Air Force teams compete in pit-stop challenge

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Madelyn Waychoff
  • Air Force Recruiting Service Public Affairs
RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFPN) --  Millions of NASCAR fans each year watch as professional pit-stop crews speedily change out tires and refill gas, but eight Air Force teams got to experience this rush for themselves.

The Air Force’s car, No. 21, visited here June 23 to conduct a pit-stop demonstration and competition. The Air Force is an associate advertiser in the Nextel Cup Series with the Wood Brothers’ No. 21 Motorcraft Racing Ford Taurus, driven by Ricky Rudd.

Teams comprised seven Airmen chosen from various units here as well as recruiting teams from nearby Lackland Air Force Base.

More than 400 Airmen here watched as teams were first shown a “slow” demonstration by the car’s official pit-stop crew, and then were provided training to perform the pit stop themselves. Each team took its turn to see how quickly it could change the two right-side tires and simulate filling the gas tank. The competition’s winning team was chosen based on fewest errors and fastest qualification, competition and final times.

“This was an awesome opportunity,” said 2nd Lt. Dave Embrey, an Air Force Personnel Center force development officer who changed the rear tire. “I’m not a big NASCAR fan, but I may be after this. I didn’t even know there was an Air Force car.”

“A good time for a standard pit stop is considered about 13 seconds,” said Eddie Wood, who owns the Wood Brothers team with his brother, Len.

The winner of the pit-stop competition was the Air Education and Training Command's operations directorate and 19th Air Force team, which came close to the “good” time, performing the maneuvers in 13.73 seconds.

“This was a very cool opportunity for us to come out and give the people who protect our nation a chance to see what we in the racing business do,” Mr. Wood said. “They did a great job out there, and I know this is a new thing to them. It gives them a break from their daily routine.

“The Air Force sponsors us and really supports us, and we want to give back as much as it has given us,” he said. “I’ve been in racing since 1965, and I’ve been around a lot of really cool people, but I’ve yet to meet anyone more honorable to be around than (Airmen). They are conscientious, supportive and proud of what they do.”

“NASCAR provides us an excellent opportunity to support our recruiting effort and help increase awareness of the Air Force among the general public,” said Lt. Col. Steve Murray, an Air Force Recruiting Service spokesman. The Air Force has been associated with Wood Brothers Racing since 2001.