Pit crews have one of the most demanding tasks in sports. Any mistake could result in devastating consequences for their driver. Because they spend a lot of time in the field working alongside some of the top drivers, it is possible to wonder what amount NASCAR pit crews earn.
Based on their expertise and the NASCAR team they’re working for, NASCAR pit crews earn between $300,000 and $80,000 per season. Crew chiefs may earn more money if their team is performing well. Pit crews and crew chiefs could receive bonus money if their driver wins the race.
Below, we’ll discuss the amount NASCAR pit crews earn by breaking down the average earnings of each participant. We will also talk about the role of pit crews and the description of their jobs and explain why their jobs are so difficult.
Function Of A NASCAR Pit Crew
Without a functioning pit crew, NASCAR drivers would not enjoy the thrill of winning. The pit crews were simply mechanics that provided services to the race car. They were a lot faster than pit crews today. Nowadays, a NASCAR pit crew comprises natural athletes, many participating in college sports.
In 2022 the pit crews comprised five athletes who climbed over the wall to provide choreographed services that included changing tires and adding fuel to the vehicle. They also permit a sixth athlete to perform utility services such as handing the driver water or washing the windshield.
Recognition
NASCAR pit crews, however, are akin to NFL offensive linemen. They are only noticed when there is a problem. Suppose an auto tire changer has misplaced the lug nuts. This could cause the driver to lose time on the track, or if the driver fails to align the tire and results in an injury properly, it will be penalized in the worst possible moment.
If you carefully look at the NASCAR pit stop, be aware of the choreography. After watching some pit stops, you’ll see that for an orchestrated pit stop, and crews need to practice for hours throughout the season and the offseason. NASCAR season, as well as during the off-season.
NASCAR Pit Crews Earn Their Money
Although the pit crew may not make the same amount of dollars as their chauffeur, they receive a decent salary. You won’t be able to drive across the country to attend 36 events that pay points and make a concerted effort to plan your perfect pitstop in the offseason to earn some dollars a year.
Remember that pit crews will be working and traveling more than the normal 40-to-50-hour per week. Like their drivers, pit crews reside at home in North Carolina and practice their jobs at headquarters. However, they have also seen them spending four days per week in the field throughout the year.
In contrast to their drivers, they do not live in the infield of a motorhome or engage with fans. Instead, NASCAR pit crews stay in hotels when they aren’t at the track as well as the other team members, which comprises experts, engineers, and mechanics.
With this alone, an NASCAR pit crew earns an incredible living performing their duties. However, they’re not all earning the same amount. Jackmen, tire changers, and gasmen earn different amounts. That’s what we’ll be discussing next.
How Much Do NASCAR Tire Changers Make?
The median earnings for a NASCAR tire changer are $1500 on race day. This equals $54,000 for the entire season over 36 weekends that pay points. The key word is the racing day. Tire changers earn the equivalent of $80,000 annually. However, this is largely contingent on the race team.
NASCAR tire changers differ from typical tire changers at your local tire store. They needed to track 10 lug nuts which are 5 per tire, if they changed either the rear or front tires because pit crews have both a front and back tire changer.
The first time NASCAR introduced their Next Gen car, they only had to think about two lug nuts. one per tire, that they were accountable for changing. This makes the task slightly easier, but only having one lug nut, they must change tires at much more velocity.
Smaller teams employ tire changers earning less, whereas bigger teams will pay their tire changers more. Additionally, you need to consider the amount of previous experience. The more experience a tire changer has, the higher they’ll earn the more money, and the reverse is also true. It’s the same for others on the crew.
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How Much Do Tire Carriers Make?
The tire carrier performs one job: carry the tire away from the wall and then place it on the vehicle. If you are watching an event on pit roads, the job of the tire carrier is more complex than it seems. You can see how they and the Jackman, the tire carrier, must know precisely which road to choose. If the tired driver or Jackman chooses the wrong path, it could cost you precious minutes.
The tire carriers typically earn the same amount as tire changers: an average of $1500 per race and $80,000 per year. This is roughly $1,540 weekly for tire changers and tire carriers for 52 weeks a year.
NASCAR fuelers earn around $3000 per race, averaging $150,000 to $200,000 on the upper end. Because the job of a fueler is extremely risky and requires an enormous amount of strength, they typically make more money than tire changers and carriers.
NASCAR fuelers, often called gas men, typically are the biggest and strongest of the NASCAR pit crew. It is easy to identify who the gas guys are by how they carry these fuel canisters in red and are wearing an apron with a silver fire-resistant design. Before, it was possible to recognize the gasman as the sole one wearing fire-resistant suits and helmets. However, nowadays, every pit crew member wears them.
How Much Do NASCAR Jack Men Make?
NASCAR Jackmen can earn up to $3,000 for each race, ranging from $150,000 to $200,000 annually. However, experienced jackmen could earn as much as $300,000. Because their job is such a large amount of responsibility, Jack men typically have the highest earnings of the crew members with five primary positions.
