Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
When it comes to the NASCAR Chase a driver needs to have a full-team effort if he plans on contending for a winning a championship.
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In 2014 Kevin Harvick was fast but he didn’t win the title all on his own. His team gave him quality equipment and his pit crew took care of him on pit road. Of course it also helps that he drove the wheels off of it for 10 races, just saying.
As we prepare for the 2015 NASCAR Chase it’s important to understand how much of an impact pit road could have on who makes it to Homestead-Miami. A speeding penalty or an infraction for driving through too many pit boxes could cripple a team. The guys over at NBC Sports put together some stats on all of the Chase drivers and how often they have been penalized for pit road issues this season, those stats can be seen below.
Speeding Penalties
- Paul Menard (6)
- Carl Edwards (4)
- Matt Kenseth (4)
- Joey Logano (4)
- Martin Truex Jr. (4)
- Kurt Busch (3)
- Dale Earnhardt Jr. (3)
- Jeff Gordon (3)
- Jimmie Johnson (3)
Driving Penalties (excluding pitting too soon)
- Paul Menard (7)
- Matt Kesneth (6)
- Joey Logano (6)
- Carl Edwards (5)
- Martin Truex Jr.(5)
- Jeff Gordon (4)
- Kurt Busch (3)
- Dale Earnhardt Jr. (3)
- Denny Hamlin (3)
- Jimmie Johnson (3)
Note: The driving penalties include the speeding penalties.
Driver and Crew Penalties
- Clint Bowyer (1)
- Crew: not controlling tire
- Kyle Busch (1)
- Driver: speeding penalty
- Dale Earnhardt Jr. (3)
- Driver: speeding penalty (3)
- Carl Edwards (7)
- Driver: speeding penalty (4) commitment violation (1)
- Crew: over the wall too soon (1) removing equipment (1)
- Jeff Gordon (5)
- Driver: speeding penalty (3) driving through too many boxes (1)
- Crew: throwing equipment (1)
- Denny Hamlin (6)
- Driver: speeding penalty (2) driving through too many boxes (1)
- Crew: uncontrolled tire (2) over the wall too soon (1)
- Kevin Harvick (3)
- Driver: speeding penalty (1)
- Crew: over the wall too soon (2)
- Jimmie Johnson (5)
- Driver: speeding penalty (3)
- Crew: over the wall too soon (1) throwing equipment (1)
- Matt Kenseth (7)
- Driver: speeding penalty (4) driving through too many boxes (1) running through stop sign (1)
- Crew: throwing equipment (1)
- Brad Keselowski (6)
- Driver: speeding penalty (1) commitment line violation (1)
- Crew: uncontrolled tire (2) over the wall too soon (1) removing equipment (1)
- Joey Logano (9)
- Driver: speeding penalty (4) driving through too many boxes (1) running through stop sign (1)
- Crew: over the wall too soon (2) uncontrolled tire (1)
- Paul Menard (9)
- Driver: speeding penalty (6) commitment line violations (1)
- Crew: uncontrolled tire (2)
- Jamie McMurray (1)
- Driver: speeding penalty (1)
- Ryan Newman (2)
- Driver: speeding penalty (2)
- Martin Truex Jr. (5)
- Driver: speeding penalty (4) running stop sign (1)
There is never a good time in a race to receive a penalty. Sure, some times are better than others but a driver never wants to have to surrender track position because of a mistake made on pit road. That being said, it’s inevitable that there are going to be violations during the Chase, its just a matter of whether or not it’s going to ruin someone’s shot at a title.
Drivers like Menard and Logano will need to tighten things up heading into this weekend. The two of them collectively have 18 penalties (nine each). Earlier in the week it was announced that the No. 88 team made some personnel changes on their pit crew to prepare for the Chase. Moving forward every position on the track is important for these 16 drivers as they all fight to make it to Miami.
The last thing anyone wants to see is a pit road issue cost someone in the Chase. The 2015 NASCAR Chase is going to feature two first-time drivers in Menard and McMurray as well as six first-time crew chiefs. It will be interesting to see which teams are able to rise to the top and avoid mistakes.