Pit stop protocol

[tiggen]

Hello all, this is my first post here as I am new to Champcar and auto racing.  I have participated in a number of endurance karting events (up to and including multiple 24 hour events) and endurance motorcycle racing. 

 

My first assignment for the team is to come up with a pit stop protocol.  I have only attended one race as a spectator, and so I do not have any practical experience with how Champcar (or the teams) handle pit stops.  Would anybody be willing to tell me what they do in a typical pit stop?  Especially interested in tips for a smooth driver exchenage, fueling, division of respobsibilities, routine actions (tightening lugnuts or the like), etc.  Also, are there any pit regulations or procedures (other than what's in the rulebook) that Champcar uses? (I heard something about a timer being attached to cars as they enter pit lane to account for the 5 min mandatory fueling stops.)

 

Have really enjoyed Drew Nabb's videos, and would love to suggest this as a topic for a future vid! 

[craig71188]

Typical pit stop:

1) Driver exchange: driver exiting helps new driver into car/harness/radio connections/cool suit/etc - if you have an "extra" person fully suited up, they can relieve the driver getting out and "install" the new driver.  This can be done while fueling is going on. Visors must be down!

2) Fuel: One fully suited person to man fir bottle, one fully suited fueler.  Dump pan under car, open cap, add fuel.  A person to hand jugs over the wall is nice but not an absolute need.  Nothing else can be done while these first two items are going on.  Once fuel is in, cap tank, jugs and dump pan over wall then other work.

3) Other work: this can vary greatly from team to team.  Things to do include:

     a) Clean the windshield!

     b) Car walk around - tire wear, check for damage, loose items, anything that looks out of place

     c) Radio check w/driver

     d) Add water to drink bottle

     e) Add ice to cool suit

     f) Torque wheels (we don't - opinions vary, we feel hot studs stretch and once we have wheels on we leave them as is)

     g) Check tire pressure - generally we don't if we know our set up is good for a track.  "If" we have questions, or "if" we have a handling issue we may check

     h) Check oil - may or may not be needed - you have to know your engine/consumption habits.

 

#1 & #2 happen every regular stop.  Under #3, a-b-c are easily handled by on person, d-e by a second person.  If you are real short of drivers and crew, one can do it all, it just takes a bit more time.   Decide who does what BEFORE you stop.  Whatever you are going to do, have the supplies needed laid out within easy reach of the pit wall - no ON the pit wall.  A folding table against the cold side of the wall works well.  A "routine" stop should have you at the pit exit with time to spare on your 5 min clock.

 

Yes, at pit "in" you will need to stop and have a 5 min countdown timer attached to the roof (typically).  You will also stop at pit "out" where they will check and be sure the timer has run down to "0" before releasing you (assuming you took fuel).

 

Edited September 23, 2019 by craig71188

[mcoppola]

^^^^nice summary, and organized well.

@craig71188 what team are you with now? I remember the Datsun truck, but I lost track (forgot) which team(s) you're with now.

[thewheelerZ]

Summary above is pretty much it.  A couple of tips I like to use;

 

 - Be very prepared prior to the stop, with 20-30 mins left have a team meeting and discuss who is doing what and what the pit stop priorities are (i.e. what of c-h needs to be done).  Dont forget to let the driver know what the plan is over the radio too (are they helping buckle a driver or just getting over the wall?)

 - Driver getting in needs to be suited and booted with plenty of time to go if possible, leave their helmet off, but want them ready to go if something happens.  Same deal with pit crew, helmets and gloves ready and accessible.

 - Ive started using a pit boss as a key member of team.  They dont get suited or do anything during the stop in general.  They just stand and watch and direct.  They are able to give immediate radio checks once the driver is in the car, and hop over the wall to check the time (and call it out nice and clear) and importantly they are making sure that everyone is doing what they are supposed to do as opposed to chickens running around with heads cut off!

 

[Fitsbain]

49 minutes ago, thewheelerZ said:

Summary above is pretty much it.  A couple of tips I like to use;

 

 - Be very prepared prior to the stop, with 20-30 mins left have a team meeting and discuss who is doing what and what the pit stop priorities are (i.e. what of c-h needs to be done).  Dont forget to let the driver know what the plan is over the radio too (are they helping buckle a driver or just getting over the wall?)

 - Driver getting in needs to be suited and booted with plenty of time to go if possible, leave their helmet off, but want them ready to go if something happens.  Same deal with pit crew, helmets and gloves ready and accessible.

