It ain't NASCAR ... but it's a must-see!

[Thumper]

One of the big issues with NASCAR rules is to keep expenses down. For example, it's the reason they only ran carbs and not fuel injection until just recently.

Formula 1 racing is the total opposite ... money is no object. The rules reflect that ... even down to how many crew members are on the payroll. At an F1 race, a pit crew has 18 members! (I'm talking "over the wall" here!)

I've never been a huge "Indy" fan, but I do respect the machinery and engineering marvels demonstrated ... it's almost what I'd call another world if compared to NASCAR. I remember as a kid, watching my dad work the pits, they used the old manual "spider wrenches" (X-shaped lug wrench) before air wrenches were allowed. Things have really changed.

Low 13 seconds is probably the average time for a NASCAR stop. Considering they have 7 members as opposed to 18, it's still quite a feat to change tires, clean the grill, clean the windshield, fuel up and even make chassis adjustments in that 13 seconds. Anyway, to the point of this post. If you want to see poetry in motion ... watch an F1 pit-stop! This is how to service a Ferrari ... (how'd you like to be that front jack man hoping those brakes work!?) :D

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/aHSUp7msCIE?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[Niner]

Holy cow!!! Talk about a "drive through". I had to back that up several times to see what was happening there.
Looks like two of the guys are balancing the car while it is up on the jacks.
Must have ONE big ol' nut holding the wheels on.

[LJ3]

Holy crap! Was that just a wheel change? I didn't see any fuel going in.

[Thumper]

Holy crap! Was that just a wheel change? I didn't see any fuel going in.

Lenster, I used to follow F1 a little bit ... but not consistently. I remember years ago they did a lot of waffling back and forth. They'd normally calculate how much fuel they needed for a race and run that full amount (large tanks!) and pit-stops were basically tires only. There is no fuel over the wall and fuel was kept in the garage area (I think). One year, some team decided it would be an advantage to run a smaller tank and lighter fuel load, then refuel mid-race and STILL come out ahead (at the end) of the others running the heavier fuel loads. That's when all the craziness started. Some teams ran smaller tanks and refueled during the race ... and others did not. I think the rules changed a few times until they finally banned refueling altogether about 3-4 years ago. The part I don't remember is whether you have to qualify AND race with the original fuel load. I'm not sure they can add fuel after qualifying or not. As I said ... I haven't really FOLLOWED F1 in many years although I'll watch a race from time to time.

I think even with refueling, their normal pit-stop was around 6-8 seconds (not positive) but now it's 2 seconds or so. It's basically just tires but they'll sometimes adjust the wings, etc. Some of the crew in the video are back-ups. I think there's one with an extra jack and each tire changer has an extra wrench laid out, etc. I believe there's also one with the starter motor in case the car stalls.

[BarryBobPosthole]

When you consider all of the different skillsets that drivers in those different classes have to have, it makes it even more amazing to think about what AJ Foyt did during his racing career. Was a winner in NASCAR, won titles in Indy cars, won 24 Hours at Lemans enduro race, won the Daytona 24 race, won the IROC championship (which I still wish they'd race). The man could drive anything with wheels on it.

there ain't NONE who can do that shit today.

BKB

[Thumper]

When you consider all of the different skillsets that drivers in those different classes have to have, it makes it even more amazing to think about what AJ Foyt did during his racing career. Was a winner in NASCAR, won titles in Indy cars, won 24 Hours at Lemans enduro race, won the Daytona 24 race, won the IROC championship (which I still wish they'd race). The man could drive anything with wheels on it.

there ain't NONE who can do that shit today.

BKB

Yep, gotta give him credit ... but the biggest problem with A.J. is that he's a total asshole.

[Bwana]

HOLY SHIT!!