Chasing excellence: Kap Houston on the importance of teamwork

When you think of a NASCAR pit crew, you probably picture a team of seasoned experts who know cars inside and out. Kenyatta “Kap” Houston is one of them – he’s a NASCAR veteran. 

We sat down with Kap to talk about the Moments that Matter in his life and career. He began with little knowledge of NASCAR and has evolved into a key figure on and off the track. “I had no idea what it would be like, the level of competition in the sport,” Kap recalls. “I was in for a big awakening. And now I gotta do everything I can to keep up.” 

Kap’s 19-year evolution from tire changer to team ambassador showcases how dedication and teamwork can take you far, no matter where you start. Read on to learn about Kap’s journey and how insights from pit road can apply to any high-stakes workplace. Some of his insights might surprise you.

Top performance relies on every team member

One of Kap’s most cherished moments was winning the inaugural Chicago street race alongside driver Shane van Gisbergen (SVG). “It took me three months to say his name right, but I knew he’d win for us,” Kap jokes. “When he came to pit practice and drove for the first time, he stopped like he’d been doing it for years. I knew we had something special.”

We all know racing success relies on speed, but teamwork and preparation are just as important. Every pit crew member has an important role to play, and nobody succeeds alone. “I always help my teammates take that next step,” Kap shares. “When everyone around me wins, I win.”

The same holds true in any high-pressure industry. From the frontline to the boardroom, teamwork makes all the difference. When your team is in sync, they can execute without hesitation, avoid costly mistakes, and get the job done right the first time. Whether success is shaving fractions of a second off a pit stop or delivering a quality product on time, it’s all about giving your team what they need to make better-informed decisions.

Getting ready for the track

Super-human performances in pit road can’t happen without extensive physical and mental preparation. “Once the car is coming in, it’s just lining up to attack it. You don’t have time to think at that moment. Like, your thoughts are longer than the time it takes to perform a pit stop. We practice and do physical workouts to simulate the stress of pit stops,” Kap explains. “Sometimes we get on the bike for a quick sprint, get the heart rate going, then jump right off to perform a pit stop.”

This intense preparation applies to anyone running high-stakes operations, whether on a construction site, at an entertainment venue, or in a busy manufacturing facility. By focusing on high-quality training, you’re helping workers build muscle memory. With consistent practice, tasks become second nature—essential for saving valuable seconds in the fast-paced world of NASCAR tire-changing. Highly trained teams are more confident, better prepared, and less likely to make costly mistakes when the pressure is on.

The quest for continuous improvement

Kap’s journey in NASCAR reflects a relentless pursuit of improvement. Even after years of refining his craft, he still pushes for faster and more efficient pit stops. “I don’t think there’s a limit to how fast we can go,” Kap says, confident that sub-seven-second pit stops will soon be achievable.

For businesses, this commitment to continuous improvement is a valuable lesson. There’s always room to elevate quality, reduce errors, and enhance productivity across every level of the business. It’s all about setting your team up for success with the right tools.

A bigger purpose: Why you do what you do

At the heart of Kap’s journey is one clear motivation: family. “Family is why we do this. Once you leave here, family will always be your number one,” he says.

This rings true for many of us. Efficiency and precision on the job ultimately free us up to focus on what matters most—our loved ones. Kap’s story reminds us that making every second count in the workplace allows us to spend more time where it really counts. SafetyCulture’s platform is here to support that balance, helping teams perform their best so they can focus on what truly matters.

Moments That Matter is a series where we chat to those at the top of their fields about the seemingly small steps that, when combined, have a major impact on their life and career. We don’t often look back on our day-to-day, but it’s these very moments that ladder up to something more. At SafetyCulture, we’re grounded in practice – the details that go into the doing.

See how SafetyCulture is driving better performance at Trackhouse

• SafetyCulture: A better way of working
• Driving precision: The role of a NASCAR Car Chief
• Pit road lessons: Shaun Peet on making every second count

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