Orange County Review inSIDEr, September 30, 2010 in “Between the mid 12s and SIDE the low 13s” It takes between 12 and a half and 13 seconds to change all four tires and fill up with fuel during a NASCAR pit stop. Note the pit wagon in the background. The official is there to make sure that all five lug nuts are securely attached. In the final picture, Brad Donaghy gives Kyle Busch the good-to-go sign. mama of Joe Gibbs. "It's a great atmosphere." Brad we have to go up and do 30 minutes of cardio and messes up, it pretty much hurts the whole team." r calls it "a good family environment." It pays well too. typically a strength work out." There are also injuries in this sport. "I bought a house two years ago," says Brad matter- This is a sport. Linebackers and offensive tackles "Please don't say that," says Hope, tight-lipped, as of-factly. How many 23-year-olds do you know can like Brad make for good tire carriers. The changers, she watches yet another NASCAR re-run. His Dad, say that? the guys with the air guns, are like wide receivers, Keith says, "You see 'em get hit all the time, fly up on Working for Joe Gibbs is also a lot of hard work. nimble and lightening-fast. The jack man has to be the hood of a car." Hope winces and adds "I'm very The hours are long and you'd better not tight when it comes to Bradley. I love him." make any plans for the weekends from Down at the track, Bradley says he's late January until the end of November. never been hurt while a race was going During the week Brad is a front end on. "Changers typically have wrist and mechanic for the Number 11 car, driven elbow problems from the gun and hitting by Denny Hamlin. Even during the off lug nuts hard. Carriers it's typically lower he last thing Brad Donaghy does before he jumps off the Above, poised on the pit stall season, "it's a regular job," he continues back and legs. My back gets tight every wall is a knuckle-to-knuckle good luck dap with his partner wall with his of his Monday through Thursday rou- once in awhile but I stretch it out and I TNick Odell. It's a little bit superstition and a whole lot psych- right front tire tine. "You go in there; you're a mechan- haven't had a problem there." Just prior to ing each other up. at the ready, ic; you have to work on stuff.You have to the race, Bradley, Nick, and the other One-one thousand…two-one thousand… Orange County develop new stuff and try new stuff in team members all stretch out and do "When they come in for the pit, you've got your tires all laid out High School the wind tunnels…So, you've always warm-up exercises. on the wall.You've got your right and your left," says Donaghy, tick- graduate, got something to do. You can't worry "To pull off good times every time, it's ing off the pit stop routine. "You always jump off the wall with your Bradley about traveling on the weekends." got to be perfect," notes Brad. "You'll right side first.You only jump off the wall, when the car hits one pit Donaghy looks September 30, 2010 That's when he and the rest of the have little mishaps here and there, it won't stall away. So you jump off as the car comes in. And he stops, for Kyle Busch Phil Audibert team jump on one of Joe Gibbs' two pri- slow you down too much and you'll still that's when everybody jumps in position." to come in. At vate planes and fly to the race, whether have a good stop, but it wouldn't be as The jack man goes first, followed by Nick with the air gun, fol- left, Brad Donaghy it's in Richmond, Virginia or Richmond, good as if you were clean throughout the lowed by Brad with the 65-pound right front tire. They run right in played line- California. "Yeah, I'm enjoying it," nods stop." front of the still-moving racecar. Kyle Busch brakes to a stop pret- backer and Brad with a smile. "It's a lot of traveling Mishaps? "Like if you have to go back ty close to the red tape marker they put down on the tarmac before offensive tackle and lot of work.You get a little bit of time and hit an extra lug nut. Or when I index the the race started. The rear tire changer and carrier have sprinted for the Fighting By at home, but not a lot, from all the trav- The pit crew team does a high-five after the singing of the National Anthem. tire, I miss just a little bit and have to rotate out from behind the car, followed by the fuel man with his 85- Hornets. His eling and stuff like that. It's a long sea- the tire to get the studs lined up. Just little pound gas can. He inserts the nozzle as the catch-can man experience as son, but off-season, you just take time things like that slow it down a little bit." inserts the prong that opens the valve. an athlete has and take a lot of vacation." Earlier this year, Brad quick and strong, like a running back. The fuel can So that's the difference "between the mid 12s and Three-one thousand…four-one thousand... helped him got married, but the newlyweds are saving the full man has to be able to hold steady 85 pounds of low 13s." Whree-whree-whree-whree-whree, the air guns whine. Nick become a wedding ceremony for this coming January when he gasoline over his head. He might be a center. The cars blister by. Brad and Nick do the good "hits all five lug nuts off, pulls it off." The tire is rolled to the side. champion tire has more time. "But it's totally different from any other sport," luck dap. Kyle comes in. They jump off the wall. The Gas flows in at the back. carrier for Kyle Busch's The other thing Brad does every day is practice counters Brad. "It's all rhythm, and it's all chemistry clock starts. Five-one thousand… six-one thousand... Number 18 car. with his seven-man team. "Every day," he confirms. with your changers and your crew guys. Everybody's One-one thousand…two-one thousand… three- "I put the tire on." And because of carefully placed tape, it lines "We do about five or six stops per practice and then in sync. It's like a little dance out there. If one person one thousand… up perfectly with the wheel studs. The guys in back are doing the C M Y K Orange County Review inSIDEr, September 30, 2010 Orange County Review inSIDEr, September 30, 2010 same thing. Whree-whree-whree-whree- Brad gives the good-to-go sign. Kyle Busch TV screen during a taped pit change. lete…There was never a weekend when radio to the crew chief, spotter and driver. But they whree. Just that fast, Nick attaches the new floors it. It's not that he's a tire carrier for one of we were home. It was always baseball or keep their mouths shut, unless they have to report tire, as Brad rolls the old tire to the wall. A "Uh, between the mid 12s and low 13s," the most successful NASCAR teams football," continues the proud Mom. But Gentlemen, start your engines and repair damage to the right side of the car crew member behind the wall lifts it over laconically replies Kyle Busch's front tire today. It's not that he gets to travel all over fooling with cars? Nah. which the crew chief can't see. Only seven men are and out of the way. The jack man lowers carrier and Orange County High School the country to races or that he's on a first Bradley confirms this, adding, "I just "You better get some ear plugs," advises Hope zy with TV crews and photographers and poster allowed over the wall at one time: two tire carriers, the right side and sprints around to the left graduate Bradley Donaghy. That's how name basis with the likes of superstars like decided to go to a tech school instead of a Donaghy. "It's very loud." children and drivers’ girlfriends and wanna-bees, front and rear; two tire changers, front and rear; a side of the car. long all that takes: 12.5 to 13.2 seconds. Kyle Busch. It's not that he regularly regular four-year university. Save me That is an understatement. At the entrance to hangers-on and has-beens. Kyle Busch's fiancé jack man, a gas can man, and a catch can man. Seven-one thousand…eight-one thou- And hey, that was just a routine pit stop for appears on network TV in the nation's most money in the long run. I was in and out of the tunnel that leads under the race track to the makes a grand entrance in her four-inch pink sand... Joe Gibbs Racing and the Number 18 car.