Abbott in the Pit

"She is beautiful and feminine, but when it comes to work, she is a beast — she turns into an animal. She defies stereotypes." 

In January, Christmas Abbott, owner of CrossFit Invoke and CrossFit Seminar Staff, received a phone call from Ted Bullard, Chief Marketing Officer of Turner Motor Sports. He asked her if she wanted to come to Charlotte and "play NASCAR."

Abbott, along with representatives from brands like SicFit, Pure Pharma and Progenex found themselves competing against each other in a pit-crew challenge. Abbott says she thought she was going to be driving. "I wouldn't have even gone if I had known we would be changing tires," she says.

Luckily, Abbott discovered she was pretty good at changing tires. She was the only woman, but she found herself beating the men she was competing with. She was also coming close to the times of the pro pit-guys. A seasoned pit-crew pro member can remove five lug nuts in 1.2 seconds, while an average person would take up to five seconds. On Abbott’s fourth attempt she removed them in 1.7 seconds.

"She crushed it ... it was obvious she had a natural aptitude," Bullard says.

Abbott’s performance was exactly what Bullard hoped it would be. Bullard, who has been CrossFitting for two years, admits, "I had a hidden agenda."

Bullard is blown away by what the women of CrossFit are capable of. "There has never been a female pit-crew member in a legitimate capacity,” he says.

He felt a CrossFitter might be the type who could do it. He saw videos of Abbott on YouTube, and thought she may be the one.

The night before the Pit Crew Challenge, Bullard told his bosses what his hopes were for Abbott. "They literally stared at me for five seconds,” Bullard says. “It’s not that anyone has a problem with females joining into the sport, it’s just never been done."

Bullard's hunch was right on the money. Abbott’s performance was impressive and Bullard was sure to get it on video. "I knew that if I didn't have video evidence, the guys would have thought I was crazy," he says.

Abbott had no idea Bullard had big plans in mind. However, she found the experience exhilarating. “I had been obsessing since I left that day ... I can't get this out of my head," Abbott says.

When she got the call from Bullard making her an offer to come train with Turner Motor Sports, she turned him down. Abbott was doing two Level 1 Seminars a month and running her box in Raleigh, N.C. In her mind, a move to Charlotte was too much.

Bullard says his secret weapon was persistence. "I knew that she was absolutely capable and now it was a matter of selling her and selling my team that we could do this," he says.

Ultimately, Bullard convinced Abbott and his team. In August, Abbott made the move to Charlotte. With the help of a partner at Invoke, and a few less weekends at Seminars, she was able to make the time for the exciting new endeavor. "It's amazing what doors CrossFit will open for you,” Abbot says. “To say it changed my life is an understatement.”

Abbott is working with a pit-coach four days a week, once or twice a day in addition to CrossFit workouts. She knew nothing about NASCAR and is getting a crash course in the sport. “The pit is parallel to CrossFit: mechanics, consistency, intensity. All of the 10 physical skills come directly into it," she says.

She is training to be able to remove 10 lug nuts and two 85-lb. tires in 13 seconds. "It's fascinating to me, the level of competitiveness and speed — all of what's involved in a pit stop. The biggest part is the mental component, the mental fortitude you have to have," Abbott says.

Bullard says after Abbott arrived, the pit coach told him, "Man, listen, she is a natural athlete. She has got so many attributes we absolutely look for, but it’s too early to tell. Is she really going to be able to do this when the pressure kicks in? When she is in front of 150,000 screaming fans, all the cameras are on her; when that car is whizzing past her at 60 miles per hour, two feet away. That's a different story ... we'll see."

Just three weeks after working with Abbott, her coach came to Bullard again and said, "The difference from three weeks to today is astounding. I would have never believed she would have come this far in three weeks."

If Abbott makes it to the pit in Sprint Cup Series, she will be making history as the first female pit-crew member at that level. She could reach world-class levels in six months. A huge undertaking, but one Abbott and Bullard are both ready to take.

"This is a girl who loves adrenaline,” Bullard says. “This is a girl who is high-octane and she is obviously physically capable.”

He says he believes Abbott’s achievements could have a huge effect on the sport. Bringing Abbott on is a "massive move for Turner.

"Christmas is going to resonate across the spectrum, across the nation — potentially globally. She just oozes charisma,” he adds. “There is something about her that is truly special. She is beautiful and feminine, but when it comes to work, she is a beast — she turns into an animal. She defies stereotypes."