When did they first use air wrenches to change tires during NASCAR races?

Question

david g asked me that and I can't find it (it's driving me nuts and I need to get some work done). Also I was curious about when they switched the cars from manual steering to power assisted steering. When they did was it all at once or were there some cars with power and some without it? Thanks for your help.

No need for apologies david, I was just going in circles and couldn't take it anymore : )

DIXIE, when they were talking about Jr. during the race it got me thinking about it. I can't remember the specifics or if they gave them even.

We need lil dirt racer, PAPABILL or Ray Y, I'll bet one of them knows the answer.

I even checked Ingersoll Rand's website. They have a history section but it did not cover this question.

Answer 1

Sad News: Howard M. Hurd, one of the most respected patriarchs in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series garage area, died today at the age of 89. His development of special high-speed air impact guns - the tools crews use to change four tires in less than 20 seconds during pit stops - earned him recognition as the father of today's lightening quick pit stops. Hurd became a prominent figure in NASCAR racing during the early 60's when NASCAR legend Glen Wood's Wood Brothers racing team first tested his modified 405 Ingersoll-Rand air gun at Atlanta International Raceway. The Wood Brother's success in the pits lead other teams to follow suit and the demand for his air guns made Hurd a household name in the NASCAR garage. His highly modified yellow and black air gun set the "norm" for pit stops. In the mid 60's Mr. Hurd also worked with NASCAR official Bill Gazaway to develop a device to check the stock car body's style and height. Together, they designed the original template used to measure the outline of a stockcar. That template is still used today at every NASCAR Winston Cup weekend to ensure a level playing field for Sunday's race. In 1982 Howard Hurd received the Buddy Shuman Memorial Trophy, given each year for "outstanding contributions and loyalty to auto racing". The trophy was presented to Hurd at the NASCAR Winston Cup Awards Banquet in New York City. The Hurd family continues their involvement in racing today. 2000 marks Hurd Pit Tools & Equipment, Inc.'s 41st year in the business. The company's reputation for service and dependability is highlighted by the fact that since """1961""" every Winston Cup championship team has relied on Hurd designed impact wrenches during pit stops. Howard's grandson James, 32, runs the day-to-day operations of the company and has followed in his grandfather's footsteps by modifying the airflow of the 405 impact wrench. This newly designed "Thunder Gun" provides increased power, speed, and practicality. The yellow and black Thunder Gun is also on display at the Daytona USA. NASCAR fans can experience the thrill of "the fastest gun aro

Answer 2

Right off the top of my head, I do recall seeing pictures/video of the crew members carrying 4-ways around the cars as late as the mid-60's, but I do believe that air guns were in use then (it was one of the lower teams...not one of the "big boys."

BTW....IF you know what you are doing with a 4-way, you CAN do a fairly quick stop. Under a minute for tires without an airgun ain't nothing to sneeze at.

I'll see what I can dig up later on the exact dates....or at least as close as I can get.

Power steering???.........that one's kinda got me stumped for a bit. I know they had it in the mid-80's, but I'm not real sure if it was used full time much before that. I do seem to recall someone giving Mark Martin a hard time about them never having power steering, when Mark won a race without it. I think Darrell Waltrip was one of the first to use it full time, or to get the "new generation" of power steering pumps
As I said earlier......I'll try to nail down some closer dates for ya'.
--------------------What I found-----------------------

The first link does not give an exact date, but from the way the narrator is writing, the first use was in the 60's, when they used the 3 fluted single lug on the Indy cars. the guy is also talking about Roger Penske "was the guy who brought the “unfair advantage” to every form of racing his teams participated in."

DiGard was the pioneer of power steering in NASCAR, and IIRC DW was the driver who got the advantage of that, so that would make it pre-1980.

Man......I went thru 10 pages each on google, and that little bit is all I can find. Shouldda' just relied on the old gray matter, and saved myself some time for something else......LOL

BTW...If I take a turn at asking trivia questions......with what I found....you guys are in some serious trouble!!!!!! And it was stuff I didn't know!!!!!

Answer 3

air wrenches change tires nascar races

Answer 4

this is all i could find and really was only on a search it was not on any specific place i went.

332-428 Ford FE Engine Forum
... the year that Petty drove Fords most if not all the races he won were 427's ... the pit on day in the early 60's and picked up the air wrench for the lug nuts ...network54.com/Forum/74182/thread/1171396604/40+...+won+the+Daytona+500

Answer 5

Hi Steevo...I'm curious to know the answer to that one too.
I did hear Kyle Petty say something about power steering during the race when Junior's power steering went out.
I know he said it wasn't like full ps like we have in our car but it was enough to help and without it, it was almost impossible to steer the car. I thought he mentioned when they went to ps..but for the life of me...I can't remember. wasn't it in the 80's?

Go Jr!

Answer 6

Well now that I have no hair left and my eye is twitching,
I GOT NOTHING!!!!
I can't find a single thing on when either was first brought in.
You guys sure make it tough on a fella in here.

Great question though.

Answer 7

Dunno about the air wrenches, but I built a 1/24 kit of The King's '74 Charger, and it has NO power steering pump.
My Terry Labonte #44 Monte from '84 HAS a pump.
So......somewhere between '74 & '84.

Answer 8

I am sorry I asked you that I have been trying to find that since this morning when I asked you. Please someone tell us !!!Does anyone know The Kings e mail address he would know the answer!
WOW Scooby what are the odds that I thought of this on the day that Hurd died,I am scared now !And I have never heard of Hurd !!!!!

Answer 9

I swore I saw or heard something about this the other day, going to have to go find it myself now.

Could you imagine watching pitstops today with the guys using the standard lug nut tool? lol
That would definately show the best pit crew then..

Answer 10

I'm of no use on this one, sorry.