DAYTONA, Fla. — When fans watch a NASCAR race at a place like Daytona International Speedway, they may look at the driver as all on their own. But behind every driver is a crew which operates like a team sport, making it a perfect fit for a former athlete like Orlando native Ray Hernandez. 

What You Need To Know

  • Ray Hernandez is from Orlando and attended Colonial High School 

  • After playing baseball at Alabama State, the Atlanta Braves drafted Hernandez in the 29th round of the 2018 MLB Draft 

  • Joe Gibbs Racing called Hernandez after the Braves organization cut him during the COVID pandemic 

  • Hernandez works as a fueler in NASCAR pit crews, traveling the country to different races

Preparing for race day at the track, you need a well-oiled machine to get the job done, something fueler Hernandez knows well.

“They’re like ‘Hey can you pick this up?’ and they’re like ‘Oh is this not too heavy for you?’ and I’m like ‘No!’ and they’re like ‘OK that’s what you’re gonna do then,’ so I’m like ‘OK cool, whatever!’” recounted NASCAR fueler Hernandez when he was getting his role working with Joe Gibbs Racing.

The Orlando native went to Colonial High School and grew up playing baseball. 

“I have pictures of me crawling with a baseball bat,” said Hernandez. “I played my whole life. It was a big deal for me.”

Baseball took him from Orlando to Alabama State, where he played four years of college ball. In the end, the Atlanta Braves drafted him in the 29th round of the 2018 MLB Draft. After a few years playing in the minor leagues and making it to the Braves’ High-A affiliate, his path changed once 2020 began.

“COVID came around so we basically had to cut a lot of players and cause I just got drafted it was easy for them to get rid of me,” said Hernandez. “I kept playing baseball, I played in New York, I played in North Carolina, trying to sign again. (Then) NASCAR — Joe Gibbs — called me and my fiancé and I just moved to Charlotte and she was fired up about it. She said you should take this opportunity. At first, I was like, no, I wanna play baseball.”

As a kid from Orlando, he always had the speedway in his backyard but never really bought into NASCAR.

“I would see it and be like, ‘oh that’s where they race,’ not knowing maybe one day I’d be here,” said Hernandez. 

Hernandez now gets to be there when race day rolls through Daytona, working as part of a pit crew with like-minded people.

“There’s a lot to love about this, the comradery — it’s like baseball,” said Hernandez. “These guys play football, the majority of the pit crew members you see are ex-something, played college football or NFL. It’s a big responsibility and they kinda want a particular type of person and that’s where the athlete comes in.”

Like any team, each member of the crew gets a designated position based on their strengths. As a fueler, Ray not only has to use his physical strength to lift tanks with roughly 100 pounds of gas but also works quickly and well under pressure.

Calling Hernandez an ‘ex-athlete’ isn’t as fair to say when what he does makes him part of a team. The brotherhood he gets from the team aspect makes him love the racing world.

“This isn’t a traditional job by any means. I’m very lucky to do it, so there are a lot of positives to take out of it,” said Hernandez.