Jackman for No. 19 offers advice on proper jack use

If you're good to your car, it'll be good to you. But sometimes emergencies -- like a flat tire for instance -- just can't be avoided.

So, how can you be prepared?

Curious, we called on an expert in his field.

Meet Jack... Uh, I mean Ed. Ed is a jackman.

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Ed Watkins can raise a 3,400-pound stock car with one pump of his hydraulic jack while dozens of other stock cars are ripping past him at 55 mph.

And did we mention those stock cars are just inches from his head?

Watkins, who hails from Richmond, Va., is the jackman for the No. 19 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge Charger piloted by Elliott Sadler and these are the conditions he works under when it's time to change a tire.

You, on the other hand, typically have the luxury of finding a safe place, working at your own pace and perusing your owner's manual.

"That's what you should do because it's all about safety," said Watkins, who encourages motorists to be aware of their surroundings when faced with a flat tire.

As he prepared to crew Sadler's stock car before the Daytona 500, Watkins offered up some more of his expert advice as a veteran jackman with over 10 years of experience:

• Find a level surface
• Make sure the emergency break is on to prevent the vehicle from rolling
• If you have a wheel chock, use it
• Know and locate the proper jack points on the frame. If you don't know consult your owners manual. There's a thin lip that runs along the side of your car. This is where the jack should go.
• Don't jack up a car unless you're on a cement surface. Watch out for soft shoulders and very hot pavement, which may not support the jack.

Remember, you should be prepared if the unfortunate arises and you find yourself having to change a flat. Knowing how to use a jack properly and following proper safety measures can make you the ultimate pit crew member in a roadside emergency.

Unlike Ed, you don't have to do it in 15 seconds.