Xfinity series heating up in Richmond tonite
Current NASCAR
Saw it on replay. Certainly scary situation. We've been fortunate that pit fires have truly been rare over the past 15-20 years or more. But still I wonder.
Last night's fire was in the undercard race - far fewer pit personnel, media, and hot pass holders.
At Cup races, TV seems to obsess over driver spouses sitting on the pit box. And I was fortunate at Phoenix in 2013 to have the opportunity to sit on Ryan Newman's pit box for about 50 laps - including through a breathtaking, blood pumping 13 second pit stop. In both situations, neither set of individuals is "dressed for the occasion".
I've seen stops all my life - from the stands, from my couch and a couple of times from well behind pit wall. But that day was the first time I'd experienced a stop from atop the pit box - literally just a few feet from where practiced choreography got the 31 back out on the track with remarkable precision.
Sitting there in my shorts, cotton t-shirt and plastic sunglasses, I was all smiles. Never for a moment did I think "but what if..." If Stewart Haas Racing's fueling connection had failed THAT day, my memory could easily have been much different.
I'm certainly not going to lobby for harder hot pass access for family, fans and sponsor reps (though many will and have). Matter of fact, I'm ALWAYS angling for access to future races. (How in the dickens did Tim Leeming get hooked up all those years??)
But no question last night's accident was a sobering reminder about the risks ALWAYS inherent in racing - on the track and on pit road.
