The internet is rife full of videos showcasing NASCAR pitstops but this is the most recent one and it’s much more exciting to watch than those other ones.
In a game of seconds, the pitstop can mean the difference between a checkered flag or second place. Thankfully, this NASCAR crew has a good wheelgun mechanic on their team. According to this wheelgun mechanic on a Reddit post he shared earlier yesterday (Jan. 16,2017) this months old POV video of his work is now just being shared. No matter as it’s better late than never. Check out the masterclass performance he shows for the camera in the Reddit post below!
5 Off / 5 On – Pit stop action from Las Vegas (2017) with the No. 4 Chevrolet. I can’t believe I haven’t posted this yet. I’m sorry, r/NASCAR.
byu/JDMotorsports inNASCAR
This particular wheelgunner works for JDMotorsports, A NASCAR Xfinity series competitor running multiple cars in NASCAR’s Xfinity series. This race was on March 11 last year at Las Vegas Motorspeedway and the car coming in is the #4 car of Ross Chastain. In the video, Ross’s car comes in for what looks like a full pitstop which means fuel and four tires. This wheelgun mechanic is tasked with just the rear tires, but that doesn’t make the video any less exciting.
There’s more than meets the eye at first watch. It’s noteworthy to point out that he takes his time to make sure that he’s got his gun placed smack dab in the middle of each lug nut and has quite the rhythm as each lug comes off and another one is tightened on.
One keen commenter on that Reddit thread points out that the gun is spun up prior to the gun touching any of the lugs. My theory is that it’s much more stable to wield the gun at speed then it is to spin the gun up and aim at the same time.
By my watch, the entire pit stop took 15 seconds which is about average for any NASCAR team. This guy’s thoroughness and smoothness probably make for a more reliable time on average throughout the season.
I’ll definitely be on the lookout for more POV videos from these guys as they pop-up.
