Zac Cardinal

Team Work

When working on any race team - it's important to focus on just that - the team. After working with many of the guys and girls from CJ Wilson Racing for over 5 years, they became family both on and off the race track. We had each other's back when things went wrong, and watched out for one another in what can often be a life threatening sport. In stressful situations, such as our car having a mechanical issue during a race, we have to work seamlessly with each other to fix whatever issue the impossibly hot car may have. We have to work with the driver over the radio to try and diagnose what issue may have occurred and work as fast as possible to get the car back on track once it comes in the pits.

Communication

Often one of the more difficult parts of racing can be interpreting driver feedback properly. This gets increasingly difficult with the more drivers you have, which for some endurance races can be up to 4 per car. It can take a certain level of finesse to juggle what can sometimes be 4 different opinions of an issue a car is having, and nearly impossible to confirm the validity of that claim over the radio. As the crew, we needed to know how to ask the right questions to get the most accurate depiction of what is going on so we can quickly inspect the car, make sure it's safe, and send it on its way or back to the garage if there is a major issue.

Endurance

When I told people my job was to "work on race cars," I'd often get the response of "WOW! Thats so cool!" And admittedly, it was cool. But it's not all winning and driving race cars - hell I haven't driven any of the race cars. In professional racing it is normal to expect that you will spend a minimum of 12 hours per day working during an event at a race track, for what can be 5 or more consecutive days. We work outside under an awning attached to our trailer regardless of weather conditions to get the work done as fast as possible. During a race, if it rains, we do our pit stops - in the rain - and stay in our wet clothes for the duration with a smile, soaking up the adrenaline rush that so many people will never get to experience. Just because it's difficult doesn't mean it's not worthwhile!

Attention to Detail

Some things shouldn't be overlooked. On a race car, nothing can be. Leaving something as small as a bolt loose could have catastrophic consequences. Didn't tighten that oil drain plug enough? Bye bye engine. Overlooked a suspension bolt or didn't notice that brake line rubbing through? Now the driver's life could be in danger. These little details can make or break a weekend or even an entire car and must be addressed before an issue arises. This means constant attention to the driver's feedback and paying attention to how the car is behaving on the track, as well keeping open communication with team mates for the duration of the event - and at the shop!