When NASCAR introduced its brand-new NextGen car in 2022, it included many modern changes designed to align the sport with technological trends seen in other motorsports series. One of the boldest updates was replacing the old five-lug wheel nut setup with a single center-locking lug nut.
The idea was to speed up pit stops and modernize the sport to match its counterparts. However, what seemed like progress on paper has created an unexpected crisis plaguing the sport three years later.
How Has the Single Lug Nut Change Impacted NASCAR Teams?
After the shift to a single lug nut, pit stops became faster. Teams could execute tire changes with unprecedented speed, exactly what NASCAR had hoped to achieve. But with these quicker pit stop times came a surprising and serious side effect that nobody saw coming.
Teams started facing the problem of loose wheels rolling off their cars during races. According to one stat recently posted online, NASCAR has already seen 48 detached wheels since the start of the NextGen era. That’s more than the total number of detached wheel scenarios from the previous 28 seasons combined, which had 45 incidents.
The consequences for teams are severe. When a wheel comes loose, the crew chief and two crew members face suspension for four races or more. That’s a significant punishment that can derail a team’s championship hopes and cost them valuable points throughout the season.
Why Do NASCAR’s Single Lug Nuts Create More Problems Than Solutions?
The root of the problem lies in the margin for error. Back in the days of five-lug wheels, pit crews had some cushion for mistakes. Even if they accidentally left one or two lug nuts slightly loose, the wheel would still stay attached to the hub. It wasn’t ideal for safety, but the system provided built-in redundancy.
Now with a single lug nut holding the wheel to the hub, there’s virtually no room for error. If that one lug isn’t fully tightened to specification, the wheel will eventually work its way loose and roll off the hub. There’s no time to double-check their work with pit crews focused on executing lightning-fast pit stops.
The choreography during pit stops adds another layer of complexity. Tire changers and jackmen must move in perfect rhythm to execute a flawless pit stop, while drivers need to position their cars precisely in the pit box to make their crew’s job easier.
One common issue occurs when the jack gets dropped before the lug nut is entirely secure, leading to a loose wheel when the driver exits the pit box.
Beyond human error, teams face equipment limitations they can’t control. Unlike other racing series, NASCAR teams don’t use their own pit guns. Instead, they must collect them from a NASCAR-approved vendor before each race and return them afterward.
This means teams can’t modify or adjust the magnet inside the wheel gun’s socket according to their specific requirements.
If the socket magnets are defective, a team’s crew will not discover it until their first pit stop of the race. Other racing series, like IMSA and Formula 1, allow their teams to purchase and maintain their own equipment, giving them the ability to catch problems during practice and preparation.
In NASCAR, crews simply have to work with whatever equipment they’re handed on race day.
What Solutions Are Teams and NASCAR Exploring?
Some teams have adapted by improving communication protocols and implementing hand signals during pit stops to reduce errors. The added communication helps ensure everyone is on the same page before the car leaves the pit box.
Additionally, a few vendors have introduced torque sensors designed to help detect when a wheel is properly tightened. These technological solutions offer promise, but they’re still being refined and aren’t universally adopted across all teams.
Despite these efforts, most of the burden falls on the teams to adapt to a system that seems fundamentally flawed. This problem should have been addressed much earlier, considering it’s been three years since the NextGen car was introduced. The frequency of wheel issues suggests the current system needs significant refinement.
NASCAR needs to work more closely with teams to solve this ongoing crisis. Whether that means revising the single lug nut system, allowing teams more control over their equipment, or implementing better safety protocols, action is needed to restore confidence in routine pit stops.