Debate: Should Drivers Call Out Their Pit Crew In Public?

Should Drivers Call Out Their Pit Crew In Public?

  • Yes

    Votes: 6 22.2%

  • No

    Votes: 21 77.8%
  • Total voters
    27
I'm gonna say no to this one, but it depends on your definition of calling someone out.

I'm not a member of a pit crew or anything, and I get that it's a big boy sport and all that. Harvick's post-race comments don't sound that bad in writing (I didn't see the actual interview). He and plenty of other drivers have said far, far worse things over the radio. It's one thing to be like "guys, we didn't get it done today. We have to step up our game." It's quite another to go on a bitter tirade and just belittle and insult the guys that work on your car. I'm fine with the former but feel that the latter is unnecessary.

To be honest, I'm not sure if there's really a right or wrong answer here. It's basically a coaching debate, or a debate on how to run a company. Do you get angry and hostile with your players or employees when they screw up, or do you stick to positive motivation? Some people respond positively to the negativity and are motivated by it. Others will walk out and try to find work elsewhere. I'd probably be in the second group, but it all depends on the individual.
 
Yes

But only once. It becomes belittlement when you do it over and over and over again. It begans to weight heavy on the crew and working under pressure is never good.

Overall though, if you want to call out your team do it behind close doors so it doesn't become a huge distraction to you and your team and keep the public and media from hounding you every chance they get.
 
reck said:
Yes

But only once. It becomes belittlement when you do it over and over and over again. It begans to weight heavy on the crew and working under pressure is never good.

Overall though, if you want to call out your team do it behind close doors so it doesn't become a huge distraction to you and your team and keep the public and media from hounding you every chance they get.
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Agreed.

I think there should be a "sometimes" or "maybe" option in this poll.
 
I say no, maybe it was turn abouts fair play if the pit crew was to call out a driver, but we know Nascar and teams would never let that happen. So it's kinda like shooting fish in a barrel, one sided. A crew could have been on their game all night long and the driver makes a bonehead move, costs a race or a race car and their hard work goes away. It is a TEAM.
 
kbtoys said:
I say no, maybe it was turn abouts fair play if the pit crew was to call out a driver, but we know Nascar and teams would never let that happen. So it's kinda like shooting fish in a barrel, one sided. A crew could have been on their game all night long and the driver makes a bonehead move, costs a race or a race car and their hard work goes away. It is a TEAM.
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I don't have a problem with it IF it happens a lot like it did Harvick this year. BUT it goes both ways when the driver screws up, does he take responsibility when he screws up? I have heard a few drivers apologize.
 
sdj said:
You don't put your dirty laundry on the street! Drivers should Shut The F up with anything negative about his team in a live interview. He has the radio during the race to get on their ass all he wants.
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That's not much better, waiting during the race to ream the pit crew a new one. . . .half the grand stand will hear it via the radios fans rent to follow their favorite drivers. My opinion is N O. . . .no. It's counter productive and screams negativity. I've always thought that guys like Ubur dramatic Harvick, Kyle and Kurt Busch to name a few, need to shut up until the team meetings on Monday after they've had a chance to cool down. Nobody's perfect. Everybody makes mistakes, we're only human, not machines and that even includes all the super duper star drivers.
 
Aloha24fan said:
That's not much better, waiting during the race to ream the pit crew a new one. . . .half the grand stand will hear it via the radios fans rent to follow their favorite drivers. My opinion is N O. . . .no. It's counter productive and screams negativity. I've always thought that guys like Ubur dramatic Harvick, Kyle and Kurt Busch to name a few, need to shut up until the team meetings on Monday after they've had a chance to cool down. Nobody's perfect. Everybody makes mistakes, we're only human, not machines and that even includes all the super duper star drivers.
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It ain't Sunday School out there on the track week in week out. There are 43 Type "A" personalities going for the win and it does not matter what all else happens, somebody is going to get pissed at somebody, be it driver, pit crew, whatever.

I'm saying keep it on the radio during the race. (Yes I know people listen to scanners, hell, that's half the fun of the race for me). But, when in an interview on Radio or TV choke it up and keep it positive.
 
