The 24-team field consisted of the 21 teams whose drivers have qualified for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race on Saturday night.
THE FASTEST CREW
Red Bull Racing's No. 83 team wins Pit Crew Challenge
Bob Pockrass / SceneDaily.com
Red Bull Racing’s No. 83 team won the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Pit Crew Challenge, winning the skills competition final over the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 11 team.
The Brian Vickers pit crew edged the Denny Hamlin crew by a foot in the final with a winning margin of 0.109 seconds at Time Warner Cable Arena.
The fourth annual pit-crew event saw its fourth different winner. The No. 83 team of specialists – none work in the shop – consists of gas man Doug Newell, catch-can man Mike Metcalf, front tire changer Brian Haaland, front tire carrier Aaron Scheilds, rear tire changer Danny Kincaid, rear tire carrier Jake Brzozowski and jackman Shaun Peet.
The competition consists of the pit-crew members showcasing their skills and then pushing the car across the arena floor. Teams are penalized for loose lug nuts and other infractions.
“It was just a great effort by everybody,” Schields said. “We were mistake-free, and that was our plan going in.
“If we were going to get beat, it wasn’t going to be from beating ourselves. Everybody executed and everybody pushed their guts out.”
This was the second year the Red Bull team was in the compettion. It made it to the quarterfinals last year, but this year had the benefit of having worked all of the Sprint Cup races – as opposed to last season when Vickers made only five of the first 11 races.
“I can’t say enough about this team,” pit crew coach Greg Miller said. “Words cannot describe this group. … Last year was tough. Week to week we’re [now] able to fine-tune our skills.”
The 24-team field consisted of the 21 teams whose drivers have qualified for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race on Saturday night and the three highest teams in the current owners standings. The Red Bull team was one of those, so it can’t take advantage of the “winning” prize of getting the first pick in pit selection for the Saturday race. Most likely the No. 11 team will get that first choice.
Winners of the individual competition were Roush Fenway No. 17 rear tire changer and carrier Dave Smith and Jason Bringer, Joe Gibbs Racing No. 18 front tire changer and carrier Nick Odell and Brad Donaghy, Hendrick Motorsports' No. 24 gas man Caleb Hurd and catch can man Jamie Frady and Gillett Evernham Motorsports No. 9 jackman Eric Wilson.
Hurd, Frady and Wilson set records for the times of their skill sessions.