 - Ive started using a pit boss as a key member of team.  They dont get suited or do anything during the stop in general.  They just stand and watch and direct.  They are able to give immediate radio checks once the driver is in the car, and hop over the wall to check the time (and call it out nice and clear) and importantly they are making sure that everyone is doing what they are supposed to do as opposed to chickens running around with heads cut off!

 

Yup,

 

Pit mom is a great thing!

[Team Infiniti]

 +1 to everything, it depends upon the team, but you can reverse fueling with checking the car and adding cool suit ice, we do it as described. 

[ETR]

I agree with the above, but something very important to me that I stress to my team is not to be rushed.  Even with other orgs that don’t have the 5 minute timer.  Just do what you gotta do and especially as a new team it’s gonna take as long as it needs to.  Rushing leads to crew belting you in wrong and hopping back over pit wall yelling GO! GO! GO! (been there, yah I was pissed), or spilling fuel everywhere and onto hot brakes, or not seeing you’ve got a tire on cords, or a myriad of other hazards that would either be created or missed because of the frenzy.  

 

If something goes wrong with any scenario, you’d wish you would have spent that extra minute or two.

 

The efficiency comes with time and experience, you can’t force it.  You’re on the right track establishing a plan, but don’t hesitate to remind everyone (over and over) to relax, stay alert, and stay safe.  No running.  Before long you’ll be looking at the timer with 2 -1/2 minutes left and then making good use of that remaining time.   

 

Oh, also have the current driver count down a few laps prior to pit-in.  3 laps, 2 laps, coming in next lap, coming in now, etc.  Make it a rule.  Starting a pit stop with a surprise pit-in can be quite discombobulated.

 

[Black Magic]

18 hours ago, tiggen said:

Hello all, this is my first post here as I am new to Champcar and auto racing.  I have participated in a number of endurance karting events (up to and including multiple 24 hour events) and endurance motorcycle racing. 

 

My first assignment for the team is to come up with a pit stop protocol.  I have only attended one race as a spectator, and so I do not have any practical experience with how Champcar (or the teams) handle pit stops.  Would anybody be willing to tell me what they do in a typical pit stop?  Especially interested in tips for a smooth driver exchenage, fueling, division of respobsibilities, routine actions (tightening lugnuts or the like), etc.  Also, are there any pit regulations or procedures (other than what's in the rulebook) that Champcar uses? (I heard something about a timer being attached to cars as they enter pit lane to account for the 5 min mandatory fueling stops.)

 

Have really enjoyed Drew Nabb's videos, and would love to suggest this as a topic for a future vid! 

 

Bill asked me about this today. We might just do that. 

 

Guys here gave you great info. Here are a few points to add

 

1) The basic goal is to get 1 new person in the car and 10-20 gals of fuel. All in 5 mins, which is a long time. People overthink this alot

2) Have your ding dongs (drivers) leave their gear on pit road. You need to all be ready and down there 20 mins before scheduled stop with all your stuff. 

3) Practice fueling the car with your cans. I can dump 3 5 gal can in a minute if needed, instead i take 30 secs more on last can to not spill. The key to fast cans is getting the air in (not fuel out). 

4) Once fuel is in you can take helmet off as the crew, this is the only way you can really see anything. I have the fuel guy glance at the tires for wear, brake pads if you can see em, pull the big dents out that the ding dongs put in the fenders causing fenders to hit wheels and then get out of the way. Maybe check oil every other stop, but if it leaks that fast the problem will most likely take care of itself (it will go boom and or make huge smoke forcing you in).

5) Drivers whine about everything they don't have as soon as their butt hits the seat. You need one person watching the time to make the call "deal with it" when the radio doesn't work or the driver drink bottle is 5 deg f too warm......

6) have fuel gear, jack, impact, torque wrench, wheel for each end of car, pliers\screwdriver\basic wrench set, tape and zipties in your pit. Spare lug nuts help, as does windex and towels. Besides that, you should just go behind the wall and fix it right.....

Edited September 23, 2019 by Black Magic

[craig71188]

5 hours ago, mcoppola said:

^^^^nice summary, and organized well.

@craig71188 what team are you with now? I remember the Datsun truck, but I lost track (forgot) which team(s) you're with now.

I am driving with Jeff Stewart in the Hounddogs BMW, and sometimes a stint with Brian Hoover's team, Auto Body Specialists in the RX-7.  I currently have a stash of Fiero's I am accumulating parts for...

