Three-time Cup champion Joey Logano, who was concerned in a pit street incident this previous weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway, says that the monitor ought to widen pit street as a result of “we’re flirting with catastrophe on that pit street.”
Homestead, although, doesn’t rank among the many 5 Cup tracks with the narrowest pit street, based on Racing Insights information.
Logano was concerned in a pit street accident when Josh Berry collected him after bouncing off Kyle Larson’s automotive on Lap 84 of the 267-lap race. Each Logano and Berry spun into unoccupied pit stalls through the warning flag pit sequence.
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However what may have been considerations Logano. Requested Tuesday on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio’s “The Morning Drive” about widening pit street at Homestead, Logano mentioned:
“I don’t know what their plans are so far as renovations down there, however I’d put that because the No.1 precedence. Not due to the wreck on pit street however due to the protection threat for the pit crew. We’re flirting with it. We’re flirting with catastrophe on that pit street. No one needs to see that. … Nobody needs to see that on TV, somebody getting crushed.
“The long-term influence, even in case you’re OK, of an harm {that a} huge outdated inventory automotive comes operating at you. It’s one factor when there’s a automotive coming at you and also you see it and also you soar up within the air, it’s not good don’t get me flawed, it’s nonetheless going to be actually dangerous, however when your again is to a automotive, like in case you’re a tire changer, and also you’re in your knees and you might be low and a automotive comes sliding at you and you may’t see it coming and you may’t get out of the way in which. Oh my God.
“In case you can rise up and intention for the windshield (to leap on) everybody is aware of that’s higher. However in case you don’t see it coming and you may’t get out of the way in which? It occurs so quick. In the event that they’re already doing plenty of work, if they will make pit street 10 toes wider (would) be a world of distinction.”
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Chase Elliott enters Sunday’s race at Martinsville sixth within the factors, however his Hendrick Motorsports teammates are 1-2-3 within the season standings.
Homestead-Miami Speedway is tied for seventh amongst NASCAR Cup tracks when it comes to the narrowest pit roads. That’s primarily based on the gap measured from the sting of a pit stall to the outer line or wall.
World Extensive Expertise Raceway’s pit street is the tightest within the collection at 22 toes extensive.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway ranks second in Cup with a pit street that’s 24 toes extensive. A member of Ryan Blaney’s pit crew was handled and launched from a neighborhood hospital after he was struck by Brennan Poole’s automotive on pit street within the 2020 race when the sector received stacked up.
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The pit street at Circuit of the Americas is 26 toes extensive to rank third in Cup, based on Racing Insights. Tied for fourth is Darlington Raceway and Martinsville Speedway, which hosts the NASCAR Cup, Xfinity and Craftsman Truck Collection this weekend. Each Darlington and Martinsville have pit roads which can be 28 toes extensive.
Dover Motor Speedway ranks sixth with a pit street width of 29 toes. Subsequent is Homestead, Texas Motor Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway. Every monitor’s pit street is 32 toes extensive.
Homestead-Miami Speedway is owned by NASCAR. A NASCAR spokesperson informed NBC Sports activities on Tuesday that there are not any present plans to reconfigure pit street.
A pit street incident on the monitor led to NASCAR requiring pit crew members to put on a helmet once they went over the pit wall.
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Three of Ricky Rudd’s pit crew members had been injured within the 2001 Cup race at Homestead. Casey Atwood and Ward Burton collided as they exited their pit stalls, sending Burton’s automotive into Rudd’s pit stall whereas his crew serviced the automotive.
Burton’s automotive hit Rudd’s jackman and each tire changers, together with sending a NASCAR official onto the hood of his automotive. None wore helmets. One pit crew member was significantly injured and airlifted to a neighborhood hospital.
Forward of the 2002 season, NASCAR required pit crew members to put on head safety once they went over the wall.
Logano additionally mentioned pit street velocity this week on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. At Homestead, the pit street velocity restrict was 45 mph.
“Even in case you decelerate the pit street velocity, which might be the simplest factor to do, it nonetheless doesn’t actually repair the issue,” Logano mentioned. “Josh and I weren’t even as much as pit street velocity once we went spinning round. I used to be simply getting going. It’s form of a scary, sketch factor. I really feel like we’re flirting with catastrophe on that one. We’re undoubtedly enjoying with hearth.”