I say win as a team, lose as a team. You shouldn't throw your crew under the bus because of a bad race day.
 
Race car drivers should always be Mr Rogers sweet....

"I wanna thank the good Lawd for a good clean race. I was inspired this week by the blessed memory of Ann B France... (pauses to choke back sincere salty achie tears, cause we know our drivers has to be sincere and humble).. she so inspired me.
Thank the Lawd for the Gen6, and for Brian France. I reckon I am luckiest man that ever lived.

... I wanna thank my mavelous pit crew most of all. You know Bubba's little girl made a hunnerd on her school paper this week. I kept it taped to the dash of the car the whole race. When the lug nut was dropped I knew we would work it out cause we are family. And Ole Bubba has carried this team so many times. Not one unkind word was said, and all us pep talked Bubba afterwards, that is what it is all about.
The Lawd has blessed this team with sweetness, and thats was what won it for us today. I love you Bubba, you big wonderful man.

That means more than 900 horsepire, and a good set up. As long as my pit crew family feelings are in sync, with the blessed spirit filled harmony ain't nobody gonna stop us. They can be a second faster a stop in the pits, a tenth better on the track, it don't matter cause love will get us by..." (more tears)


Then the disturbing and sickening unmelodic sound of sister Sludges "we are family" takes over and incredibly made worse by the Waltrip brothers humming along on the PA.

The Victory Lane camera shot fades out with our Driver and Bubba hugging and sobbing uncontrollably into each other's arms.
 


We only see snapshots, and not the entirety. A few moments on camera assigns a life time tag, truly representive or not.

If a crew and driver stay together for long period they probably have a good working relationship.

But I am BS ing a little, any prop to post that video.
 
Greg said:


We only see snapshots, and not the entirety. A few moments on camera assigns a life time tag, truly representive or not.

If a crew and driver stay together for long period they probably have a good working relationship.

But I am BS ing a little, any prop to post that video.
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I'll admit, I laughed at that. That was just....beautiful.
 
SpeedPagan said:
I'll admit, I laughed at that. That was just....beautiful.
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He was obviously drunk and very embarrassed afterwards. I feel bad for him, his intentions and heart was on the right thing a very worthwhile mission,, but some things should never be said. Especially on National TV.
 
Greg said:
He was obviously drunk and very embarrassed afterwards. I feel bad for him, his intentions and heart was on the right thing a very worthwhile mission,, but some things should never be said. Especially on National TV.
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I wanna kiss you should never be said on television?

Maybe if he wasn't like a hundred years old and she wasn't that young, it'd be cool. Or if she was receptive but neither was the case here.
 
I think Harvick was over the top with his criticisms, doing it publicly definitely is insulting.
Team work is huge.

But his criticism as crude as it was, had some merit. I am guilty myself of believing being a good boy scout will get you everywher.
But there is a naive nature involved with taking that idea to extremes.
Being the fastest in the pits is better than happy faces that are OK with average pit stops.
Racing is a war gaining thousandth of seconds in speed is huge even paramount , and the teams go to extreme limits in pursuit of minute advantages. It is a war, personal feelings take a back speed to performance.

I think football is the ultimate team sport, and those coaches are definitely removed from being pals with their players. Even insulting, they don't respect him for being kind, they respect him for being the freak that goes to any extreme to win. They can take it or leave it, but that is a necessity.
I see Harvick and Childers in the same way, evaluating pit road talent comes down capabilities to perform quickly. May not like the tire changer personally, but if he is your fastest one he gets the job. Cheerleading each other is a softer skill set that just doesn't compare.
 
Reck said:
I wanna kiss you should never be said on television?

Maybe if he wasn't like a hundred years old and she wasn't that young, it'd be cool. Or if she was receptive but neither was the case here.
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In that context no.
 
When a driver is a "perfect driver" and never ever makes a mistake during a race, and his pit crew isn't perfect, then and only then, IMO, he can piss n moan publically about his pit crew. ;)
 
It's their pit crew, they can call them out whenever they want! In my opinion they need to figure out a way to take a pit crew out of the equation! I think under yellow flags you should restart where you running prior!
 
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