NASCAR announces pit stop changes for XFINITY and Truck Series
NASCAR officials introduced rules changes Tuesday for pit stops – both for personnel and procedures – in select Xfinity Series and Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series events this season.
Officials indicate the changes are designed to enhance pit strategy and to streamline the personnel performing pit stops at those specified races. The rules also place limits on the types of service that teams can perform in each trip to pit road.
The rules will be in place for four Xfinity Series races: May 30 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, both events at Iowa Speedway (June 13 and Aug. 1), and the Aug. 8 stop at Road America. Gander Trucks teams will operate within these rules at three events this season: June 12 at Iowa, Aug. 21 at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway and Sept. 6 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. None of the races are companion events with the NASCAR Cup Series.
In these seven events, team rosters will not have designated pit crew members. Each series will have a maximum of eight road crew members at each of these races who will also perform over-the-wall duties during pit stops – four to service the car (tires, jack), one fueler and one for driver assistance. The road crew total signifies an increase of one for Xfinity teams and two for Gander Trucks teams.
Peterson said the rationale for implementing these rules at stand-alone events was to provide efficiencies for the teams instead of a reliance on specialized pit-crew members from Cup Series teams. Two stand-alone Gander Trucks events were excluded: July 30 at Eldora Speedway, which has rules unique to the dirt-track showdown, and June 5 at Texas Motor Speedway, where fuel mileage comes into play with the length of the race and its stages.
During a yellow-flag full cycle (non-quickie yellow) pit stop at oval tracks, a team may change two tires and add fuel. For a four-tire stop, a team must pit a second time during the caution period.
At road courses for a full-cycle caution period, a team may change four tires or add fuel. A team opting for four tires and fuel must make a second trip to pit road.
Peterson indicated that there are no immediate plans to expand the use of these pit-stop and crew personnel rules in more races or beyond the Xfinity and Gander Trucks series in 2021 and beyond.
See much more at NASCAR.com.
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Originally Posted by Rick
