Yahoo Sports Pit-road stats: Two playoff hopefuls try to build off Watkins Glen performance
With one regular-season race remaining before the NASCAR Cup Series goes postseason dancing, all cards will be on the table for drivers in need of a berth in the 2023 playoffs.
After Sunday’s Go Bowling at The Glen at Watkins Glen International, two drivers trying to snatch that 16th and final playoff spot — Chase Elliott and Bubba Wallace — will try to lean on electric speed and efficient pit crews to find Victory Lane at Daytona International Speedway.
RELATED: Cup Series standings | Sizing up the current 16-driver postseason field
It was a rough showing for Elliott at The Glen as he finished 32nd and a lap down due to a fuel miscalculation that saw the No. 9 come to a halt in the run-off area of the bus-stop chicane. And while Elliott is in a must-win situation at Daytona, his Hendrick Motorsports pit crew is up to the task. Thanks to front-tire changer Nick O’Dell, rear-tire changer Chad Avrit, tire carrier Jared Erspamer, jackman Tyler Semke and fueler John Gianninoto, the No. 9 ranks 10th in best average four-tire pit stop times (11.419 seconds). With the 2020 Cup Series champion in need of a victory, a savvy pit crew could make the difference in the regular-season finale.
The data also shows optimism for the No. 23 of Wallace, who sits 16th in the playoff grid, 32 points clear of Ty Gibbs. Headlined by front-tire changer Austin Dickey, rear-tire changer Adam Hartman, tire carrier Brad Donaghy, jackman Jorden Paige and fueler Joshua Pech, Wallace’s 23XI Racing Toyota clocked the fastest four-tire pit stop at the 2.45-mile road course at 10.942 seconds. It was the second time Wallace’s pit crew held the fastest four-tire stop during a race this season, with the first coming in May at Kansas Speedway (9.509 seconds).
See below to analyze additional pit-road statistics through Watkins Glen and before Saturday’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway (7 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Peacock, NBC Sports App).
TEN FASTEST FOUR-TIRE PIT STOPS IN 2023
Rank | Track | Driver | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Sonoma | Kyle Busch | 9.185 seconds |
2 | Richmond-2 | Daniel Suárez | 9.260 seconds |
3 | Richmond-2 | Ty Gibbs | 9.276 seconds |
4 | Nashville | Kyle Larson | 9.281 seconds |
5 | Sonoma | Austin Cindric | 9.301 seconds |
6 | Richmond-1 | Corey LaJoie | 9.309 seconds |
7 | Nashville | Daniel Suárez | 9.333 seconds |
8 | Richmond-2 | Ty Gibbs | 9.343 seconds |
9 | Charlotte | William Byron | 9.383 seconds |
10 | Richmond-2 | Denny Hamlin | 9.408 seconds |
BEST AVERAGE FOUR-TIRE PIT STOP TIMES IN 2023
Rank | Number | Driver | Average stop |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | 24 | William Byron | 11.078 seconds |
2 | 1 | Ross Chastain | 11.167 seconds |
3 | 54 | Ty Gibbs | 11.221 seconds |
4 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | 11.255 seconds |
5 | 5 | Kyle Larson | 11.266 seconds |
6 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | 11.353 seconds |
7 | 10 | Aric Almirola | 11.390 seconds |
8 | 6 | Brad Keselowski | 11.400 seconds |
9 | 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | 11.408 seconds |
10 | 9 | Chase Elliott | 11.419 seconds |
BEST PIT CREW BY RACE IN 2023
** Pit times are in seconds
Track | Fastest 4 Tire Pit | Average 4 Tire Stop |
|---|---|---|
Daytona | William Byron 11.278 | Kyle Larson 12.763 |
Auto Club | Daniel Suárez 9.777 | Ross Chastain 10.896 |
Las Vegas | Alex Bowman 9.776 | Chase Briscoe 10.259 |
Phoenix | Ty Gibbs 9.643 | Corey LaJoie 10.404 |
Atlanta | Kyle Busch 10.243 | Kyle Busch 11.094 |
COTA | Martin Truex Jr. 9.684 | Austin Dillon 10.668 |
Richmond | Corey LaJoie 9.309 | Alex Bowman 10.388 |
Bristol Dirt | NA | NA |
Martinsville | Kyle Larson 9.677 | Kyle Larson 10.051 |
Talladega | Daniel Suárez 11.011 | Ross Chastain 11.577 |
Dover | Brad Keselowski 9.766 | Brad Keselowski 10.099 |
Kansas | Bubba Wallace 9.509 | Bubba Wallace 10.121 |
Darlington | Kevin Harvick 9.576 | Martin Truex Jr. 10.162 |
Charlotte | William Byron 9.383 | William Byron 10.008 |
Gateway | Ty Gibbs 9.710 | Alex Bowman 9.743 |
Sonoma | Kyle Busch 9.185 | Kyle Busch 10.089 |
Nashville | Kyle Larson 9.281 | Chase Briscoe 10.081 |
Chicago Street | Chase Elliott 11.877 | Kyle Larson 12.799 |
Atlanta | Alex Bowman 10.177 | Daniel Suárez 11.044 |
New Hampshire | Daniel Suárez 9.677 | Denny Hamlin 10.176 |
Pocono | Denny Hamlin 9.810 | Ross Chastain 10.327 |
Richmond | Daniel Suárez 9.260 | Ty Gibbs 9.764 |
Michigan | Daniel Suárez 9.777 | Austin Dillon 10.310 |
Indianapolis RC | Ty Gibbs 11.178 | Ty Dillon 12.279 |
Watkins Glen | Bubba Wallace 10.942 | Kyle Larson 12.456 |
