Inside a NASCAR pit crew
Hendrick Motorsports has been at the forefront of a movement to turn pit crews into units populated by former college athletes.
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Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s pit crew includes three former Division I college football players.
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For Hendrick Motorsports, knowledge of cars isn't as important as finding top athletes whom they can convert into car experts.
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The crews spend countless hours training not just on the cars but also on their physical conditioning.
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The goal is to have the crews ready for race day, when they have only seconds to execute tire changes and fuel fill-ups.
Barry Chin/Globe Staff
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Pit crew members equate their jobs to an NFL special teams unit, where the spotlight is intense and the potential for errors high.
Barry Chin/Globe Staff
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Crews spend much of the race waiting for the several pit stops a car will make during the course of the competition.
Barry Chin/Globe Staff
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For Hendrick Motorsports, the goal is simple: find the six best athletes possible for their pit crews.
Barry Chin/Globe Staff
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