Most of the casual NASCAR fans assume that you must possess the fastest car to win. In many cases that is correct. Both the drivers and the teams are working long hours during the week to create just the right vehicle set up to provide the fastest possible speed before they reach the track on the weekend. As reported by NASCAR news sources repeatedly, there is no such thing as a guarantee. Not everyone can be the fastest, which is why teams analyze a multitude of strategies in order to find ways to win.
For instance, David Reutimann won the 2009 Coca Cola 600 when crew chief Rodney Childers told him to skip the pit stop as the leaders were entering. The race was beyond the half-way point, and precipitation was falling. Should the rains have continued, the race would have been stopped. Reutimann, and two other drivers, Ryan Newman and Robby Gordon, gambled on Mother Nature.
At approximately 6:30 p.m. eastern standard time, the NASCAR management stopped the race, and gave Reutimann his first ever win at the Sprint Cup. Wins due to rain-shortened events have always been received with a bit of wink and a nod by drivers and officials alike. For the fans, these types of wins are regarded as flukes and support for them is less intense. The opinions of some fans often find an audience on NASCAR news channels. However, the sport of NASCAR is one of the most competitive, if not the most competitive form of auto racing. A win is a win, and every driver on the track would gladly perform the 'rain dance' if it meant that they were going to make the coveted trip to victory lane. It has become a privileged position in NASCAR news correspondents to witness the displays of amazing and winning strategies by racing teams.
Strategy was definitely a key element in Reutimann's win. Armed with the information from the latest weather reports, his crew chief chose to keep Reutimann out on the track. If the rain had ceased, and the cars headed back out on the track, then they were going to have to pit, but according the Childers and Reutimann, they were going to make some important adjustments in order to improve the performance of the car. Such reconfigurations would have taken too long. They would have lost track position if they had pitted with the leaders, so they opted to wait out the rain. This approach was ultimately the right one to achieve victory.
Kyle Busch led 173 of the 207 laps paced, while race-winner Reutimann led only five laps and was in the fourteenth place when the skies opened up.
Similar events involving driver Jeff Gordon were noted, according to certain NASCAR news sources. In 2007, Gordon used almost the same strategy to win a race at Pocono. He did not have a car that could contend for the win, but his team sensed that the rain showers were immanent, and it paid off. If the rain had come only five seconds later, Gordon would have likely finished in second place. Ryan Newman was in the process of passing Gordon when NASCAR displayed the caution flag because of the rain.
Sometimes, the stars must align perfectly in order to get the victory. Factors like tire strategy and fuel mileage offer the type of strategies that can get a driver to victory without needing the fastest thing on the track.
In 2003, Newman and his Penske Racing team were renowned for stretching fuel mileage with a smaller carburetor. At least four of his eight total wins during the 2003 season could be contributed to fuel mileage.
In the past, some drivers have taken a two-tire pit stop in order to obtain track position late in the race, so they could go for the win. In many cases, this has worked out for the driver.
A win is a win in NASCAR. It makes no difference how the trophy was gained, the driver will accept it every time.
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