NASCAR BTS: Dion Williams Combines Front Tire Carrying with Fitness, Fashion and Family
Since one of the most crucial roles in NASCAR is that of pit crew member, this week’s NASCAR Behind the Scenes features Dion ‘Rocko’ Williams, who not only carries the front tires for Chase contender Jeff Gordon, but fulfills his role with flair, from fitness to fashion to family.
This past weekend, Williams achieved great success in his role as a member of the winning team at Martinsville as his driver Jeff Gordon scored his first win of the season and his 88th career win. The win also moved the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports team into third place in the championship standings, 27 points behind the leaders.
Although he has made it to the highest level in the sport with one of the NASCAR’s most visible drivers, Williams’ roots are not in racing but instead in the world of football. In fact, Williams was a star linebacker at Wake Forest and played pro ball for the Minnesota Vikings before being tapped to become a NASCAR pit crew member.
Williams was recommended by his agent to try out for a NASCAR team position, which has now led to his passion and love for the sport. And he has been incredibly successful, with nine years under his belt in one of the most demanding positions, that of front tire carrier, on a pit crew team for one of the top elite teams in NASCAR.
What makes Williams unique, however, is the way that he carries out his pit crew role, with a dedication to fitness, both physically and mentally, his flair for fashion, and his love of his family.
Williams is absolutely devoted to his workout schedule, which encompasses almost half of each and every work day.
“It just never stops,” Williams said. “We have a stringent training regimen at work.”
“Throughout all my career and life, I’ve played sports and worked out,” Williams continued. “This team does such a good job with their training that it’s easy to stay in shape.”
“They make it accessible and a part of your everyday routine.”
As Williams explained it, the teams at Hendrick Motorsports work out together in groups and subgroups, depending upon their position and function on the pit crew.
“We are set up by teams and then the tire carriers have their group,” Williams said. “It’s pretty much divided where the No. 5 and No. 24 work out and then the No. 48 and No. 88 teams work out at another time.”
“Sometimes we will have competitions where we will compete amongst each other.”
One of the other major assets of Hendrick Motorsports are their workout facilities, which Williams deems “amazing.”
“Our facilities rival some minor league and professional teams just by the staff, the amount of money into it, and the focus they put into it.”
The team’s facilities include gym equipment, a turf facility and an Olympic style track. But one area has become a favorite for Williams, the yoga facility.
“Actually I never took yoga seriously in the past and really just went to look at the teacher,” Williams said. “Yoga is hard for me to do because I’m so heavy.”
“The poses are hard but it’s mandatory that I go so I had an open mind to it,” Williams continued. “I talked to my instructor and she developed a routine for what I’m good at.”
“She gave me poses that would help with the flexibility and now I look forward to it,” Williams said. “Now I’m limber and I really love it.”
In addition to the physical fitness, Williams also incorporates diet and sports psychology into his workout regimen.
“We have nutritionists onsite,” Williams said. “They give you the guidelines and go to the grocery store with you and show you how to read the labels and show you what you should and should not buy.”
“It’s second nature to me,” Williams continued. “I just do it.”
“And another help is that my wife is competing in figure competitions and with her, diet is very important and strict,” Williams said. “And that helps a great deal.”
“But she knows that I cheat sometimes and me and the kids do too.”
Williams also acknowledged that so much of the sport is mental as well, particularly on the over-the-wall crew where there are periods of inactivity before and during the race mixed with incredibly demanding periods of intensity and pressure as the car comes to pit road.
“It is nerve-wracking,” Williams said. “Some think I’m emotional and intense but as soon as I get off the plane on race day, I’ve got my headphones on.”
“I have to basically exit my nice guy Dion body and turn into a machine,” Williams continued. “I hate messing up. I hate mistakes and I strive for perfection.”
“That’s what I want,” Williams continued. “To do that, you have to become a machine at the track.”
“There is a lot of dead time but what I do is think about every scenario,” Williams said. “My music is strategically planned throughout different parts of the day.”
“About an hour before the race, you have to find that time to not be around anybody and find that place where you can think.”
While there are certainly physical aspects of carrying the heavy Goodyears over the wall, there is also incredible pressure to perform, with all eyes watching and evaluating that performance on each and every pit stop.
“Everybody from Hendrick Motorsports is watching you,” Williams said. “Our parameters for front tire carriers is to put the tire on the car in .7 seconds or better.”
“They have helmet cameras and overhead cameras and they are timing it with Dartfish,” Williams continued. “If you don’t get it right, you have a red mark next to your name and everyone sees it.”
