It's easy to criticize a driver, pit crew, or crew chief when performance doesn't meet expectations and you see a loss slip away. That was the case for driver Chase Elliott and the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports team this past weekend in Michigan.
The silver lining?
The pit crew did its job on the last stop and helped Elliott take the lead from Kyle Larson. The restart -- well, that's not our subject of expertise.
The No. 24 has gone through some rough stretches over the last year, and changes were made at multiple positions. Adding new people and giving new roles to existing personnel have been moves made to help improve performance.
This weekend was set up to be a reflection of their hard work. Things just didn't work out in the end. Elliott said it best after the race.
"My guys did such a good job today of making the most of pit road. That was the only place you could make a large sum of ground in a short period of time. They did exactly what I asked them to do. I said, 'You guys are going to have to bail me out here, I messed up.' (And) they did.
Elliott was referring to losing the lead to Larson on the track and then taking it back on pit road. The No. 24 is still in the Chase with two races to go, and if you're a No. 24 fan, it's a good sign to see the pit crew starting to peak at the right time.
For more pit crew news, visit PitTalks.com.