[mcoppola]

41 minutes ago, craig71188 said:

I am driving with Jeff Stewart in the Hounddogs BMW, and sometimes a stint with Brian Hoover's team, Auto Body Specialists in the RX-7.  I currently have a stash of Fiero's I am accumulating parts for...

Cool! Hope to see you at Pittsburgh and meet.

I drove the Bavarian Mustache Werks E36 Sunday morning 1st stint at Gingerman and had a great time racing with the Hounddogs car for a while. 

[thewheelerZ]

1 hour ago, Black Magic said:

4) Maybe check oil every other stop, but if it leaks that fast the problem will most likely take care of itself (it will go boom and or make huge smoke forcing you in).

5) Drivers whine about everything they don't have as soon as their butt hits the seat. You need one person watching the time to make the call "deal with it" when the radio doesn't work or the driver drink bottle is 5 deg f too warm......

 

4) Bwahahaha, Yeah right.... we dont even bother to check the dipstick.  Just go ahead and add at least a 1/2 quart at every stop.  #livingtheVQlife #itsaNissanthing

 

5) I love this one.  So its not just my drivers that act like that... Seriously!

[Black Magic]

49 minutes ago, thewheelerZ said:

 

4) Bwahahaha, Yeah right.... we dont even bother to check the dipstick.  Just go ahead and add at least a 1/2 quart at every stop.  #livingtheVQlife #itsaNissanthing

 

5) I love this one.  So its not just my drivers that act like that... Seriously!

 

Don't VQ engines "take care of the problem themselves" from time to time (boom)  

 

Helps when you run a big capacity pan, loosing 2 qrts doesn't really change things. 

 

I had one driver that always had to pee again right before the car would come in..... had to threaten him with depends to get over it....

Edited September 23, 2019 by Black Magic

[bbaker480]

A couple indirectly related to pit stop things to mention.  Go over the toolbox and spare fluids during the pit setup with the team.  It sucks when you need a quart of oil and nobody knows where it is, or you've identified that loose bolt on the strut tower but you get handed a SAE wrench set for your Mazda.  Learning the ins and outs of the platform come with time but assuming the most knowledgeable person is the one doing the work you have to hope that others can find what you are asking for.

 

Your fueler should know how your super trick homemade dump cans work, how the venting works, how to tell when the car is getting full, etc. before the first stop.  When we have the manpower available we have a dedicated fueler and fire bottler.  They take on extra tasks once the fuel is in and the cap is on but once you have a routine down for fuel stick with it.  Like stated above the venting is the concern, not the filler, when it comes to how fast you can dump a can.  Any little tricks you have to burp the car keep to yourself but make sure your fueler knows.  I've seen cars tipped up on a jack take over a gallon more fuel than they did sitting level which could mean the difference between going 2 hours or stopping early depending on your car.

 

 

[tiggen]

Thanks, guys!  This is exactly what I need!  Great advice.  Appreciate your taking the time to respond! 

[MMiskoe]

Pretty simple.  Come up with a list of things you want to do to/with the car when it stops and make a plan. 

 

Then it is just like directions to Carnegie Hall - Practice, man practice. 

 

The plan is useless if you can't implement it.

[mostmint]

13 hours ago, thewheelerZ said:

 - Ive started using a pit boss as a key member of team.  They dont get suited or do anything during the stop in general.  They just stand and watch and direct.  They are able to give immediate radio checks once the driver is in the car, and hop over the wall to check the time (and call it out nice and clear)

We call that role crew chief.

 

We have a list of all items planned for each pit stop.  crew chief sends texts to group in advance of pit stop.  About 30 minutes ahead all the items on the checklist are assigned to someone.  Sometimes crew chief will do ice, change SD card in the camera, hand over gas cans, do radio checks.

 

Crew chief also make sure we have someone on the radio, we have gas cans refilled, and have a mechanic type on duty in case the car comes in unexpectedly.   

[Guest E. Tyler Pedersen]

My first advice for your team is to come check out a race and volunteer. You'll see first hand how teams do pit stops and trust me they are not all the same. 

 

All above advice is great but seeing it in person and seeing a race in person is some of the best first hand experience. 

[JonathanW]

You can also find a team to join as a crew member. I did and had so much fun that 3 years later I’m still coming to races just to hang out and dump fuel in the car.

 

You can learn a ton about, not only how pit stops work, but also about all the little things that you’d never think about before you try a race. Things like how it’s nice to have a shelf and clothes hangers in your pit box to dry sweaty gear before the next stint.