to make.

Statistically, RCR needs to improve its pit road performance to fully capitalize on its drivers’ capabilities. For example, during the Coca-Cola 600, Busch lost 35 positions due to pit road penalties. Addressing these issues is essential for them to consistently take the checkered flag and avoid the pitfalls that have hindered them this season. Let’s hope they can overcome these issues soon.