As NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competitors stare down the year’s longest event, strategy may never be more important.
Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 begins in daylight, ends in darkness and incorporates numerous track and condition changes. And that’s without considering pit stops and adjustments.
What’s a crew chief to do? Nowadays, they may mimic Pete Rondeau and Jimmy Fennig. Both crew chiefs – Rondeau for Regan Smith and Fennig for Matt Kenseth – gambled big and won several weeks ago at Darlington Raceway and Dover International Speedway.
That willingness seems to be a trend as the traditional Memorial Day holiday event approaches. A confluence of factors – new tire compounds at some tracks, the Wild Card element in Chase eligibility and a new points system – have upped the pressure, placing a higher premium on wins.
“It’s becoming one of the hardest things to do,” said Gil Martin, crew chief for Kevin Harvick, of late-race strategy. “I tell you, I dread a caution coming out on the race track with 15 laps to go.”
Martin says to expect teams in positions 11-20 to gun for wins, because a good finish does no good if the points don’t provide entry to the standings’ top 10. The Wild Card Watch is in full effect.
“Fifth is like one of the worst places to be in the race track with 15 laps to go,” Martin said. “Do I come to pit road because I’ll show my hand, and everybody from 10th to 12th will stay out? Or I don’t come to pit road and everybody else does and I’m a sitting duck with no tires.”
Track position, says Bob Osborne, crew chief for current leader Carl Edwards trumps all.
“I believe track position matters so much in these races, so that is what dictates your pit strategy,” Osborne said. “It’s very difficult to pass and the cars run so much better in clean air that it’s easier to stay up front than to try to fight your way up there. I don’t know that the crew chiefs are really taking a gamble, or just realizing the importance of clean air.”
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