“It’s just very stressful,” Williams said. “But when you’re on your game and perform well, that’s what I love.”
“I love competing,” Williams continued. “That’s what it’s all about.”
Williams also acknowledged another mental stressor in his season this year, including not only the way that team No. 24 got into the Chase but also the pressure to perform now that they are in the Chase and coming to the end of the season.
“This year, just making the Chase was so dramatic,” Williams said. “Oh my God, it was like an emotional roller coaster.”
“I went from hating life and everyone not wanting to be around me to now everybody’s happy for me,” Williams continued. “And now I want to win more and be higher in points.”
“I’m glad they have a psychiatrist on our staff because we need it and he knows me by my first name.”
While Williams attributes much of his success as a pit crew member to his physical and mental toughness, there is another secret weapon that he employs. He is an admitted fashionista, particularly when it comes to his flair for shoes.
“Oh my God, it’s just bad about the shoes,” Williams said. “You look good, you’re going to play good.”
“I always look at being at the track as a job interview every single week,” Williams continued. “You never know who you are going to meet or who is watching you.”
“Our team and our driver has so many fans and you’re representing more than just yourself,” Williams said. “But yes I do admit that I have a shoe fetish.”
“I love sneakers and I love looking good.”
What really makes Dion ‘Rocko’ Williams tick, however, is his love for his family, including his wife and their three children, ages three, four and seven years old.
“I’m just blessed that I have a strong support structure,” Williams said. “My wife is very strong.”
“She’s from New Jersey so she’s tough,” Williams continued. “I’m a southerner and she’s a northerner so we’re complete opposites.”
“I’m the Southern gentleman and she is the hustle and bustle New Jersey girl.”
In fact, Williams said the fans would be most surprised that he is really a ‘house husband in disguise’.
“I am such a caretaker with my family and my friends,” Williams said. “My wife works too as a pharmacist.”
“Prior to me working full-time at Hendrick, I was strictly pit crew so I picked the kids up,” Williams continued. “I had dinner ready, I would get the kids their baths, and I did all this before my wife got home.”
“I’m very much a woman inside this man’s body and pretty untraditional,” Williams said. “If it were the 1950’s, I’d have the apron on.”
As much as he loves his house husband duties, however, Williams is very much focused on his over-the-wall role at Hendrick Motorsports, especially with just three races left to go for the season and a win under the team’s belt.
“If I had a job where I didn’t travel and experience all of this, I would not be as happy,” Williams said. “It isn’t for everybody but it fits perfectly with my personality.”
“I grew up overseas and a military brat with a different school every year,” Williams continued. “And then with college and football, this lifestyle is something that I just don’t think much about.”
“My kids and my wife know what I’m doing,” Williams said. “This is what I have to do.”
“And I feel like this is truly what I was meant to do.”
For more information on Dion ‘Rocko’ Williams, follow him on Twitter @DionRocko and on Instagram at Rockoslaw@instagram. And the ever competitive Williams urges all fans to do just that as indeed he is indeed in a head-to-head competition for followers with the No. 48 team.
Fans can also check out Williams’ flair for fashion in this newly-released video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeZpfrtpdvM&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Two Strong Partnerships Now Ending Under Unfortunate Circumstances
On February 18th, 2001, NASCAR was changed forever. Dale Earnhardt was gone but in the wake of his death, two relationships that we erroneously assumed would last forever were born. On that dark day, NAPA sponsored Michael Waltrip and together, they won the Daytona 500 and the loss that overshadowed their triumph seemed to create an unbreakable bond between the two. Young gun Kevin Harvick was plucked from RCR’s developmental program and given the task of driving the late, great Earnhardt’s car. In just his 3rd start, the 25 year old won his first race in a spectacular photo finish at Atlanta. The victory revived the withering and despondent team and like NAPA and Waltrip, created an unbreakable bond that many thought could withstand the test of time itself. Due to some imprudent decisions though, these two relationships have taken a turn for the worse.
NAPA was featured on the hood of Waltrip’s car for every race from the commencement of the 2001 season to the conclusion of 2009’s. They jumped from DEI with Michael when he formed Michael Waltrip Racing in 2007. They persevered through the infamous jet fuel controversy and helped the team grow into the powerhouse it is today. Michael went to victory lane four times in his career and every single time, there was a NAPA logo getting sprayed with champagne and adorned with confetti. They now sponsor MWR’s Martin Truex Jr. who has also enjoyed success with the company. We’ve laughed at the many commercials, shook our heads at the countless shameless NAPA plugs by Michael and you could never think of one without thinking of the other.
