The drivers behind the wheel will do everything possible to cross the start/finish line first, but battles don’t solely occur on the racing surface. There can be no margin for error when it comes to changing four tires, making chassis adjustments, ripping a windshield tear-off and fueling the car all within 10-11 seconds.

Time spent servicing the car is just another finite detail that has to be executed perfectly for a driver to become a champion. A well-synchronized stop could make or break a driver’s chances of keeping good track position, and pit crews can make all the difference in cashing in on that “money stop” before a final restart.

RELATED: Phoenix Championship Weekend schedule

Now that we know who will be racing for the Bill France Cup Sunday at Phoenix Raceway (3 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App), let’s dive into the Championship 4 pit crews for William Byron (No. 24), Ryan Blaney (No. 12), Joey Logano (No. 22) and Tyler Reddick (No. 45).

CREW BREAKDOWN:

No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet roster
Front tire changer: Jeff Cordero
Rear tire changer: Orane Ossowski
Tire carrier: Ryan Patton
Jack: Spencer Bishop
Fueler: Landon Walker

Comment: The No. 24 crew has been moving and grooving all season, ranking second-best on pit road based on an average four-tire stop time of 10.802 seconds. The Richmond Raceway contest on Aug. 11 also saw the Hendrick crew deliver Byron the best stop among all other teams in that contest (9.442 seconds). Even better news? This past spring race at Phoenix, Byron’s pit crew was, on average, the best on pit road, notching an average stop time of 10.126 seconds. When you factor in how little the No. 24 has been penalized and the fact the Hendrick crew ranks as the second-best unit in the playoffs, Byron holds a clear advantage.

No. 12 Team Penske Ford roster
Front tire changer: Ryan Flores
Rear tire changer: Zachary Price
Tire carrier: Trevor Apsey
Jack: Jourdan Osinskie
Fueler: Chris Conklin

Comment: Blaney No. 12 ‘dawgs’ rank as the eighth-best crew this season, with an average four-tire stop time of 10.975 seconds. The No. 12 crew has logged the fastest four-tire stop two times this season, with a 9.577-second stop coming at Circuit of The Americas in March and a 9.175-second stop at Dover Motor Speedway in April — which is only 0.033 seconds off from being tied for ninth in the season’s top-10 fastest stops. The 12 crew did their job last week at Martinsville Speedway, helping Blaney win the battle off pit road several times en route to his win. In order for Blaney to defend his 2023 Cup title, his pit crew will need to be ready. Luckily for Blaney, they are up to the challenge. 

No. 22 Team Penske Ford roster
Front tire changer: Joe Dilly
Rear tire changer: Jake Seminara
Tire carrier: Jeremy Ogles
Jack: Graham Stoddard
Fueler: Nick Hensley

Comment: Logano’s No. 22 team ranks as the 11th-best pit crew based on an average four-tire stop time of 11.185 seconds. It hasn’t gotten much better for the 22 squad as they rank as the 19th-best team so far in the playoffs. The bright side is that Logano hasn’t been hit with a lot of pit-road penalties this year, which ties his crew with Reddick’s and Blaney’s at eighth-best when it comes to full-season ranks. Another feather in their cap is Penske crews save their best performances for high-pressure moments, so the best pit-road performance for the 22 team could come this Sunday when they most need it.

No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota roster
Front tire changer: Houston Stamper
Rear tire changer: Devin DelRicco
Tire carrier: Wade Moore
Jack: Nathan Ricketts
Fueler: Brian Dheel

Comment: The No. 45 team statistically has not been great on pit road; their 11.207-second average stop for four tires is 18th-best among all teams. Through the last nine races, the 45 crew ranks 24th-best among pit crews. Still, the No. 45 is capable of delivering clutch stops. In May at Darlington Raceway, the crew delivered Reddick a 9.275-second stop — which was the fastest out of all crews during that contest. Reddick has proven so much throughout these playoffs that he’s willing to answer the bell when the pressure rings loudest. His pit crew may have to dig down similarly at Phoenix to help him win the championship.