How long does the pit lane take? David Hodge Jr wrote down three durations at Daytona in 2025. They are useful as an example, and only as an example.
What the note says
The note is in David’s wrap up notes for the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge weekend at Daytona in 2025. It is headed “Pit Transit time (Drive Thru)” and lists three pit-lane durations.
- 26 seconds to the box.
- 46 seconds from entry to exit on a drive-through.
- 94 seconds for the total pit stop.
These are pit-lane durations from that one session. They depend on the track, the length and shape of its pit lane, the speed limit and what the car did in the box. A different track will give different figures. Do not use them for another circuit.
The note is a record of what happened. It does not set a target for any team.
Why it matters in a shared car
In a shared car, the pit stop is the one part of a race that every driver uses. A team that knows its pit-lane durations can set a stint length, plan a fuel stop and decide when a driver change fits. A team that guesses may find that a short stop takes longer than expected.
A driver benefits too. If you know how many seconds the box is from pit entry, you know how long you have to finish the last corner, check the mirror and get ready for the stop.
One drill
Time your own pit lane. Use a practice session, the team’s timing sheet or a simulator that models the same pit lane.
- Pick three points. They are pit entry, the box and pit exit.
- On a drive-through, note the time at each point. Do not stop at the box.
- Repeat the drive-through three times and write down all three results in seconds.
- If the team practices a stop, time it from pit entry to pit exit and write that down too.
- Write one sentence under each figure about what changed between runs, such as traffic or a slow approach.
- Share the sheet with the crew before the race.
Never exceed the pit lane speed limit to improve a figure. A safe lane matters more than a short one.
Write the track name and the session next to each figure. Without those, a number tells nobody anything.
Where this fits
Pit-lane time matters in any team race, including the Pilot Challenge and WRL. Use the simulator to rehearse your entry and your exit.