So you want to be on Top Fuel crew team (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter 4onthefl4
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none
Nitro Member
True Story, when I worked for Nickens we were looking for a crew guy and had a guy send a Resume' from western Pennsylvania.
He said he would fly in and out.
When told part of the job was driving the truck, he said: "I don't want to do that."
When told he would be expected to work in the shop between races he said: "I don't want to do that."
When asked why he even applied for the job he said: "I always wanted to be on a race team." And he was serious.
Spoiler Alert! We didn't hire him.
I do fly in and out, but it's not an easy life.
Alan
He said he would fly in and out.
When told part of the job was driving the truck, he said: "I don't want to do that."
When told he would be expected to work in the shop between races he said: "I don't want to do that."
When asked why he even applied for the job he said: "I always wanted to be on a race team." And he was serious.
Spoiler Alert! We didn't hire him.
I do fly in and out, but it's not an easy life.
Alan
T.Smith
Nitro Member
I did 14 races in 2007 while holding a full-time job during the week. It's one of the toughest things I've ever done. I couldn't imagine doing 22 races as a full-time gig. I have a ton of respect for the men and women who do it.
That video is also a confirmation why the only persons I would be willing to make that sacrifice for is Zizzo.
That video is also a confirmation why the only persons I would be willing to make that sacrifice for is Zizzo.
I worked on John Lawson's crew for over 10 years, doing 15 to 20 races a year. Worked a full time job also and almost all the time we were home and I wasn't at work ,I was at his shop working on the race operation. It isn't easy but it was something I got to enjoy. The memories and friendships made are irreplaceable. Rob Wendland was with us for several years, learned a lot from him. Great Video Rob !!
none
Nitro Member
The quietest night in the hotel bar is Saturday. If you are serious about winning on Sunday, you are not partying on Saturday.
And if you are more interested in partying on Saturday than being as sharp as you can be on Sunday, you will have a short career out here. This is serious business. Doesn't matter if you are Antron needing to do your best for your sponsors, or if you're Torrence self sponsoring a large part of the program. They will not put up with a 50%, 60% or even 90% effort on Sunday because the crew wanted to party more than they wanted to win.
Having a few on Thursday night when your first run Friday is at 3 PM and you are only making two on the day, is a lot different than when you have to leave the hotel Sunday at 7 AM to beat traffic and be ready for first round.
Alan
And if you are more interested in partying on Saturday than being as sharp as you can be on Sunday, you will have a short career out here. This is serious business. Doesn't matter if you are Antron needing to do your best for your sponsors, or if you're Torrence self sponsoring a large part of the program. They will not put up with a 50%, 60% or even 90% effort on Sunday because the crew wanted to party more than they wanted to win.
Having a few on Thursday night when your first run Friday is at 3 PM and you are only making two on the day, is a lot different than when you have to leave the hotel Sunday at 7 AM to beat traffic and be ready for first round.
Alan
Jeff Walters
Nitro Member
Never really mattered to me. Worked with guys who could drink yuou under the table every night and still get work done.
Randy
Nitro Member
I had a "no drinking at all" policy for the duration of the entire event for my entire team from tech to the last run of the weekend. I told them if they can't handle doing without for a few days then racing isn't for them. When asked why, I would point to my driver and tell them, while fun, racing is dangerous, and our driver trusts me to make sure everyone of us does our best to give him a good car every run. Stuff happens, but it happens a lot less when everyone is 100%.
In my book drinking and racing don't mix, and it was a dead stop for me in my pit.
Slowpoke96z28
Nitro Member
Lol. Thats why the hangover remedy girls stop in the pro pits first. Some know people and orders by name lol. I am all about putting fools on the trailer when its time (to a fault according to some), but there's also a reason there are a few retired top fuel motors attached to margarita mixers. And bunks in the cabs and trailers. And pickle juice lol. Everyone finds that balance how they do. Now if it starts affecting your work, you'll quickly find yourself trying to find a way home on your own some Monday morning. Now Antron, its no surprise to see him in running shoes getting a morning run before the sun is even up. Dude is a beast at physical training and treating his body like a temple. On the other end, I remember seeing a video of a sportsman team so lit they just flat out said to hell with the race and didn't even start getting up until the semi-finals. Race officials tried to wake them and were told to get lost. It was back in the early days of racing when the bad boys were more tolerated.
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10 yr top fuel crew guy here… pretty well spot on. One thing I liked about his video was the fact that if you do it for any length of time you will (most likely) make a few lifelong friends. I quit in 2012, but still talk to 3-4 guys I worked with back then. It’s a tough gig. What you see on TV is a small percentage of it. Nothing like going into Sunday morning with a tight crew and good race car!
T.Smith
Nitro Member
7am?...must be a pro stock crewperson.
Someone’s got to get the grill out and start the generator…
z28
Nitro Member
Good bet he didn't over think things that dayI knew a crew chief who was hungover as hell on Sunday. Still won the race...
T.Smith
Nitro Member
All the pipe rack cars are going up on the projacks at 7am...lol.
none
Nitro Member
We just needed to be there in time to get our car ready for raceday. I guess if we were making pancakes for everyone in the pits, we would have to be there a bit sooner....
Alan
Slowpoke96z28
Nitro Member
Now some teams have dedicated chefs or even deals with local caterers at the various stops lol. Nothing like a team cook, but leftovers from a bigger team's hospitality Sunday night when the work is done just hits special. It's like that first real chowhall meal after eating MREs for a month. Alan if you can cook a good breakfast, you have my loyalty for life lol.We just needed to be there in time to get our car ready for raceday. I guess if we were making pancakes for everyone in the pits, we would have to be there a bit sooner....
Alan
Von Halen
Nitro Member
I'm not sure why, but I gotta believe Alan could cook up a pretty good breakfast!
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