What Does It Take To Win a NASCAR Race?

How do you win a NASCAR race? To many, the answer is simple: Drive as fast as you can until the checkered flag waves. Turn left a lot, or right and left if it's a road course. What more does it take?

As it turns out, it takes a lot more than that. Before the drivers even put on their fire suits, they have to make sure they are sufficiently hydrated. With temperatures reaching or exceeding 120 degrees Fahrenheit inside the race cars, dehydration is a big problem. Dehydration can be a big problem if you're only in the car for 20 minutes, but can really be bad when you're in the car for 4 hours. Drivers have to be prepared to be in the car for at least that long in an average Sprint Cup race.

Winning races means having good equipment and good engineering behind that equipment. It doesn't always mean having the best of the best, but the equipment has to be good, in a relative sense. If you have an engine that's only going to run 400 miles out of a 500 mile race, that isn't good. If you are the driver, you don't really care if the engine can make it to 505 miles if all you need is for it to run 500 miles. Having the best equipment doesn't always guarantee a win though.

A common myth is that the car that wins the race is the fastest on the track. That absolutely is not true. In truth, the car that wins the race is leading when it crosses the start/finish line when the checkered flag waves. The reason why that car might be in that position has nothing to do with whether or not it's the fastest car on the track. How that driver got the car in that position could mean a lot of things. Did the driver push when he needed to and hold back when he didn't? Did he find the best groove around the track and follow it? Did he pit when he needed to, and get the right combination of tires and adjustments to his car? Did he get enough fuel on the last pit stop? Does he need to conserve fuel by backing off a little on the throttle when he can? If he runs a high line around the track instead of a low line, will that increase his overall speed?

Top Related Stories

Atlanta Motor Speedway gets Labor Day Date

By Mitchell Hall 0

---

David Ragan: NASCAR's Little Engine That Could?

By Mary Jo Buchanan 0

---

Watch Out For Smoke

By Scott Hamilton 0

That's just a short list of all the things a driver has to think about while he's making laps at nearly 200 miles per hour. He's also got to think about whether or not he's given his crew chief good feedback about how the car is handling. The fastest car on the track with the wrong chassis setup will not win the race. He's also got to worry about whether or not he drank too much water or Gatorade before the race, and if he might have to have an accident inside his fire suit. He's got to think about whether or not his spotter is actually watching his exact position on the track, relative to other cars, or is he chatting it up with another spotter?

The driver can't really spend a lot of time worrying about other cars on the track, except the cars directly in front or behind him. If he's leading a car, he's got to think about how to stay in front of the other car. If he's approaching another car, he's got to figure out a way to pick his line around that car. A driver's work is never totally done as long as the car is on the track. The average race car driver has to make probably more decisions, in the blink of an eye, for 3 or 4 hours, than most of us will have to make in a 40 hour work week.

Luck, that most improbable of things, and probably the hardest to explain, has a lot to do with winning races. A driver can be leading a race by half a lap, and will be seemingly unstoppable. He might run over a piece of debris, and cut down a tire. At the very least, he will have to pit. In the worst case scenario, he will crash. He might cause a lot of other cars to crash as well. The engine might just let go. A belt might break, and a driver suddenly has no oil pressure. A million things can go wrong and ruin a perfectly good race.

Did the crew chief do his homework? How prepared is he to handle emergency situations like a blown tire or a major chassis problem? If you hit the wall, can he fix the car or will you have to go to the garage for major repairs?

Racing, much like life, is basically a crap shoot. You pay your money, your roll the dice. The drivers that win the most benefit from careful preparation and from having good people around them.

When the green flag drops, just about anything can happen. Every driver knows that, no matter how well prepared. Winning is having the best car on a given Sunday or Saturday night. It's also about being the best driver and the best crew on that given day.

Drivers and "Slumps"

The racing media has very interesting ideas of exactly what constitutes a slump. For some drivers, it can mean not winning in the last 3 or 4 races. For other drivers, it can mean going years without a win, but even then the word 'slump' is not used at all.

In Kyle Busch' recent win at Watkins Glen, more than a few media outlets reported the triumphant news that Kyle's slump was over. Slump? This guy has won 8 races this year. How can he accurately be described as having a slump? Maybe there were a few races where all did not go his way. Maybe the 8 wins weren't consecutive races, but even if he wins no more races this year, it can hardly be said that Kyle Busch has had a slump at any time this year.

Other drivers could more accurately be described as being in the midst of a slump, in my opinion. The two most obvious examples would have to be Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart. Here we are in August, and both drivers as of yet win less in 2008. Whereas Tony has been known to be a late starter, in other words not winning until later in the season, Tony's performance and luck have quite honestly been less than spectacular this season. The same could be said for Jeff Gordon, though as a multi time Daytona 500 winner, Jeff obviously is not known for starting late in the season.

Perceptions of certain drivers draw analysts to different conclusions about exactly what constitutes sub par performance. I think nobody is surprised when Jimmie Johnson wins a race at any track, but if say, Michael Waltrip were to win at Watkins Glen, that would really be news.

Many analysts and fans of the sport scoff at certain driver's chances of winning at particular tracks. A few years ago, I doubt that anyone seriously considered the chances of Ward Burton winning the Daytona 500, yet that's exactly what he did. This year's 500 winner, Ryan Newman probably wasn't tops on any one's picks either, yet he did win. Most people consider Dale Earnhardt Jr. strictly a restrictor plate track specialist, yet he's won at tracks like Bristol, Dover and Richmond.

