THE CREW MEMBER'S SIDE OF DRIVER RAGE
“You’re all (deleted) fired. Every (deleted) one of you,” yelled Martin Truex Jr.
“(Deleted) everybody,” said Kurt Busch.
The above statements were heard over radio communications during the Richmond Cup race.
We all know that drivers are under a tremendous amount of pressure and vent in the heat of the moment. But so is everyone of the team and unfortunately, venting is a one-way street.
There is nothing more demoralizing for an entire team than being lambasted where thousands can listen in and witness the tantrum display.
I made many sacrifices in my career as a racing mechanic. By race day of a weekend the list was long.
I haven’t seen my wife and my children in 3 days. I haven’t slept in my own bed for just as long. My feet ache. Every muscle in my body stabs me with pain. Battles with dehydration and lack of nutrition are not overcome physically but by mind over matter. We have been at hard labor for 14 hours and I still am being yelled at to “hustle it up” like my human limitations no longer exist.
The driver has his family with him. They stayed in their million-dollar motorcoach that has more amenities than my house. They also flew to the speedway grounds on their private jet.
Don’t cry for me. I chose my profession. I know the sacrifices that need to be made.
Under these conditions a split-second error can and will occur. It occurs because of these conditions.
When the well-rested, well fed, pampered and overpaid makes his own split second mistake on the track and destroys a race car, every team member knows the “Oh well, tow the company line, all-for-one and one-for-all” proper statements to say.
No crewmember goes in front of a TV camera and states “my driver sucks and needs to be fired.” like the quotes that started this column. However, the crewmember would be justified to.
In my opinion, if the driver can say it, then so can the crew.
I can’t tell you how many times I wanted to key my radio microphone and say to my whining driver “(deleted) you.” But I didn’t. I knew my family’s groceries and mortgage was at stake if I did.
A driver has millions of dollars in sponsor’s marketing money budgeted out with his face on storefront posters. A crewmember like me who makes a fraction of his paycheck is replaced with a lot less corporate glitch than the man holding the steering wheel.
When it comes time to start unloading and fixing crashed cars early Monday morning, the driver is nowhere to be found. He is often still in bed or out on the lake.
We all get mad. But you win as a team and lose as a team. Those radio tirades are just the thing to stop crewmembers from making all those sacrifices that pave the way for a driver’s fame and fortune.
The car parts are common. The people, attitudes, and effort are not.
Martin Truex spun out entering the Darlington pits on Saturday night. He said he had no tires left. He said he didn’t know it would be that slick.
Too bad.
Getting a car to pit road is still… your job. Do it.
Where is the tire changer telling him he’s fired over the radio? It is the exact same thing as what the driver spouted off about at Richmond.
Country music legend Charlie Daniels once stated that any singer that treats his roadies, or any race driver that treats his pit crew, any less than how he treats himself is a fool.
Correct, Mr. Daniels. Well said.
(Patrick Reynolds is a former NASCAR team mechanic who hosts "Motorweek Live" Mondays at 7pm ET/4pm PT. Listen at www.racersreunionradio.com.)
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Well put and very TRUTHFUL. You are only as good as those that are behind you , treat them like CRAP and you end up looking like crap.
Funny neither of the FOUL MOUTHED drivers were fined or warned by NASACR but others who used another word for CRAP was in the past.
As for some comments previously posted !
"Ask my boys in uniform overseas if they feel sorry for any nascar crewmen's 'hardships'" Different situation why always drag up the ARMED FORCES for comparison.
" why is it that people grow balls AFTER they are no longer in a position where they can be called out?" Would YOU mouth off about your BOSS / EMPLOYER on National TV and expect a job on Monday morning , doudt it !
Puleeeze! A lot of whining in this blog. If you are that jealous of the star.... quit! There are hundreds of guys waiting to fill your shoes. As long as fans buy tickets and tee shirts because of the drivers it will stay this way.
You guys crack me up with your "poor me, I work so hard, I'm away from my family for 2-3 days." Ask my boys in uniform overseas if they feel sorry for any nascar crewmen's 'hardships'.
Great article Patrick. The verbal abuse from these drivers lately is uncalled for and has taken the sport down a notch if you ask me. In a tough economy and many without jobs it is disheartening when the likes of Truex proudly announces to his crew over the radio that they are fired Hmmm I guess drivers never make mistakes leaving a hard working crew to feel all but disappointed. Wonder if Truex was man enough to apologize for missing his pit the following week?
Thanks again for your article.
I bet most people don't know that the crew that Truex cussed out and fired (but they didn't get fired, just moved to other teams in MWR) will be competing for Truex in the PIT CREW COMPETITION at the Charlotte Race!!! That crew was (before they were split up) the second fastest of all the Nascar crews...the crew had Truex passing more cars on pit road due to their fast stops than Truex was passing on the TRACK!!!!!! I challenge everyone to check the stats!!! By Truex's standards, they're not good enough for him (DUH!) on race day but good enough to try to win the Challenge?????He is a BRAT who is trying to save face for his lack of driving skills by taking away the crew who is making him look bad!!! And the owners won't stand up to him because if Bratty Truex gets mad and leaves, so does NAPA!! Don't plan to ever buy from NAPA again!!!!
This couldn't be more well-written and accurate. I've worked with a number of teams and I've always been amazed at how some drivers speak to their crews. Literally cursing them like dogs for an inordinate length of time. I know one crewman who, when the driver would continue a lengthy tirade for far too long, would key his mic (but not saying a word) to keep his fellow crewmen from having to listen to the crap this driver was spewing.
As the writer said, "But you win as a team and lose as a team. Those radio tirades are just the thing to stop crewmembers from making all those sacrifices that pave the way for a driver’s fame and fortune." I've said that to a number of people in different ways. A team will continue to do their jobs for you regardless of how you treat them, but will they give that extra 10% that makes the difference in winning or losing a championship? I would argue that they won't.
I'm also always amazed how some drivers don't apologize when they screw up. I think the driver should have to walk the gauntlet between two rows of his crewmen and let them kick him in the butt as hard as they can after he screws up. He's given them a verbal butt kicking many a time, so turnabout is certainly fair play.
This article says exactly what I was thinking when Truex spun out entering the pits at Darlington. Wonder if he (Truex) will comment on his fire-able moment. At least Earnhardt Jr, average driver that he is, apologized to his crew for his screw-up entering the pits. Man up, Truex.
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I saw my first car race in New Jersey at NJMP two weeks ago. It was an Arca race. My cousin works on the RCR team as i Pit Crew Member. I have watch many Nascar Races. I am a fan indeed. Having said that, I never realized how fit the Crews must be to get their jobs done effectively. I agree it takes a Team to win even though the driver seems to get all of the credit. the Teams get that. Respect at all levels needs ALWAYS to be in place. The Drivers know they don't stand a chance without their Crews. Hold your tongues on the radio and deal with it in private.