Official Indycar Thread

To be fair, I didn't spot as many clinically obese fat blokes on the pit crews this year, but then again I did only have half an eye on the race. There were still some fairly chunky ones though, but maybe they have have to call upon their fat reserves in this cost of living crisis. Anyway, I thought I'd ask Google AI about the general fat bloke issue with Indycar.

"indycar why are there so many fat blokes on the pit crews?"

"AI Overview

In IndyCar, pit crew members often appear larger because they are full-time mechanics and engineers, not dedicated athletes like in NASCAR. Because rules heavily limit crew sizes, team members must perform double-duty. Their primary job is building and fixing the cars; fitting in over-the-wall pit duties is a secondary role.
IndyCar rules cap the number of people allowed over the wall during a pit stop to just six. By contrast, Formula 1 has no refueling and uses a much larger army of mechanics. In IndyCar, the crew is forced to handle everything from changing tires to making critical aerodynamic adjustments on the fly, and a core member must physically manage the heavy, manual mavity-refueling system.
Because space in the pit lane is tight and rules don't permit full-time specialist athletes who only jump over the wall for stops, teams rely on their everyday mechanical staff.
For a look at the intense physical conditioning and training that IndyCar crew members undergo to balance wrenching on the cars with rapid pit stop execution: youtube link"

Not really buying that to be honest.
 
ChatGPT gives me a much better answer.

Because IndyCar pit crews are not built like marathon runners, they’re built for short, violent, repeatable bursts of strength.

A pit stop is only a few seconds, but the jobs involve shifting heavy wheels, operating air guns, jacking the car, dragging fuel hoses, bracing against torque, and doing it all while wearing fireproof kit in heat and noise. For a lot of those roles, especially tyre changers, tyre carriers, fuelers and jack operators, mass and upper-body strength help.

They are often not “fat blokes” so much as big lads: ex-college football players, wrestlers, mechanics, strength-trained crew members.

Also, unlike the driver, they are not trying to minimise every kilo. Their body weight is not part of the car’s performance penalty. So there is less incentive for them to be lean, as long as they are quick, strong, coordinated, and don’t gas out.

The only pit crew people who tend to look more obviously athletic are the ones in roles where agility matters most. But even then, “athletic” in pit lane often means rugby prop / linebacker athletic, not skinny.
Click to expand...
 
Hmm, neither Google Ai or ChatGPT offering up the fairly obvious answer that it may be related to Americans being either A)stupidly fit, 6-pack jocks with perfectly manicured teeth, or B)fat. Though ChatGPT does say "often not", though even that is a stretch if you ask me.

This is obviously all in jest.
 
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