Pit crews are a critical aspect of NASCAR racing, often distinguishing between winning and losing. Some teams have distinguished themselves from the rest of the competitors by great speed, precision, and cohesiveness. Here are 10 of the best NASCAR pit crews of all time.
10. No. 22 Team Penske (Joey Logano)
Joey Logano’s №22 crew from Team Penske has played a big role in his success, especially during his 2018 and 2022 NASCAR Cup Series Championship runs. The team is managed by crew chief Paul Wolfe who has an important part of the strategic and preparatory role. Their unity was evident when Logano clinched the 2022 championship as he led throughout the race at Phoenix Raceway.
The main characters are front tire changer Joe Dilly, jackman Graham Stoddard, and gasman Nick Hensley. Pit stops have been spot-on for Logano and have played a big role in helping him stay close in the playoff races.
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9. No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports (Chase Elliott)
Chase Elliott’s №9 Hendrick Motorsports pit crew is one of the best in NASCAR. Some of the crew members include front tire changer Nick O’Dell, rear tire changer Chad Avrit, tire carrier Jared Erspamer, jackman T.J. Semke, and fuel man John Gianninoto. Some of these people have helped Elliott achieve his success, including the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series championship.
Alan Gustafson, the crew chief, joined Elliott in 2016 and is a very experienced man. Combined, they have clinched many victories and have become some of the best driver-crew combinations in NASCAR. This is because even after challenges like the one in 2023, the team has demonstrated strength and has made it to the owner’s playoffs, even when the driver’s playoffs became unattainable.
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8. No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing (Kyle Busch)
Kyle Busch’s №18 Joe Gibbs Racing crew was one of NASCAR’s most successful teams, thanks to its excellent pit crew. Busch drove for JGR from 2008 to 2022. He won two NASCAR Cup Series championships in 2015 and 2019 and more than 50 Cup Series races.
They were strong because they could execute under high pressure on the track and in the pits. Once, they held the record of the quickest pit stop in NASCAR history. It took well-thought-out choreography, physical conditioning, and lots of practice. Pit crew members would sometimes work over 30 hours a week perfecting their craft.
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7. No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing (Kevin Harvick)
Kevin Harvick’s №4 Stewart-Haas Racing pit crew is one of the greatest in NASCAR history. They were always able to provide quick and precise pit stops. This crew helped in driving Harvick to victory in the 2014 Cup Series Championship.
They worked as a team that enabled Harvick to clinch several race wins, including eight in the 2018 season. Crew chiefs such as Rodney Childers kept the team performing at its best and changing as necessary. Their ability to stay calm under pressure put Harvick in a vantage position when it came to the intense playoff races.
This is a team that, through their accuracy, became one of the most consistent and most effective pit crews in NASCAR.
6. No. 2 Team Penske (Rusty Wallace/Brad Keselowski)
The №2 Team Penske pit crew has also built a reputation for themselves as one of the best on the pit road. They supported Rusty Wallace and Brad Keselowski and helped the team win several championships. They helped Keselowski clinch the 2012 NASCAR Cup Series title. Wallace achieved 37 of his Cup wins while racing with Team Penske.
This crew is famous for its precision and speed delivering the quickest pit-stop. Their performance was useful in ensuring their competitive advantage during races. They had great performances under pressure situations which led to many victories and championships.
It’s a team led by Roger Penske and the crew values preparation, training, and especially execution.
5. N.20 Crew Joe Gibbs Racing (Tony Stewart)
During the 2000s, Tony Stewart’s №20 Joe Gibbs Racing pit crew was among the best in NASCAR. This crew assisted Stewart in claiming two Cup Series titles in 2002 and 2005. Teamwork and timely pit stops were one of the reasons that led to his success as a driver. They were famous for delivering their best when it counted the most and contributed to Stewart clinching 33 cup wins with the №20 car.
Greg Zipadelli, a veteran of NASCAR and one of its most accomplished crew chiefs led the team. It seemed that Stewart and Zipadelli formed the most powerful duo at the beginning of the 2000s. Their chemistry especially on the race strategies helped Stewart to achieve lots of success with Joe Gibbs Racing.
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4. No. 3 Richard Childress Racing (Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s Goodwrench Crew)
The №3 Richard Childress Racing (RCR) team with Dale Earnhardt was legendary. Among the best, their pit crew was the “Flying Aces”. This crew was famous for its speed and precision. Danny “Chocolate” Myers was one of the crew members who played a big role in making sure that the car could be quickly switched for a fresh set of tires during a crucial moment. The bond among the team — more of brotherhood than co-workers — enabled them to thrive under pressure and accounted for RCR’s six championships with Earnhardt.
This was not just people who were the very best at what they did, but people who had faith in each other, their driver and their team owner Richard Childress. Thus, the team worked closely to maintain their top-level performance. It’s for this reason that they were successful during the 1980s and 1990s.
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3. No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing (Denny Hamlin)
The №11 Joe Gibbs Racing team, led by Denny Hamlin and Chris Gabehart, is one of the best NASCAR pit crews. During the 2024 Richmond race, Hamlin got his pit stop in under nine seconds and beat Joey Logano and Martin Truex Jr. This was a team of people who had been working together for a number of years, but even the young members of the team performed very well under pressure.
According to Chris Gabehart, the key to their success is the ability to learn and work hard, even during the challenges of NASCAR’s seventh-generation car. Hamlin has occasionally expressed anger at times when his pit crew makes errors, especially in the playoffs. However, some of the fastest stops in the latest seasons have been recorded by the №11 Joe Gibbs Racing team, with most of them being under 9 seconds.
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2. No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports (Jeff Gordon’s Rainbow Warriors)
Jeff Gordon’s №24 Hendrick Motorsports ‘Rainbow Warriors’ changed the face of NASCAR through speed, precision, and teamwork. It was under the management of Ray Evernham and with the help of pit crew coach Andy Papathanassiou who brought athletic training to the pit crews. Papathanassiou’s new drills helped the team become faster and more productive on pit road.
The Rainbow Warriors were famous for some of the fastest and most frequent pit stops that were ever witnessed. They were very important in assisting Gordon grab four Cup Series championships. In 1998 their fast decision made a difference in races such as Gordon’s win streak finale at Bristol.
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1. No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports (Jimmie Johnson)
NASCAR’s best pit crew is the №48 Hendrick Motorsports crew whose driver is Jimmie Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus. Johnson’s five straight championships from 2006 through 2010 and his seven total were made possible by them. Johnson often relied on their flawless pit stops to give him an edge, even deciding crucial races.
The crew won the Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew Award three times overall. This award, which is voted on by NASCAR crew chiefs, recognizes speed, precision and consistency. The team was iconic in the mid-2000s and especially during the Chase for the Cup era.
It was their training and teamwork, under the guidance of coach Greg Morin, which made them special. But their pit stops, frequently under 13 seconds, proved their efficiency.