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My Day As A NASCAR Driver and Pit Crew Changer

disclosureSome days I love my job. The day I got to be part of NASCAR has to be one of the best and most exciting experiences I've had! I know, you are asking yourself how hard could this be. Actually, a lot harder than it looks! Let's start with the NASCAR car experience.

We went to the Charlotte Motor Speedway for our ride along. Now, I didn't actually get to drive the car. I got to ride along which was just as exciting. Now, with my motion sickness, I thought for sure I'd be green. I wasn't! It was amazing to go that fast in a car! It's also super hot in those cars! We did three laps at top speed with a racing instructor driving (so we were totally safe all along). Here's what it looks like:

Totally amazing, right? Next, we learned went to the Performance Instruction & Training (PIT) school. It is one of the coolest places to learn this trade. This crew training facility offers programs to those who want to become pit crew members. We all broke into teams and learned our roles.

Photo Courtesy of Performance Instruction & Training

We learned how to change all four tires and our roles included a rear carrier, a rear changer, a jackman, a gas man a front carrier and a front changer.

As easy as it looks, let me tell you, it isn't. Let me show you exactly how hard it is:

A normal pit crew can do this in 11 seconds. Needless to say, we took a lot longer. Every one of us had a role, and if you mess up your role, you can be fired.

I know I had no idea how much time, training, effort, and work went into being both a driver and pit crew. I have a new found respect for both. PIT has trained over 500 drivers and they work with over 200 businesses for team building training, and they are doing an amazing job of it! We learned how things have progressed and gotten both faster and safer over the years.

It's a whole different experience watching Cars 3 (aff) now knowing what I learned. Have you done a NASCAR ride along or been part of a pit crew? Did you learn anything from my experience?

CARS 3 (aff) is now available on Digital and DVD. Go get your copy!

Lisa Martin

In April 2006, Lisa began blogging to stay connected with distant relatives and friends. As she delved into blogging, she discovered the potential to assist others by sharing her experiences. Lisa has actively engaged in numerous exclusive media ventures. Notable among these are her participation in events such as the Sony Mommy Bloggers Event, the Pampers Mommy Bloggers Event, the Epson Event in Chicago, the Stouffers Event, a memorable yacht excursion with Lands End, collaborations with 1-800-Baskets, an exclusive tour for bloggers by Mrs. Prindable’s, partnerships with Hallmark, PopCap games, Chicago Cubs Mastercard Priceless Events, and Rug Doctor. In addition, she has collaborated with Nutrisystem on a weight loss initiative, teamed up with Buick and Chevy, and served as a brand ambassador for Sprint. Lisa's collaboration portfolio also extends to Disney, where she has participated in press trips for significant movies such as Frozen, Guardians of the Galaxy, McFarland USA, The Good Dinosaur, The BFG, and Cars 3. Notably, for projects like Frozen, The BFG, and Cars 3, she was granted the privilege of walking the red carpet and conducting interviews with celebrities. The impact of Lisa's blog has gained recognition, with The New York Times referencing her content. Moreover, she has been featured in interviews by respected publications such as the Southtown Star, The Chicago Sun Times, and inside.

This Post Has 19 Comments

  1. candy

    My husband had the opportunity to do all of this years ago. Talk about an exciting day for him. Everyone was so nice and he had a wonderful time.

  2. Amber Myers

    This would be so much fun! My husband would love to do something like this. Cars 3 is such a great movie.

  3. This sounds like it was a lot of fun! I am not into the whole racing thing. I grew up not too far from Talladega, and it was never my thing. But, so cool for those that love it.

  4. Jeanette

    My husbands practically drooling over my shoulder reading this. This would be a dream come true for him. He is always wanted to go on a race car and has always loved NASCAR.

  5. Sarah Bailey

    Oh now this sounds like so much fun! I bet it would be great for anyone who loves Nascar or fast cars in general.

  6. Heather

    What a cool experience! Who wouldn’t want to be a nascar driver for a day. I bet this was so much fun.

  7. Tomi C

    WOW! I have a friend and she and her hubby are Nascar fanatics. They’ve even taken their granddaughters to Nascar a few times and those girls love it as much as their grandparents. This would be such an awesome experience for them. Looks like you had so much fun!

  8. Jenn @ EngineerMommy

    That sounds like such a fun, unique experience. I would have loved to experience something like that. I have a lot of Nascar fans in my family.

  9. Glamamom

    What an awesome experience! I need To learn to change a tire lol.

  10. Rachel

    11 seconds? Can you imagine doing anything on a car that quickly? I bet the ride along was just amazing.

  11. Rosemary Palmer

    My son did a ride along in Daytona once. I can’t remember if driving on his own was too expensive or maybe he wasn’t old enough. He loved it and of course I got a great picture of him with the cars and in the jumpsuit.

  12. Terri Beavers

    What a memorable experience this would be. I bet you’ll always reflect on this event. My dad was a race car driver all of my childhood and your post brought back loving memories.

  13. Kita Bryant

    I’m so jealous you got to do a ride along. It sounds like you had a ton of fun and for good reason!

  14. Adrienne

    How fun is this. I’ve never been to a Nascar race, but I’ve heard that it’s a fun time. Glad you enjoyed your experience in the pit.

  15. Cheryl

    Wow! What an amazing experience! I’ve never been but would love to!

  16. adriana

    That is seriously so cool! I love hearing about different things like this – what an amazing job that must be. Soo cool!

  17. This looks like fun but I’d be scared to be a NASCAR driver… but I’d like to learn how to change tires.

  18. Bohemian Babushka

    JAHA As soon as you said pit crew BB thought of Luigi. One of the best moments of CARS is when he left the other pit crew with their hoods on the floor! How fun that you got to experience that for yourself. BB2U

  19. Our Family World

    Whoa! I am totally amazed at the skill of the Nascar Pit Crew! I mean, I see them on TV but to read about a first hand account on the training done to even qualify for the job is just awesome! 11 seconds for all that! I would take 11 hours to change a tire!

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