Run Your Business Like a Pit Crew, Not a Hero Driver

Lessons from the Craftsman Truck Series on teamwork, clarity, and scaling sustainably

Watching and cheering the NASCAR Craftsman Truck drivers during a caution lap at Michigan International Speedway, June 2025.

This summer, I took my son to his first NASCAR race at Michigan International Speedway. We watched the Craftsman Truck Series, and between the roar of the engines and the smell of burnt rubber, I noticed something that had nothing to do with speed, and everything to do with business.

It was the pit crews.

Blurs of precision.

Defined roles.

Zero wasted motion.

And all of it happening in seconds, not because they were reacting, but because they were ready.

It hit me: the fastest teams aren’t solo acts, they’re systems. And most small businesses? They’re trying to win the race by doing everything from the driver’s seat.

The Driver Isn’t the Whole Team

In most small businesses, the founder or leader plays the hero driver. They’re behind the wheel, but they’re also managing the pit, calling strategy, fixing flats, and checking the weather radar. And eventually? That’s not sustainable.

At the track, the driver is crucial, but only as effective as the crew around them. Same goes for your business. You don’t scale by going faster. You scale by building a team and a system that supports you.

Pit Crews Win with Preparation, Not Panic

Every member of a pit crew knows their role. The tire changer doesn’t grab the fuel hose. The jackman doesn’t shout instructions at the driver. Each person is trained, accountable, and practiced.

In business, we too often operate in scramble mode. We hand things off without clarity. We react instead of prepare. We rely on memory instead of process. And when pressure hits (a vacation, a sick kid, a new client), things fall apart.

Building systems that scale means:

• Defined roles & responsibilities

• Documented processes and checklists

• Clear handoffs between functions

• Time to practice before game day

You Don’t Need More Speed, You Need More System

One bad pit stop can lose a race. One fumbled client handoff can cost a referral. That’s why building your business like a pit crew is so important.

At Sonnett and Company, we help small businesses move from founder-driven chaos to team-led clarity. That means better handoffs, smarter systems, and a team that’s not just “doing their best,” but working in sync.

Final Lap: Start with One Stop

You don’t need to overhaul everything overnight. Start by asking:

• Who’s changing the tires in your business, and do they know it?

• Are your tools in reach? Or are you wasting time looking for them?

• When the pressure’s on, does your team move together, or hesitate?

Because in business, just like on the track, it’s not the flashiest car that wins, it’s the crew that can work clean, calm, and fast. Together.

Want your business to run like a pit crew, not a panic room? Let’s talk.