The evolution and athleticism of a NASCAR pit stop through the years – FOXSports.com

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The art of the NASCAR pit stop has drastically evolved.

Every element has changed since the early 1950s and 60s with the continuous advancements in technology and safety.

Take a look back at just how much the pit-road scene has changed since the early years of the sport:

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Lee Petty's crew services his car during the 1960 Rebel 300 at Darlington Raceway. Fuel cans weren't as fancy back then.

Richard Petty comes in for a pit stop during the 1964 Daytona 500. During these days, it was common for teams to come in and change two tires, then come back again to chance the other side to avoid losing a lap.

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Allison's Mario Rossi-owned crew services his Dodge Charger Daytona during the 1970 Rebel 400. During the traditional pit crew competition at Rockingham Speedway that year, Allison's team debuted a major innovation that is still used to this day -- gluing lug nuts on the wheels.

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Bobby Allison's team services his No. 12 ride at Darlington Raceway. They were one of the first teams to have slick matching uniforms with sponsor branding.

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Buddy Baker's team changes tires on his No. 28 ride, nicknamed "Gray Ghost." The '80s brought along faster pit stops as technological advances increased.

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Bill Elliott's No. 9 Melling Racing crew goes to work in the 1986 Daytona 500. The '80s brought along innovations in pit-road equipment, including lighter jacks and air guns.

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In April 1991, NASCAR implemented pit-road speed limits after a Melling Racing rear-tire changer was killed in a pit-road crash in 1990 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

The Wood Brothers Racing crew pits Morgan Shepard's No. 21 Ford Thunderbird during a race at Phoenix Raceway in 1993. Teams began mock pit-road practices during the late '80s and early '90s.

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Jeff Gordon's No. 24 team, nicknamed the "Rainbow Warriors," services his car during the 1997 Daytona 500 en route to victory. The partnership between Gordon and Ray Evernham brought along a emphasis for more physically-fit crews, gearing them toward being actual professional athletes.

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Tony Stewart's No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing crew changes left-side tires during the spring race at Richmond International Raceway in 2001. The early 2000s brought along pit stops in the sub 12-second range.

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Along with many other safety advancements, the mid-2000s brought along mandated helmets for over-the-wall crews.

From pit-road practice multiple times a week to hiring ex-football players for their over-the-wall crews, organizations spend a great deal of time and money perfecting their pit stops.

Technology has also come a long way, as pit crews now attach cameras to their helmets, giving them the chance to study their stops more in-depth.

Pit stops have been holding stagnant in the 12-13 second range, sometimes even dipping into the 11-second bracket. The biggest change for NASCAR teams in 2017 has been the damaged vehicle policy, where crews only have five minutes to make repairs on pit road.

John David Mercer John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

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