drivers of NASCAR transporters, etc.

Discussion in 'Questions To Truckers From The General Public' started by HFC, Sep 29, 2008.

  1. HFC

    HFC Road Train Member

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    What does a driver of the race car transporter do when the actual NASCAR Sprint series or Nationwide series race is on? Stay in his cab? Help out with some other aspect of the business in the garage area? Do they have to follow the eleven hour rules of service requirements like other truckers do?

    Who drives the personnel of the race organization? I know that when crunched for time, some NASCAR drivers get in a helicopter or business jet to go from one race track to the other. But when that's not the case, how does the NASCAR drivers get around? In an motor home? Who drives that? Does the driver of the motor home have to have a CDL license although he is not driving a truck?

    Thanks.
     
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  3. AfterShock

    AfterShock Road Train Member

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    Could/Would YOU be able to stay in the cab of a Big truck at a NASCAR race? :biggrin_25525:
    I think that's most likely.
    Some do double duty as members of the pit crew.
    YuP!
    They sure do. And for that reason, they'll often be running as a team. Some are husband and wife teams with one of them ready to drive on a moments notice.

    And, I'm thinkin' some of 'em have taken the Loggin' 101 course.

    I think most of the top series drivers utilize air travel, and many are pilots themselves.
    CAPTAIN Rusty Wallace flies to relax, and as I recall, was one of the first drivers to fly a Cessna Citation-X jet that flies up there with the commercial airliners, --- only faster.

    Jack Roush flies a BEAUTIFUL restored P-51, and several of his drivers, Cousin Carl and Greg Biffle to name two, have learned to fly after joining Roush-Fenway Racing.
    Mark Martin is also a pilot.
    Tony Stewart has a personal pilot though.
    His helicopter pilot and friend was killed in Rick Hendrick's team transporter airplane a few years ago as it approached a small airport not far from the track. Rick lost his top engine builder as well as several members of his immediate family.
    Now-a-daze air travel by the teams is almost a must considering their demanding schedules.
    Probably.
    Many times the motor coach is driven by a NASCAR driver's family member. I think Ryan Newman's dad drives his.
    I'm not sure, but I suspect they'd need a commercial license to drive for hire.
    Not to mention that some of those motor coaches are pushin' a million dollars in value.

    You're welcome.
    Thanx for askin'.

    If you're like me, I bet you'd like to see more reports on what the team transporters do, and how they do it. I've seen a couple and read a few, and I find them to be very interesting.

    I pulled the transporter for a number one Super Bike race team as a fill-in driver, and loved EVERY second of it. And I know very little about racing motorcycles. The excitement of the hot pits and garage areas was enough satisfaction for me.
    And, it gave me the oppertunity to feel the Spirit of Daytona.
    What a rush! :yes2557:
     
  4. CrotchRocket

    CrotchRocket Bobtail Member

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    Since I DragRace No-Bar motorcycles, there are alot of guys that have motor homes or trucks pulling 20-40ft trailers and have been complaining that some of the states are now singling them out for inspections, looking for proper length, paper work and giving out 6 packs (not talking Budweisers)...

    They are being told if driving a motorhome they need to have a class A cdl depending on weight and what you are carrying in the trailer...If you have any sponsor stickers on the motorcycle then its commercial...If trailer says racing, or any name then its commercial...

    I guess the states are getting hungry for $$$ :biggrin_25512:


    AfterShock, nice job you had !!!
     
    Elvenhome21 Thanks this.
  5. AfterShock

    AfterShock Road Train Member

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    Man-0-Man --- you got THAT right!
    That was by far the best part-time gig I EVER had.
    The bummer came when I was asked to drive their new Peterbilt pullin' a brand new transporter FULL time for them, but had to turn it down due to my mother's health.
    That was the hardest "no" I ever said.
    But I sure felt honored that they thought enough of my performance and abilities to ask me FIRST, before they asked ANYone else. And they were disappointed, too --- but understood my circumstances. If I couldn't give 125% of me, I wouldn't give ANY of me at all. It's a TEAM effort, and I was considered a part of the team --- and still get a huge charge out of watching that team on television --- still winning.
    It's real nice having the first parking place in the garage area when a team is in the lead. Park that rig STRAIGHT, driver!
    The whole world is watchin' how y'all park.
    And after the victory parties, it's best to have a designated driver. Those parties CAN get pretty wild.

