So ya wanna be a T/F crew member? (1 Viewer)

[Rollout96]

This is from Hillary's blog. These guys really do work their buts off. The Worsham blog recently illustrated the same thing. Yikes

Blogs.NHRA.com - NHRA Driver Blogs

 

[Ma Green]

All those boys work very hard and play hard. It's all about the win light, for most of them.

 

[T-Bone]

Great read!! And YES..I still would love to get on a TF team. I guess you really gotta love your job...and that is one job I would love to do.

T

 

[TJ]

Terry......cool name.....grab a Class A CDL/have some mechanical ability and do some networking and its not that difficult to become part of a fuel team.
And if your willing to work for free you should have NO problem....

 

[DrRocket]

I remember once ND asked carious crew chiefs what it took to become a member of a team.

The main things they emphasized was decent mechanical ability, a willingness to work your behonkus off, and a CLEAN CDL.

 

[yoda]

I remember once ND asked carious crew chiefs what it took to become a member of a team.

The main things they emphasized was decent mechanical ability, a willingness to work your behonkus off, and a CLEAN CDL.

And that gets you in as the guy that not only has to bust hump on racedays, but also the one that DOESN'T get to fly- you are doing the driving of the "non-fun" vehicle, and if you look at the tour, there are some pretty good hauls there that are Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday (Wed. if you are lucky and the sponsor doesn't have the car booked in for a PR show that day).. Hats off to the crews and drivers of the rigs- like they say in my business:

Those pretty boys make it rock, but we make it ROLL!!

 

[FC Girl]

My boyfriend worked on a T/F Team for about 4 years. He drove the transporter, ordered the parts, shipped stuff for repair, built the short blocks, emptied the crapper, etc...........

There is nothing glamerous about it and will he do it again? Absolutely when the time is right, because it's the ultimate in Team Work, Work Hard & Play Hard.

 

[TJ]

I remember being @ the races so often that you'd lay down to sleep and your brain would still hear crackling of the fuel pits and the 'blip' of the throttle all night long even though it was silent in your hotel room...
I don't miss the road @ all.....it does get repetitive and lonely....and in most cases your food intake is nothing but sugar and fatty foods....

But one has to experience it if they are like most of us freaks here on the mater.

 

[Jer]

Id love to be on any pro crew,im single and have all the time in the world to be on the road. Someone Please hire me!!!!

 

[BaldyLochs]

Nice job with the blog, Troy!!!

 

[.]

And that gets you in as the guy that not only has to bust hump on racedays, but also the one that DOESN'T get to fly- you are doing the driving of the "non-fun" vehicle, and if you look at the tour, there are some pretty good hauls there that are Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday (Wed. if you are lucky and the sponsor doesn't have the car booked in for a PR show that day).. Hats off to the crews and drivers of the rigs- like they say in my business:

Those pretty boys make it rock, but we make it ROLL!!

Is it 2 guys per truck alternating driving duty? Is the truck moving 24/7 or do they stop for the night?

I can't believe they don't get a single day off. wow!

 

[Jory]

I remember being @ the races so often that you'd lay down to sleep and your brain would still hear crackling of the fuel pits and the 'blip' of the throttle all night long even though it was silent in your hotel room...
I don't miss the road @ all.....it does get repetitive and lonely....and in most cases your food intake is nothing but sugar and fatty foods....

But one has to experience it if they are like most of us freaks here on the mater.

This is the quote that sums it up better than any other I have read. Even though I only did it for two races at the beginning of the '04 season I couldnt sum it up any better than this. Its just one of those things that you will remember forever as a portion of the memory of that time in your life. I distinctly remember laying down to sleep in the bunk of the transporter and only being able to hear the cackle of the fuel motor ringing in my ears.

And the daily diet consisted mainly of LOTS of carbonated beverages loaded with sugar and greasy food for eats.

And still I wouldnt change those 3 weeks in March for anything. The experience alone was worth it.

 

[BaldyLochs]

Plus too I've heard horror stories about - and it's just not in racing - anything where you're on the road like this. Crappy hotels with ice machines out of order, your roommate snoring, farting. You get to the hotel and they screwed up the rooms - so you opt to sleep in the van or on the floor in someone elses room. Skipping the morning shower, working all day in the heat.
It's definatley not for everyone. Attitude is so important when you're with a group of people day in & day out. WAY more important than how fast you can service a nitro cylinder head, or how much you know about engines.

 

[Horsepower & Heels]

I have the utmost respect for those guys and if ever given the chance, I would jump at the opportunity to work along side them.

 

[TJ]

ERICA.....it is fairly easy to get involved if you apply yourself....But in my experiences a few races is plenty as it does get boring doing the same routine...The worst is if the car grenades on Sat final qualifying pass and you have to work late Sat night and Sun you were a first round loser in most cases...Alot of labor for little return...

The good (joke) owners take a match race here and there and talk you into going w/ the promise of a couple thousand for the weekend and then it'd rain or attendance was low so the promoter could not pay what was promised and the crew gets short-changed...

I got to the point that I would pay for my own hotel room to be by myself and the team owner would ask me if I minded sharing the room w/ a certain couple or crewmember, and he'd ask when that person or couple was standing right there in front of me...I always said yes and many times there'd be people on the floor/couch and snoring or doing other private matters....
After every race traveling home I'd say thats it I am done w/ this, then after a week off I'd itch to get back out there to only go thru the same deal....kind of like drugs I suppose....you quit, then partake, quit, etc....
And most owners do not look out for your best interest and if the car is running poorly then the owners attitude was very upsetting and I have seen many crew guys left @ the track on Sunday night w/out any cash or plane ticket......

 

[T-Bone]

Terry......cool name.....grab a Class A CDL/have some mechanical ability and do some networking and its not that difficult to become part of a fuel team.
And if your willing to work for free you should have NO problem....

Well..I would do all of the above...but work for free.... gotta keep the mortgage up.

T

 

[yoda]

Is it 2 guys per truck alternating driving duty? Is the truck moving 24/7 or do they stop for the night?

I can't believe they don't get a single day off. wow!

Funny Paul... You know better than anyone that it's 8 hours on-4 hours off... And don't forget those 30's!!!!

And the book says something else entirely!!

 

[.]

huh?
(I think you're thinking of someone else?)

 

[Toejam]

Anytime you get to be a F.I.G. (Fly in guy) you've got it made!

 

[BaldyLochs]

Not nessecarily...... I know guys on Kalitta that have had to drive to Columbus, Toronto and even Cincinnatti to catch a flight because the weather was crappy and they couldn't get out of Detroit.