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All-female pit crew readying for Texas debut
By Stephen Hawkins, Associated Press May 29, 2003
12:46 PM EDT (1646 GMT)
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) -- Gina Tomaseski struggled to raise the truck with a jack, ending up being lifted in the air. Sue Webb had treadmarks on her arms from lugging around a 50-pound tire.
Tomaseski, Webb and five other women were learning how to change the tires on a racing truck as NASCAR's first all-female pit crew.
The women will go over the wall at a Craftsman Truck Series race June 6 at Texas, the first time an all-female crew will work at a NASCAR event. They will change tires and add gas to the No. 49 Team Texas Chevrolet driven by Shawna Robinson.
"We want it to be a gimmick and marketable, and we want it to be a serious sport for us. We want it to be everything," Tomaseski said. "Our main focus is that we do good pit times. It can be a gimmicky thing for about a month, and if we're not good, it's going to die."
Texas Motor Speedway general manager Eddie Gossage readily admits it's a publicity stunt.
"But it has no value unless they perform competitive pit stops and Shawna performs well," he added.
One of Gossage's staff members came up with the idea last fall, even before golfer Annika Sorenstam got an invitation to play against the men earlier this month at the Colonial, also in Fort Worth.
A marketing agency was hired to find crew members, searching mostly in health clubs for competitive women in great shape. There were 20 candidates who came for tryouts.
The seven chosen range in age from 21 to 39. Among them are a business manager, an information analyst, a college student, an online talent database owner and three who are in the fitness industry.
"Their main concern is to get publicity and marketing, but we want to be able to be efficient and be able to do it," said Webb, a personal trainer. "Because we don't want it to be a big joke."
Once the crew was chosen, truck owner Mike Starr had to match them with the jobs of jackman, gasman, catch can, front tire changer, front tire carrier, rear tire changer and rear tire carrier. They've been together for about two months.
"It was refreshing to have people that had absolutely no idea what was going on," Starr said. "You could teach them and show them the way you wanted it done and watch it happen."
Some of the women considered themselves casual NASCAR fans, but others had never paid attention to racing.
The toughest job is the jackman who lifts the truck during stops. Tomaseski, who at 130 pounds weighs almost half the average man who usually does the job, now gets the truck -- and not herself -- in the air.
"It takes everything I've got, but it's technique and confidence," said Tomaseski, a fitness pro and physical therapist. "We don't want them to treat us like frail little girls that can't handle it."
Physical limitations forced Starr to change the way he would do things with a male crew, but he doesn't expect that to affect performance. The crew will only add fuel and change tires. As in any truck race, the goal will be to avoid four-tire stops.
"It takes so many seconds to get the gas in, so on the two-tire stop, girls can pace themselves, do it right," Starr said. "If we don't have to make a four-tire stop, these girls are going to make people proud."
Starr will have four men in uniform ready in case body repairs are needed, or if there are problems beyond regular tire changes and fuel.
Robinson ran in seven Winston Cup races last year, including the Daytona 500 as the first woman there since 1980. She was looking for an opportunity to drive, but even she was skeptical when first approached about the idea of a female crew, especially a group that had never been together before.
"We are sticking our neck out big time taking the high-risk situation," Robinson said. "It's unfortunate that you almost feel like you have to do this to get a sponsor to be able to go racing."
Atlanta-based Aaron's, a leasing company for which Robinson has driven a Busch car in the past, signed on for three races. The "Dream Team" is also scheduled to race Sept. 27 in Las Vegas and again in Texas on Oct. 11.
"I don't know that Aaron's would have even looked at it if it wasn't this whole thing that draws attention," Robinson said.
They certainly won't be hard to find. The paint scheme on the truck and the crew's firesuits is primarily pink and includes a "Charlie's Angels"-like logo.
Driver Brendan Gaughn, who won both Texas truck races last year, has no problem with an all-female crew.
"It's an ingenious plan to get a sponsor," he said. "They're a pit crew -- I don't care if they are women. If guys want to have a problem with that, they need to grow up. Shawna wants to prove herself like I want to prove myself."
