Quinton Washington mentally prepares for a pit stop the way he did for a football game at the University of Michigan.

A defensive tackle from 2009-13 with the Wolverines, the burly but agile Washington is the fueler for the No. 1 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet driven by reigning Verizon IndyCar Series champion Will Power.

His responsibility – wield a 30-pound probe to connect to a 3-inch-diameter coupling just behind the driver’s head as soon as the car comes to a stop to deliver 18.5 gallons of Sunoco E85R fuel in about 7 seconds -- is a combination of precision and execution.

“This sport is really detailed-oriented and it takes discipline and long hours. You have to understand what’s going on so you practice like you play. You imagine it’s a game situation and you do the same for the pit stops. You understand the urgency, but have to remain calm, stay and focused and control your body just like with football.”

Much like his college football career, team goals trump individual accomplishments.

“Every time the car comes in it’s an adrenaline rush,” Washington said. “We’re all working together with the goal to win. If we win in the pits and Will drives the way he wants to, which is to win, Team Penske will be successful.”

Success on the football field didn’t translate to the next level for Washington, who relocated with his fiancée Melissa and baby son to Greensboro, N.C., after having a mini-camp tryout with the Oakland Raiders.

Searching for “what’s next,” Washington recalled a conversation at U-M with NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Brad Keselowski, who mentioned that auto racing teams are always interested in hiring athletic individuals.

Within a few days, Washington, a professed “car guy” while growing up in St. Stephen, S.C., knocked on the Team Penske front door in Mooresville, N.C. He was hired initially as a shop-based carbon fiber fabricator and began working with the pit crews during lunch time.

He joined the over-the-wall crew this season, which has rekindled the adrenaline rush of football.

“It’s been a blessing to even have this opportunity. I never saw myself being in this position, especially with a great team,” Washington said. “I love it, working on the 1 car.

“It’s a passion for (Power) to drive and you can see it in his preparation and on the track. He hones in on the details. It makes you want to work harder for him to win.”