Joe Gibbs Racing Gives an Unreal Insight Into the Challenges and Strengths of the Pit Crew in The Next Gen Car

NASCAR pit crews are the true unsung heroes of the sport. It is often the race car drivers who get showered with all the praise and plaudits for a successful win. Although, behind the scenes, it is the pit crew that also puts in their best work that adds to the victory lap. A pit stop can certainly make or break a race for any team and therefore having the most able hands working as the pit crew is essential for every team. The pit crew of teams had to gel to a new challenge with the arrival of the Next Gen car, and the long-held dynamics had to change.

Taking NASCAR viewers behind the scenes in shedding light on how a pit crew prepares for the season, Joe Gibbs Racing graced the fans with a documentary on YouTube, named “Chasing Faster The Next Gen Pit”. For all that we knew, yes the pit crews do put in a hard shift at the race track but little did we know that like the racers, they prepare for the entire season. Right from practice drills, athletic training and then putting themselves on the line on the race day. A pit crew member for Joe Gibbs Racing at NASCAR sure has a nice ring to it but it comes with responsibility and challenges which was put out well in the documentary.

Everything was just new with the ‘Next Gen’ car

The idea of a traditional pit crew member has undergone a significant change and JGR is taking a fresh approach. The team has gone on to the extent of picking up college graduates and former sporting athletes. It didn’t stop there, like any other athlete, the pit crew at JGR also undergo an athletic training program along with simulation and practical drills that prepare them for the race day. Along with JGR’s change in approach for the pit crew, there were also significant changes happening with the stock car that provided the entire team with new challenges.

The big change was that all the teams would essentially build a car out of the same components and parts and they cost the same for every team. The big boys then had to pull their socks up while the underdogs were now within touching distance to compete in the race. Another major change highlighted in the documentary was the replacement of five lug nuts with just a single central nut in the new car. This promoted the JGR Next-Gen pit crew to spring into action in giving their driver crucial advantages during race day.

Previously the tire carrier (C), front changer (FC), and jackman (J) ran around the front of the car sending the rear changer (RC) around the back, this meant the rear changer had to wait for the car to come to a pass before finding their mark while the time would pass by. However, the next-gen pitstop found their advantage. The rear changer under the new choreography will be in front of the pack and get the job done as the car comes to a halt, while the jackman dropping the car leads to all four members. This is where the front changer is in front of the front wheel, while the rear changer takes care of the rear tires, this was the next-gen pit stop that would feature later on in the season.

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NASCAR has changed a lot with the new technology in place but the JGR crew chief for No.11 believes it’s the people that are going to win not the numbers and not the statistics.

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Joe Gibbs when asked where he sees his team in the future spoke along the lines of creating a positive impact, which does sound like more than just winning. He said, “When I stand before God someday I don’t think he’s going to be talking about races we’ve won, I think it’s going to be the influence we’ve had on others so hopefully I’m making an impact, a positive one.” The mission at JGR is to be great in what you do and have influence, and this has transformed the lives of many individuals who are with JGR.

Crew chief, Chris Gabehart also believes his part of the job is to provide an environment where people at JGR can succeed, stressing that it’s people that win at the end of the day, “Every piece of the analytics, we break it down. Thousandths of an inch, hundredth of a second we try to evaluate it, manipulate it, use it to our advantage to optimize the day. But it’s people, people are always going to win in anything you do. Not the number, not the parts, not the pieces and that’s a part of my job in providing an environment where our people can succeed.”

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Joe Gibbs Racing came close to lifting the championship last season with 4th and 5th finishes, however, with the start of the 2024 Cup Series, they will have another shot at building on their legacy, which is more than just winning races.