IndyCar pit crews have 5.2 seconds to make or break a race

NEWTON, Iowa- In order for drivers to get from the starting line to the victory circle at the Iowa Speedway, they first have to get through pit lane.

About 15 people make up a pit crew, but only seven of them go over the wall during a pit stop. These seven lift the car, change all four tires, and refuel before the driver is given the signal to continue the race.

The 45 Hy-Vee Car, which is driven by Christian Lundgaard, is operated by a crew with the goal of making pit stops only 5.2 seconds long. Ryan Harber is their Human Performance Director who says the pit stop plays an important role in the race.

“We try to make the pit stop as efficient as possible [and] as quick as possible, so we can put it back in the drivers hands and they can go out there on the track and do their thing,” he said.

NASCAR pit crews are mainly made up of former professional or college athletes. However, this isn’t common for IndyCar pit crews. Instead, their entire team is made up of mechanics. Therefore, the same people who work on the car before and after every race and the people perfecting pit stops.

Between lifting equipment and needing precise coordination, being athletic helps with the role. Front and rear tires are around 32 and 42 pounds respectively, and wheel guns are around 12 pounds.

“Part of my role is getting them to think like athletes, not just mechanics, and to take care of themselves from a nutrition to hydration, and strength conditioning, just so they can be more resilient and perform on race day,” said Harber.

Plus, there’s more of an technique to the stop than people realize. Drivers have to reduce their speed from 180mph on the track to 60mph in the pit lane. They also have to make sure to stop in a precise location, so that the crew doesn’t have to relocate. If the driver isn’t on their mark, the pit crew has to be able to think fast.

But, the job can also be dangerous, especially for outside wheel tire changers like Tom Vigne. It’s common for cars to speed close to him while he’s changing his tire.

“I’m at the point in my career where I just let instinct take over. If you think about it, you’re going to screw it up,” he said.

Harber said smaller pit boxes also make the job more dangerous, because it increases the likelihood of a crew’s own driver hitting one of the crew members or driving over someone’s foot. However, that’s not a concern at the Iowa Speedway because the pit boxes are 40-feet long, compared to others speedways with pit boxes that are 32-feet long.

Despite the adrenaline it produces, consistent pit stops can put the driver in the position to stand on the victory circle.

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