An Action-Implicative Examination of Pit Crews’ Post-Competition Debriefs

Pit stops represent technical choreography that is highly complex and susceptible to error. An inductive examination of talk in pit crews’ post-competition debriefs revealed expectations in tension: should pit crew members adapt their choreography to ensure their and others’ safety, or should they push their boundaries to realize their competitive potential? In keeping with grounded practical theory methodology, analysis suggests several discursive techniques that pit crews employ in response to this tension and supports an emerging model of dilemmatic talk of debriefs.