Pocono News Section

Local men work on NASCAR pit crews

Local men work on NASCAR pit crews - Sunday, June 6, 2010 at 04:03AM EST

Reported by: Monica Madeja
Sunday June 06 2010

The Pocono 500 gives Pennsylvania NASCAR fans a chance to see their favorite sport up close.

but two of the hardest working men at Sundays race say coming to Pennsylvania gives them a chance to see their favorite people up close.

"The food! You can't get the good food down in North Carolina like you can up here."

Chris Fasulka is happy to be home.

"It's great. I only get to see my parents at the holidays and stuff like that so any chance I get I come up."

The Wilkes-Barre native is the gas man for Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s car. He has been working in the fast world of NASCAR for about 12 years.

"I had a brother-in-law who was a crew chief at the time and we went down and visited in January and it was 70 degrees, and we just took the plunge. I actually drove UPS truck here before I went down there and just started at the bottom and worked my way up."

Chris's dream started as a fan in the stands, now he is working in all the action on pit road.

And the same goes for Rodney Fetters from the State College area. The jack man for Greg Biffle's car has won some of the biggest races including the granddaddy of them all the Daytona 500.

"I really don't have the words to explain the elation you have to win something like that. I'm getting goose bumps now just thinking about it. I am really fortunate to win some of the biggest races in motor sports and be part of some really great teams like the one that I am on now."

Fetters was recruited to work on Jeff Gordons car because of his athletic abilities at hockey. He says members of the pit must know how to fix a car and be in top physical form.

Both men say the hardest part of the job though is the heavy travel each weekend, but they look forward to the Pocono 500 for their homecoming each year and of course a win.

If you want to learn more about a career in NASCAR, click here: http://www. automechanicschools. com/nascarschool. html