CONCORD, N.C. – Consistency is key.
Just ask Chase Elliott’s No. 9 pit crew.
At the end of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, the five-member team was named the Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew for demonstrating the most consistency on pit road throughout the 36-race schedule.
And this week, the winning squad was presented with the prestigious trophy.
Mechanix Wear developed a formula that combines pit stop times and positions gained on pit road to determine an M-Pact score. The data is collected and tracked during the regular season and the standings are reset for the playoffs. The team with the best M-Pact score at the end of the year wins the annual award.
“The No. 9 team has been one of the best pit crews on pit road for several years,” said pit crew coach Jon Carvin. “Very deserving that they brought this trophy back to Hendrick Motorsports to be displayed here in the pit department.”
In the 20 years since the award’s inception in 2002, Hendrick Motorsports has won the award a total of five times (2004, 2007, 2008, 2013, 2016 and 2021).
Elliott’s over-the-wall crew members include T.J. Semke (jackman), Jared Erspamer (tire carrier), Nick O’Dell (front-tire changer), Chad Avrit (rear-tire changer) and John Gianninoto (fueler).