IndyCar Series
In the IndyCar Series, a pit stop is a more complex operation than in NASCAR, but far less so than in Formula One. Rules permit six mechanics over the pit wall during a stop. The pit rules and procedures have origins in USAC National Championship racing.
During a routine pit stop, the tires are laid out and three of the four tire changers are pre-positioned before the car enters its pit stall; the fourth tire changer, whose responsibility is the rear tire on the far side of pit road from the pit wall, doesn't take his position until after the car arrives, due to a rule against having the car run over the feed hose for the impact wrench used to change the tires.
After the car arrives, the first step, taken while the fourth tire changer takes his position, is for a mechanic to insert the "vent hose" into its socket on the engine cowling. This hose vents the air out of the fuel tank, captures any overflow fuel, and also activates the car's built-in pneumatic jacks. After the vent hose is in place, another mechanic attaches the refuelling hose to its socket, allowing the ethanol fuel to flow into the fuel tank. Simultaneously, the four tire changers remove the tires and install the new ones. After the tire changes are complete, the front tire changers may use manual adjusters to adjust the angle of the car's front wing.
After the tire changes are complete, the vent hose is removed, allowing the car to return to its wheels. However, the driver usually must wait until the fuelling is finished and the fuel hose is removed from the car. The right front tire changer (who is usually also the crew chief) signals the driver when the stop is complete. Before the car departs its pit stall, a crew member must use a squirt of water to wash any excess fuel from the fuel hose and vent hose sockets; this is usually done with a pressurized hose by a crew member behind the pit wall.
Under normal conditions, a routine stop for an IndyCar team lasts between ten and fourteen seconds. IndyCar teams are permitted to set their own pit strategies.
Read more about this topic: Pit Stop
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