“Just Turned Into Dust”- NASCAR Fans Contemplate Old Age as Unearthed Pit Road Photograph Brings Back Forgotten Memories

With time, many things have become redundant in NASCAR. With the constant evolution of the sport, multiple pieces of equipment have lost a place in the garage. From the rules and format of the sport to jobs on the track, many have been shown the exit. Walking down memory lane and delving into forgotten roles, the first thing that comes to mind is the catch can, one of the most coveted pit crew jobs for fans even today. Catch cans had a designated operator in the pit stops back in the day. One might feel old at the thought of catch cans, considering their rare appearance nowadays.

Many people in the NASCAR fandom felt the same wave of nostalgia as they watched a fellow fan recollect about the forgotten equipment on Reddit. A certain faction of fans expressed a mixture of emotions in the comments. While some were concerned by the swift movement of time, some directed digs at the younger generation of fans.

The year NASCAR crews went from seven to six

NASCAR teams used to have seven people handling the car in pit stops. The ritual stopped in 2010 when NASCAR added dump cans into the equation. Starting from the 2011 season opener at Daytona, teams had to drop their catch can man from their pit crews.

NASCAR teams also had to change the pit stop strategy. Having adjusted well to the seven-man change, teams had to create a completely new sequence. This decision came in the wake of NASCAR exploring new options for safer and cheaper fueling methods. The E15 Ethanol fuel was about to added that would subsequently alter gas lines. This decreased the odds of water adulterating the fuel tank.

The catch can man held the can as it was fueled, and helped retrieve unfilled cans easily. With this change, the gas man had to juggle two tasks alone. The rear tire changer’s timings were also affected as he had to handle the gas cans’ movement in pit stops.

NASCAR teams have adapted to the change, and in current times, pit crews have had even shorter average times than earlier. But the potential of timings with seven pit crew members and the evolution of NASCAR is a bright prospect to think about.

Read More: Richard Childress Drops Massive 3-Word Verdict on Brodie Kostecki’s NASCAR Future

Fans can’t help but feel old at the sight of catch cans

Trending

NASCAR Lawsuit: Michael Jordan Taking Over Tony Stewart’s Remnants Leaves SHR Star Hanging Amidst Pending Approval

Richard Childress Discloses His 6-Word Promise to Kyle Busch Amid Unending NASCAR Misery

Richard Childress Disappointed With NASCAR’s Motives Forcing Him to Possibly ‘Lay a Lot of People Off’

Carl Edwards Discloses the 8-Word Reason Behind Recent NASCAR Return After Long Silence

Outspoken Insider Delivers Chilling Warning to Michael Jordan & Co Against ‘Anti-Trust’ NASCAR Rebellion Going South

The post-reminiscing catch can men on r/NASCAR gathered a horde of older generation fans. The discussion left one of the long-time fans speechless as he commented, “ I’m 35 but just turned into dust.“

With every generation of racing, there is a new set of fans in the sport. The catch can man change came at the turn of the 2010s, and thus, many fans have yet to learn of the forgotten equipment. A certain fan lamented the same as he wrote, “We’ve gone so long without the catch can…that there’s an entire generation of fans who don’t know what it is.”

“F**k, I feel old now.”, “I’ve never felt older in my entire life,” said some fans, shocked at how fast time has passed since they began watching the sport.

Another Redditor related to the image but was then reminded that the age of the photo in question was about two decades ago. The fan claimed, “I thought to myself “2000s? That wasn’t that long ago… how do they not know? Then I felt all 20 odd years all at once.“

Sometimes, even a abolished piece of equipment can bring back memories for NASCAR fans. However, the pit crews have continued to thrive without their presence, and so has NASCAR.

Watch This Story: “Ty Gibbs is More Along the Lines of Danica” – NASCAR Driver Slammed for Naming the “New Jeff Gordon” & “Max Verstappenn of NASCAR”