There are 36 races per season in NASCAR, which can be a lot to handle. Needless to say, the NASCAR employees have their plates full throughout the season prepping for those races, executing them, and again, prepping for the next race, and the pattern follows till the Championship 4. However, what do these teams do during the offseason? Do they just sit back and relax till NASCAR goes full throttle for the upcoming season?
Joe Gibbs Racing president Dave Alpern revealed their course of action during the offseason as one of the leading teams in the arena of NASCAR. According to him, besides the fact that they do not need to travel to various racetracks during those few months, nothing really changes. It almost seems like the term ‘leisure’ is nowhere to be found in the vocabulary of the employees at Joe Gibbs Racing.
What do the employees do during the offseason?
For the front office staff, the checklist consists of several items from sponsorship renewals and working on car designs to collaborating with the team partners to prepare for the next season. For the employees downstairs, it is more about cleaning and organising the race shop.
“This is the time of the year that our shop gets a facelift,” said Alpern. “Whether it's resurfacing floors, painting…but everyone around the shop is prepping for next year, cleaning up from last year, or doing planning for the upcoming season.”
While it's true that not every employee behind the garage gets to bask in the limelight, it's also true that without the dedication and commitment of every single race team personnel, pulling off an entire season of cut-throat competition is impossible.
Furthermore, with the high operational costs baked with low-profit margins shrouding the game lately, it is crucial for the teams to optimise their running as well as ensure the highest degree of efficiency.
What do NASCAR drivers do during the offseason?
Interestingly, a lot of them like to race even during the offseason. NASCAR is a sport that is essentially a quest for the best as there can be only one winner and only one seasonal champion. So some drivers like Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott are known to put their driving abilities to test on dirt tracks, where handling the car is the biggest challenge.
For athletes like them, keeping the competitive spirit alive is what matters the most. After all, in just a few weeks, they would be returning to the big show. Some would even spend a lion-share of their offseason behind the racing simulator, sharpening their skills and getting ready for the upcoming season.
Other drivers like Brad Keselowski, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Austin Dillon, and Joey Logano use their stardom to give back to the community through their charitable organizations. The Kyle Busch Foundation, Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma, the Denny Hamlin Foundation, Brad Keselowski’s Chequered Flag Foundation; the list goes on and on.
However, there are drivers who also resort to a vacation with their families. Who doesn't like to recharge after a tiring season of work?
FAQ's on What Do NASCAR Employees Do During The Offseason?
NASCAR has a three-month-long offseason.
NASCAR drivers would typically dedicate a couple of days of the week to testing their cars at the tracks that they are expected to visit the coming week.
The helmets that the NASCAR drivers wear have a special hose attachment at the back that works as a carbon monoxide filter and simultaneously pumps air into the helmet.
No, the NASCAR cars do not have air conditioning.
There are plenty of reasons. The main reason would be that installing A.C. would require a lot of extra energy and would also add additional pounds to the overall weight of the car, thus bringing its speed down.
