Congratulations are in order for Dustin Lineback (Jackman), Telvin McClurkin (Tire Carrier), Johnny Roberts (Front Tire Changer), Steve Price (Rear Tire Changer), and Brad Robison (Fueler).
These five pit crew members made up the crew roster for Brad Keselowski and the No. 6 RFK Racing team, which has been named the 2023 Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew.
According to Scott Bowen, RFK Racing's Pit Crew Coach, the award is a testament to the hard work put in by the pit crew all season long.
“The No. 6 pit crew has earned the award this season through their drive, determination, and hard work,” said Bowen in a team release. “It’s a pleasure to work alongside such a competitive group of individuals that come together to form an elite team.”
While Keselowski was fast on the track, his pit crew executed to the best of their abilities all season long, and in the end, the No. 6 team recorded seven top-five finishes, 16 top-10s, and Keselowski came home eighth in the year-end NASCAR Cup Series championship standings.
If you're wondering how the Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew Award winner is determined, it stems from each team's M-pact score.
Factors that contribute to a pit crew's M-pact score include average four-tire pit stop times, a multiplier based on net passes for position under yellow-flag pit stops, as well as a "Strength of Schedule" component to adjust for the level of competition a team is racing on pit road.
The way the net passes multiplier works is that the multiplier is increased for each car a team passes on pit road during a yellow-flag pit stop, and the multiplier is decreased for each car a pit crew gets passed by on those types of stops.
After all of the mathematical crunching of the numbers, it was the No.6 RFK Racing team, which came out on top in the 2023 standings.
With improved vehicle performance, and a lightning-fast pit crew, Keselowski finished 16 places higher in the championship standings in 2023 than he did in 2022, and his key overall stats all improved this season as well.
Keselowski recorded six more top-five finishes than he did in 2022, 10 more top-10 finishes, and he led 117 more laps than a year ago. Keselowski also enjoyed an average finish of 14.4, which was nearly a five-position improvement from the 2022 season.
Photo Credit: Craig White, Racing America