The job of the Jackman is one of the most difficult of the pit crew’s other tasks because they have to know precisely when to raise the car before setting it back on the track. If the Jackman lowers the car before the tire changers have completed fixing their lug nuts, this will hinder the timing of the teams overall and could affect their track positions.
The Jackman also has to assist in placing the tires on the car and take on some of the carrier responsibilities. So, in modern NASCAR, the Jackman is responsible for multiple duties and must be able to plan out a route for them to follow after they lift and lower their car.
They also inform the driver when it is time to quit the pit, usually by lifting their arms. Jackmen need to ensure they have left-side tires securely fastened before lowering the car for the last time. They should also make sure the old tires are in contact with or in the way of the wall, or otherwise, they will be subject to a penalty.
Do NASCAR Pit Crew Members Get Paid Bonuses?
NASCAR pit crews get bonuses every when their NASCAR team is victorious, with rewards different for teams. This is why you can see them giddy in their pits when their driver wins the checkered flag. NASCAR is an all-team sport. And when a racer wins, the entire team takes home the victory.
There may be incentives at work which you can earn when you reach certain numbers or performance benchmarks. The same is true with NASCAR pit crews. Therefore the numbers that you will see above are just the base incomes.
How much do NASCAR pit crews make as a bonus? It’s usually between $300-$500 per race, the carriers and tire changers making the lowest portion of the scale, as the fueler or the Jackman is paid closer to $500.
NASCAR crew spotters and crew chiefs also get cash prizes for winning. Crew chiefs can earn an additional $2,500 for each winning on average, while spotters typically receive 500 dollars in bonus.
What Do NASCAR Crew Chiefs Do?
NASCAR crew chiefs can be compared to head coaches on an athletic team. They determine how to tweak the car. They also control the intra-race plan, like telling drivers when to pit, whether they’ll opt for a 2- or 4-tire stop, and when to refill the car.
Crew chiefs are in charge of that passes both post-race and pre-race inspections. If their vehicle does not pass inspection, The crew chief usually gets most of the NASCAR sanctions that could include suspensions.
How Much Do NASCAR Crew Chiefs Make?
NASCAR crew chiefs can earn as much as $10,000 for each race, equivalent to $360,000 for races by themselves. The NASCAR crew chief is arguably the most difficult job in the organization. However, as with all difficult tasks, NASCAR teams reward them well, and highly experienced crew chiefs can be paid 7-figure sums.
The reality is that they can earn a salary that could fall to as low as $200,000 when they are for an enviable NASCAR group. Crew chiefs could also make up to $1 million if a larger team employs veteran veterans or them.
What Do NASCAR Spotters Do?
A NASCAR spotter is among the drivers’ primary contacts in the event. Drivers only be aware of what’s happening in front of them and behind them; therefore, spotters inform drivers know about any other significant potential dangers on the race track.
It is common to observe spotters lining together in a specific area in a high-vantage spot. On larger tracks, such as roads, teams might use an additional spotter; however, this is a rare occasion.
Superspeedways such as Daytona and Talladega, in which it isn’t easy to discern what’s happening in the backstretch area, the spotter is likely to use binoculars to keep their eyes on their driver. No matter how thrilling it gets towards the top of the line, NASCAR spotters must focus on their driver. Some drivers are only bothered with cameras, preferring to depend on their spotter.
NASCAR spotters should also inform their drivers to know who is driving close to the wall or lower toward the track’s apron. Sometimes they’ll use the term “high” to mean the high car on the top and the low car as being at the bottom.
One Of NASCAR’s Toughest Jobs
Alongside the crew chief being the crew chief’s NASCAR spotter is among the most difficult tasks in the race. They are accountable for guiding the driver around wrecks and avoiding collisions with other vehicles.
In the event of caution, they might also consult with other spotters about possible alliances during races and then relay the strategies to the driver. So, NASCAR spotters must act as mediators between the driver of their car and the opponent driver, as well as the spotter.
They also must be 100% accurate in the information they relay to their driver. Not only information about those riding with them both in the low and high, but the crew chief could relay directions to spotters because they might require the driver to concentrate solely on one voice regarding Green Flag laps.
Spotters can be found standing for hours, adding to the work’s demands. This is not just for race day and during training. They do not have shade to work from due to their elevated views. If you look at the racers during an event, they’re also huddled shoulder-to-shoulder.
How Much Do NASCAR Spotters Make?
NASCAR spotters earn about $2,500 for each race, around $90,000 in 36 points-paying races. However, their earnings could exceed six figures and are usually around $150,000; however, experienced spotters may earn more, whereas newbies can earn considerably less.
NASCAR spotters are compensated very well for the job they perform. However, their job is close to being as stressful as the crew chief’s, and it’s not carrying the same stress as the Jackman’s job, given all their duties in the pit box.
They usually also get 500 dollars in rewards for winning because of the importance of their work. They’ve earned every penny each time their driver is successful.
Final Thoughts
NASCAR pit crews earn an average of $80,000 on the low end; however, experienced drivers in higher-pressure jobs on the major teams could earn as much as $300,000. The nascar pit crew chief could earn more if the team’s performance is good, and experienced crew chiefs could have their earnings reach 7 figures.
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