| Watching a NASCAR race can be one of the | | | | chiefs must constantly decide whether or not to |
| most entertaining and exciting ways to spend a | | | | change two or four tires, or add fuel only, and |
| Sunday afternoon (or in some cases a Saturday | | | | whether or not to pit at all. One of the most |
| night). Every race on the Nextel Cup schedule has | | | | dramatic events within a NASCAR race occurs |
| its share of drama and strategy that provide the | | | | when a crew chief decides to gamble and not |
| fans with an enjoyable, dramatic experience. | | | | bring his car in to the pits near the end of the |
| What makes NASCAR worth watching? How | | | | race-thinking the car has enough gas to finish. This |
| about the strategy and planning that each race | | | | strategy often results in victories and probably |
| team employs in their attempts at victory. | | | | equally as often results in cars running out of |
| When a caution flag is waved during a race, the | | | | gas-unable to finish. |
| crew chief must decide whether or not to bring | | | | Additional important strategic elements in |
| his driver in for a pit stop. If you decide to come | | | | NASCAR racing are the adjustments made to the |
| into the pits and other teams follow, well great. If | | | | car throughout the race. Depending on how a car |
| you decide to pit and others stay out on the | | | | is handling, a crew chief may decide to add or |
| track, then you can fall behind very quickly. You | | | | reduce air pressure in the car's tires, based on the |
| better hope that the fresh tires on your car allow | | | | feedback the driver is giving him. Make the right |
| you to catch up with the guys that didn't come in | | | | adjustments and your car improves and you're a |
| for fresh tires of their own. | | | | contender for a victory. Make the wrong |
| A crew chief must evaluate how race tires have | | | | adjustments, and you have a miserable day. It |
| been performing throughout each race. As a race | | | | has to be very frustrating to drive four or five |
| nears completion, a race team may decide to put | | | | hundred miles knowing you have no chance to |
| only two fresh tires on their car. They may even | | | | win. |
| elect to add fuel only and not change tires at all. | | | | To pit or not to pit? Gas or no gas? Two tires or |
| This strategy saves valuable time, and gets a | | | | four tires, or how about no tires? These are just |
| driver back out on the track quickly. The gain in | | | | a few examples of the many decisions each race |
| track position can send a driver to victory, or | | | | team has to deal with. The strategy involved |
| send a driver to the back of the pack, surpassed | | | | makes watching a NASCAR race a fun and |
| by cars with fresh tires. | | | | entertaining way to spend an afternoon. |
| During pit stops as a race nears completion, crew | | | | |