Ranking the fastest NASCAR pit crews ahead of Chicago Street Race

Quick pit stops can make all the difference during a NASCAR Cup Series race. Those crews may not receive the same attention as the drivers, but their impact can be equally important.

Ahead of Sunday’s Chicago Street Race, NASCAR.com provided a rundown of some of the crews that have put together the strongest seasons in 2023. They’re putting their drivers in great position to win races this year.

Here’s a look at the 10 fastest NASCAR Cup Series pit crews this year, based on the speed on the average four-tire changes:

William Byron – 10.872 secondsKyle Larson – 11.027 secondsRoss Chastain – 11.114 secondsBrad Keselowski – 11.137 secondsKevin Harvick – 11.141 secondsTy Gibbs – 11.159 secondsDaniel Suarez – 11.224 secondsKyle Busch – 11.229 secondsMartin Truex Jr. – 11.254 secondsDenny Hamlin – 11.315 seconds

So far, Byron’s team is the only one averaging a pit stop under 11 seconds in the regular season. Is it that much of a surprise that he has claimed three checkered flags and posted 10 top-10 finishes?

Putting together strong pit stops on the track is a vital part of success. These teams have undoubtedly put their drivers in the best position possible throughout the course of the 2023 season.

How much will they impact Sunday’s Chicago Street Race?

Who has the best shot to win NASCAR’s Chicago Street Race?

Any driver can win any race on any given day. But that doesn’t mean some don’t have a better chance than others. If you’re looking for an idea of who might be in the best position to win this weekend’s Grand Park 220, Racing Insights provided an outlook.

As it does each week, Racing Insights projected the entire order of finish for Sunday’s Chicago Street Race. Here’s a look at how it believes the top-10 will shake out:

Chase Elliott (9)Tyler Reddick (45)William Byron (24)Kyle Larson (5)AJ Allmendinger (16)Kyle Busch (8)Martin Truex Jr. (19)Chris Buescher (17)Christopher Bell (20)Kevin Harvick (4)

We’ll see how accurate these predictions are when the checkered flag waves in Chicago on Sunday.

This weekend’s Grand Park 220 marks NASCAR’s return to the Windy City, but in a different capacity. It’s the first street race for Chicago, with the sport previously racing at the Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet. It’s the sport’s first race in the city since 2019.

The green flag drops at 5:30 p.m. ET with coverage coming on NBC.

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