    WhaT?!
    Another adult beverage?
    Who bought me THIS one?
    The team manager?
    Thanx!
    Better put it in escrow, ---- while I finish the other, ...... uhhhhh, .... how many now?
    Especially in Las Vegas where y'all can drink ALL night and well into the morning hours --- at the Harley Cafe.

    HeY!
    Check THAT barmaid out!
    YeAH baby!
    We're the champions.

    I know,
    I know,
    rough job.
    But SOMEbody has to git 'er done.
    Besides, I knew the gig was habit forming when I took it.
    So, I have only mySELF to blame, or thank, ..... as the case may be. :biggrin_25525:

    HiC!
    I'm ready for the next round, barmaid.
    Gawd, she's a fox!
    Ladies in leather are a turn-on.
    Doncha know. :biggrin_255:
     
  6. lostNfound

    lostNfound Road Train Member

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    You suck... :biggrin_2553:









    my friend. :biggrin_25525:
    That was my passion and I tried to make it my vocation, but came up a little short. I used to race (and was competitive) against Duhamel, Picotte, Crevier, etc., at the club level.
     
  7. AfterShock

    AfterShock Road Train Member

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    :laughing-guffaw:YeAH!
    I know.

    YuP
    YuP.
    I bumped elbows with those names.
    And their wives and/or girlfriends.

    Some of them are vegetarians, and I cooked for them at races and during testing.
    Never did that before --- cookin' for the whole team AND their guests.
    But when I was told I did an "awesome" job, well, ...... that increased my team-hat size, just a tad. Fortunately the team hats were adjustable, like my belt.

    I reckon I'm a jack of all trades, but I'm probably best at bein' a team "gopher".
    Gopher this
    Gopher that ................ :biggrin_25525:
    And keep the GatorAid coolers FULL.

    At the last race of the season in Lost Wages, I easily spent
    $300 a DAY for food and drinks. ONLY the BEST, I was instructed. Good thing I signed up for a Ralph's grocery store discount card --- and the discounts were credited to MY account --- with the team manager's knowledge and approval.

    But, we won't talk about the time I locked the keys in the rental van while the team was testing at Daytona. Or how many bags of ice were in there. I thank my lucky stars that I'm a triple A member, and had someone come out and let me in (the van) before it was flooded.
    When I informed the team manager what I had done, he just looked at me with a blank stare, then yelled that information to the rest of the team.
    And a GOOD laugh was had by all.

    That team consisted of the most gracious people I've EVER had the pleasure of working WITH, and for. Bar none.

    Those gigs ARE out there folks.
    But'cha gotta LOOK for 'em.
    They won't find you. YOU gotta find THEM.
    In MY opinion, it's WELL worth the effort to find 'em. :yes2557:

    Just keep in mind, they prefer the best of the best and the cream of the crop.
    (I was gonna say the pick of the litter, but decided not to.) :biggrin_25523:
     
  8. CrotchRocket

    CrotchRocket Bobtail Member

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    It's great having a job where you get back what you give ontop of getting paid!!! :thumbup:
     
  9. AfterShock

    AfterShock Road Train Member

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    YuP!
    It's only "working" a "job" when y'all don't enjoy it.
    Imagine waking up in the morning and your first thought is
    OH BoY! :biggrin_25519:
    Imagine NOT wanting to go to sleep because y'all WANT to do
    a little more, and STILL wake up after a couple of hours shut-eye, and thinkin'
    OH BoY! :biggrin_25519:

    Such is life when the "job" requires y'all to "work" with the
    Hawaiian Tropics Girls on a photo shoot in Southern Florida for a couple of days, ......... and nights.
    I'll admit, that can make things hard --- but SOMEbody has to do it. :biggrin_255: :biggrin_25525:
    Ergo, ........ I took de "job" and it "worked" out real nice. :yes2557:
     
  10. zedanny

    zedanny Light Load Member

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    Work the pit's when at the track. when at home that truck is his responsibility.Unload everything and reload it then kiss the family good by. because he has to have the car at the track Thursday morning. It's not as good as it sounds like it would be.Danny
    PS who's gonna drive the truck if hes flying.?
     
  11. panhandlepat

    panhandlepat Road Train Member

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    i've read a few articles about it in the "pilot challenge" mag. keeping the truck clean enough to eat off of, keeping a meticulous inventory of nuts bolts ETC...... and various other race day duties. (catch can, tire cheanger ETC>)
     
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