Now, we look at the two with a bitter taste in our mouths as our thoughts wander back to the scandal that was Spingate in Richmond just a couple months ago. Bowyer spun, Vickers pitted, Truex made the chase and unprecedented events quickly followed. Truex was knocked out of the chase, hefty penalties were handed down and NAPA began rethinking their involvement with Michael Waltrip Racing. On September 19th, the auto parts store announced that it would cut ties with the team at season’s end, terminating their 12 year partnership that had endured through so much up to this point. Truex Jr. is losing his ride because of the decision and the organization is being forced to downsize.
Kevin Harvick is a NASCAR superstar and some will even say that he saved Richard Childress Racing or at the very least, bolstered it. As a rookie in 2001, he quickly asserted himself as their new flagship driver winning races hand over fist. Together, they’ve won 22 Cup races, made seven chases and even collected a Harley J. Earl Trophy in the 2007 Daytona 500 as well as a couple Nationwide crowns. RCR got back on their feet after Earnhardt’s untimely death and expanded around Kevin’s success. Harvick and Childress seemed like a perfect match and everything was going smoothly until Kevin Harvick surprised a lot of people in 2012 by announcing that he would be leaving the team at the conclusion of 2013.
It didn’t faze the organization much at first as they continued their winning ways and made the chase once again this year. Kevin was making a mockery of the “lame-duck” status some decided to label him with. There were rumblings that the reason why he was leaving the team is because of the Dillon boys. Austin and Ty are the grandsons of Richard Childress and they have two Cup cars waiting for them in the RCR stable when they are ready. Kevin didn’t appear to be hostile towards the Dillons (at least from my point of view) but it just seemed like he could read the writing on the wall and decided it was time to move on. No one could have foreseen the chaos that would erupt in Martinsville this past weekend.
Ty and Kevin were engaged in an enthralling battle towards the end of the Truck race and as the laps clicked away, patience thinned and a game of bumper tag commenced. It ended with the two crashing in what seemed like just one of those racing deals. Immediately, Richard Childress came over the radio and told his grandson to go after the No.14 but Kevin beat them to it slamming into the No.3 under caution. The two went around for half a lap hitting one another multiple times before entering pit road where the incident escalated to a dangerous level. Harvick stopped in Dillon’s pit box and the crew went after him. There was pushing, shoving, yelling and some guy had the bright idea to throw a sledge hammer that narrowly missed his fellow crew guys, a NASCAR official and Harvick’s arm. Kevin Harvick delivered the final blow with an incensed interview directed towards the Dillon boys.
“The No.3 jut dumped me. Exactly the reason why I’m leaving RCR because you got those kids coming up and they got no respect for what they do in this sport. They’ve had everything fed to them with a spoon…I cut him slack all day and he just dive bombs in there and dumps me. It’s a shame you got to get taken out by some rich kid like that.” – Kevin Harvick
Ty was caught on video after the race talking to his grandfather and said “he has done nothing for RCR but f*** s*** up.” RC agreed and said that he’s “got plans for him.” Ty also referred to Kevin as someone he once revered but now called him a punk. Harvick apologized for his comments the following day but although I believe he does regret his actions, I think everything he said may be truly how he feels. It’s sad really that we watched a 13 year friendship deteriorate on national television like that.
There’s cruel irony in the fact that these partnerships started around the same time and are now ending at the same time under a cloud of controversy and animosity. MWR handled NAPA’s contract termination in a professional manner after their Richmond transgressions but I’m sure it hurts for Michael to watch them walk away after everything they’ve been through together. Despite the now infamous Martinsville run-in, Childress stated in an interview that he promised Kevin he would do everything humanly possible to help him win the title and that he still intended to keep that promise but also vehemently declared that he will never apologize to Kevin. Austin Dillon responded to the incident in a very classy manner saying that he’s already forgiven Kevin for what he said but admitted that it did hurt his feelings.
I truly believe that with time, the angry words and insults thrown around at “The Paperclip” will fade into the past and become no more than a whisper. They will repair their now broken friendship but maybe that’s just the optimist in me coming out…I just see too much history there for both parties to hold a grudge and completely burn the bridge. With Waltrip and NAPA, that’s sadly a case where there’s no going back. It’s less about friendship and more about breaking the trust of a loyal business partner. When these two partnerships began, the No.3 vanished from the race track and with their demise, we will most likely be seeing the No.3 return next year….funny how fate would have it work out that way.
As the old adage goes, “all good things must come to an end.”