By Stephen Hawkins, Associated Press May 29, 2003
12:46 PM EDT (1646 GMT)
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) -- Gina Tomaseski struggled to raise the truck with a jack, ending up being lifted in the air. Sue Webb had treadmarks on her arms from lugging around a 50-pound tire.
Tomaseski, Webb and five other women were learning how to change the tires on a racing truck as NASCAR's first all-female pit crew.
The women will go over the wall at a Craftsman Truck Series race June 6 at Texas, the first time an all-female crew will work at a NASCAR event. They will change tires and add gas to the No. 49 Team Texas Chevrolet driven by Shawna Robinson.
"We want it to be a gimmick and marketable, and we want it to be a serious sport for us. We want it to be everything," Tomaseski said. "Our main focus is that we do good pit times. It can be a gimmicky thing for about a month, and if we're not good, it's going to die."
Texas Motor Speedway general manager Eddie Gossage readily admits it's a publicity stunt.
"But it has no value unless they perform competitive pit stops and Shawna performs well," he added.
One of Gossage's staff members came up with the idea last fall, even before golfer Annika Sorenstam got an invitation to play against the men earlier this month at the Colonial, also in Fort Worth.
A marketing agency was hired to find crew members, searching mostly in health clubs for competitive women in great shape. There were 20 candidates who came for tryouts.
The seven chosen range in age from 21 to 39. Among them are a business manager, an information analyst, a college student, an online talent database owner and three who are in the fitness industry.
"Their main concern is to get publicity and marketing, but we want to be able to be efficient and be able to do it," said Webb, a personal trainer. "Because we don't want it to be a big joke."
Once the crew was chosen, truck owner Mike Starr had to match them with the jobs of jackman, gasman, catch can, front tire changer, front tire carrier, rear tire changer and rear tire carrier. They've been together for about two months.
"It was refreshing to have people that had absolutely no idea what was going on," Starr said. "You could teach them and show them the way you wanted it done and watch it happen."
Some of the women considered themselves casual NASCAR fans, but others had never paid attention to racing.
The toughest job is the jackman who lifts the truck during stops. Tomaseski, who at 130 pounds weighs almost half the average man who usually does the job, now gets the truck -- and not herself -- in the air.
"It takes everything I've got, but it's technique and confidence," said Tomaseski, a fitness pro and physical therapist. "We don't want them to treat us like frail little girls that can't handle it."
Physical limitations forced Starr to change the way he would do things with a male crew, but he doesn't expect that to affect performance. The crew will only add fuel and change tires. As in any truck race, the goal will be to avoid four-tire stops.
"It takes so many seconds to get the gas in, so on the two-tire stop, girls can pace themselves, do it right," Starr said. "If we don't have to make a four-tire stop, these girls are going to make people proud."
Starr will have four men in uniform ready in case body repairs are needed, or if there are problems beyond regular tire changes and fuel.
Robinson ran in seven Winston Cup races last year, including the Daytona 500 as the first woman there since 1980. She was looking for an opportunity to drive, but even she was skeptical when first approached about the idea of a female crew, especially a group that had never been together before.
"We are sticking our neck out big time taking the high-risk situation," Robinson said. "It's unfortunate that you almost feel like you have to do this to get a sponsor to be able to go racing."
Atlanta-based Aaron's, a leasing company for which Robinson has driven a Busch car in the past, signed on for three races. The "Dream Team" is also scheduled to race Sept. 27 in Las Vegas and again in Texas on Oct. 11.
"I don't know that Aaron's would have even looked at it if it wasn't this whole thing that draws attention," Robinson said.
They certainly won't be hard to find. The paint scheme on the truck and the crew's firesuits is primarily pink and includes a "Charlie's Angels"-like logo.
Driver Brendan Gaughn, who won both Texas truck races last year, has no problem with an all-female crew.
"It's an ingenious plan to get a sponsor," he said. "They're a pit crew -- I don't care if they are women. If guys want to have a problem with that, they need to grow up. Shawna wants to prove herself like I want to prove myself."
