[h=2]NASCAR looking into pit gun complaints[/h] Monday, 09 April 2018


Kelly Crandall / Image by LaBounty/LAT



Mandated pit guns continue to be a point of contention among teams and drivers but NASCAR is still not ready to admit to widespread problems.

NASCAR senior vice president of competition Scott Miller confirmed on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio that officials continue to gather data and are working with Paoli to rectify any issues. However, Miller said commenting on the various incidents occurring on pit road is difficult until the guns and their part and pieces in question are examined.


"This isn't the first time that there's been a loose wheel on a car," said Miller. "Everybody's always quick to blame the gun, not saying that it may not have been a gun problem, but we have to look at everything before we can flat out say we had a gun problem."

Kevin Harvick and his crew chief, Rodney Childers, lashed out after Sunday's race at Texas. Harvick had one loose wheel that resulted in an unscheduled pit stop under green flag conditions, as well as a freak incident of a lug nut flying into the jack and costing his team time on another stop.
The 2014 Cup champion used the words "pathetic" and "embarrassing" when talking about the pit gun issues. Childers said during an in-race interview he was tired of biting his lip on the issue and that better equipment needed to be given to teams.


Collaboration between NASCAR and the teams led to mandated pit guns.
"The problem had had a few more hitches in it than obviously we wished it would but we're making progress with it," Miller continued. "We'll continue to do that and continue to evaluate and continue to try to get better every week and make sure that we dig into whatever problems happen up and down pit road and get them rectified.


"Everything in motorsports is a development process and this is no different. It's unfortunate that it's caused some people some problems but development is what it is, and we'll continue to keep it ramped up and get it right."