The first road course race for the 2007 Nextel Cup season brought with it varying strategies for crew chiefs. Known for being among the toughest tracks to plan a race strategy, Infineon Raceway had crew chiefs working over time, debating with the idea of making it a two pit stop race and calculating how to gain all important track position. For Donnie Wingo and his No. 42 Texaco / Havoline crew, the task was going to prove even harder after a not so impressive qualifying lap by rookie driver, Juan Pablo Montoya, placing the No. 42 Dodge 32nd on the starting grid. However, Wingo and his Formula 1 star turned NASCAR driver put together a perfectly calculated fuel and track position strategy to give the Colombian native his first Nextel Cup victory. For his precise strategy which led the team to their first win for the 2007 season, Wingo was awarded the WYPALL* Wipers Crew Chief of the Race.
Coming off a much improved Saturday practice session at the 1.99 mile track, Wingo knew he had made the necessary adjustments to the No. 42 Dodge, but now had to work on strategy to put the team in a winning position for the Toyota / Save Mart 350. Winners from all previous starts at Infineon Raceway had qualified 13th or better for the race, while Montoya was facing 32nd position, which meant Wingo had to plot on getting Montoya to the front of the field before he could focus in on the victory. By lap 13, Montoya’s road course experience paid off, allowing the No. 42 team to make their way into the top 20. A caution on lap 70 proved to be the deciding pit strategy factor. With 40 laps still remaining in the 110 lap race, teams had to choose between taking the gamble and pitting under yellow, knowing they were close to the fuel/pit window, or staying out and hoping for another caution to grab more fuel. Wingo called Montoya onto pit road, knowing that his young driver was capable of conserving fuel for the remaining laps, which set him up for a chance at the checkered flag. The calculation was perfect as Montoya raced to victory in his 17th start in the Nextel Cup.
At the conclusion of the race, Wingo commented on the risky fuel gamble and his team’s victory. “It feels really great as this has been a long time coming, ” said Wingo at the conclusion of the race. “We were missing something in qualifying but he [Montoya] did a great job conserving fuel and making it to the front. The strategy worked perfectly. ”
A panel of voters, including a member of the local media, Kenny Francis, Robbie Reiser, Tony Eury Jr. and a WYPALL* Wipers representative, all agreed Wingo was the deserving crew chief of the race winner. “It is definitely a tough job for crew chiefs at Infineon as they play with the idea of two pit stops, ” said Francis. For Donnie to get his driver into victory lane from as far back as they started and to calculate a perfect fuel consumption race was quite impressive. ” As the WYPALL* Wipers Crew Chief of the Race, Wingo received $1,000. Earning his second crew chief of the race award puts Wingo tied for first place in the overall
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