BRISTOL, Tenn. (WCYB) — As the lights illuminate the Speedway for Saturday night’s classic, Steven Griffin, a member of the Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing pit crew, reflects on his unique experiences in sports. Griffin, who serves as a rear tire changer, described his role: “I chased the car. I’m a rear tire changer. We have those guns to take the lug nuts off, and I take the tire out. My carrier comes around, he puts the tire on, and I buzz it back up. And we do it as fast as we can.”
Nine years ago, Griffin was a defensive back for the University of Tennessee. “That was a great experience, especially that fan base,” he said. “They really get behind their Vols in everything.”
During the 2016 football season, Griffin had the rare opportunity to play a football game inside the World’s Fastest Half Mile. “It’s something that you can’t really replicate too often, like it’s just having that many people packed in one space, and then they’re all hyped up, ready for a football game. I mean, you can’t replicate that. You can’t get that feeling anywhere else,” Griffin said.
Reflecting on the upcoming Speedway Classic, Griffin shared his thoughts on the significance of such events. “It’s something I’ll definitely take with me forever, and definitely like pass on those type of stories to my kids, and hopefully my grandkids, you know what I’m saying. So, yeah, it’s just a unique experience and I’m glad I got to be a part of it,” he said.