Speaking of Ryan Newman. A couple of weeks ago former Penske teammate Rusty Wallace was telling anyone who would listen that Newman had been fired by Penske. It's true that other than that Daytona 500 win, Ryan has not had the greatest of seasons. I have to ask, however, how many Daytona 500 winners get fired the same year they win the Daytona 500? Not many, I would suppose. In 1998, Dale Earnhardt won the Daytona 500, and didn't win another race all season. It's true, Ryan Newman doesn't exactly have the celebrity or credentials that Earnhardt had, but I seriously doubt that Roger Penske would fire his Daytona 500 winning driver. Penske pretty much said that Rusty Wallace' claims were inaccurate. Message to Rusty: We all know you don't like Newman, but quit making yourself look like a fool by spreading unfounded rumors.

I think every driver at this level of racing either feels like their in a slump or they don't. There are not many athletes more competitive than Sprint Cup drivers. Most drivers can be broken down into two categories: Those who blame their lack of performance on other factors, such as their teams or their equipment, or their competitors. Then there are those who question everything, but are likely not to put blame on any other component of their performance until they have examined their own efforts. The efforts involved does not just mean driving a race car as fast as they can for 500 miles. It also means ascertaining whether they are communicating effectively with their crew chiefs and spotters. It also means pushing when it's time to push, or laying back when it's time to lay back. In other words, its about driving smart.

True champions in this sport generally fall into the latter category. It's important for a driver to have total confidence in himself, but when he starts blaming his mistakes on other drivers or his own team or equipment. Any driver can have a slump, but it's just as important for the driver to examine his own input into the problem before laying the blame on anyone or anything else.

Your Chance To Help Out A Worthy Cause!

Our friend Tiredawg has done it again! A custom, one off die-cast creation from the fantastic Garz Karz and it can be all yours! All you have to do is bid early, bid often, and bid with a giving heart, and this one of a kind creation can be all yours, and you will help some special kids have a once in a lifetime experience.

Please click here to go to this very special auction.

As he did before, Tiredawg created this die-cast to be sold at auction, and 100 per cent of the proceeds will go to the Victory Junction Gang Camp, which was created by the Petty family in memory of Adam Petty. It was always Adam's dream to help children with special needs, and unfortunately, Adam Petty never lived long enough to fully realize that dream. His parents, Kyle and Patti Petty, and grandfather Richard Petty, the winningest driver ever in the history of Nascar, started the VJGC in order to give very sick children a chance to live out their dreams.

Folks, the Pettys give with all their hearts to help children who really need special care, and the Tiredawg gives with all his heart to make these very special creations available. He does not make one penny off of these special cars that he creates, because all proceeds go directly to the Victory Junction Gang Camp. His first endeavor a few weeks ago was very successful, and we need to make sure that his second auction goes just as well or better. This is a very special opportunity for any die-cast collector or NASCAR fan to own a one of a kind die-cast race car, and to help out a very worthy cause.

As you can see, the left half of the car shows traditional Petty colors, the classic Petty blue, and one of my favorite features, the "426 C.I." logo on the hood, which signifies the championship winning 426 Hemi engine. Richard Petty won a lot of races with this paint scheme, and with the famous 426. Richard Petty won a total of 200 races and 7 championships in that famous 43.

The right side of the car shows classic Earnhardt colors, the classic black number 3 GM Goodwrench Service paint scheme in which Dale Earnhardt won so many of his 76 races and 7 championships.

Don't miss out on a chance to own a very special custom die-cast race car, and to give to a very worthy charity at the same time. This is a very special deal, because you can give with your heart and gain a very special piece of NASCAR memorabilia at the same time.

What's the secret for Toyota's success?

In only their second year in the elite division of Nascar racing, Toyota seems to be unstoppable. After a very dismal rookie year, the sport's first Japanese based manufacturer has literally taken the Sprint Cup series by storm.

9 wins so far in 2008, as opposed to 0 wins in 2007 is certainly a way to prove that you've gotten your program over the hump. The biggest noticeable change has been Joe Gibbs Racing's entry into the Toyota program. In the winter of 2007, and even before that, chief engine guru Mark Cronquist apparently performed some magic on the power plants that have powered Joe Gibbs racing to 9 cup wins thus far this season. Wizardry might be a more accurate term.

One has to wonder, however, why the other Toyota teams have not seemed to benefit as much from Cronquist's coup. Team Red Bull, with Brian Vickers has come close. Denny Hamlin, who drives for JGR in the 11 car has won one time. Tony Stewart, who used to be the franchise driver for JGR, has not won at all. Newcomer Kyle Busch has won 8 times, and is the championship points leader.

Michael Waltrip Racing basically spearheaded the Toyota program in it's entry into Cup racing. Michael and his teammates have done better this year than they did in 2007, but have never been a threat to win a race this year. Joe Gibbs Racing certainly has more history with wins and championships than MWR does, but does that mean that Toyota has been giving JGR more than other teams? One wonders. No one who has ever won a championship at JGR has even won a race yet with Toyota in Cup. As a matter of fact, Tony Stewart returns to Chevrolet next year with his own team, under the banner of Stewart-Haas Racing. One wonders if Tony is leaving just because he craved ownership or Chevrolet so much, that he would abandon Nascar's most successful manufacturer?

I certainly don't have the answers to any of these questions. What I do know is that Nascar has long had a problem with one manufacturer dominating all the others. Nascar has taken steps in the Nationwide series, by mandating that the Toyota teams use a spacer, much like a restrictor plate between the carburetor and the intake manifold on the racing engines. Nascar has taken no such steps thus far in the Cup series.

Back in the old days, which weren't so long ago, Nascar would notice one particular manufacturer winning more races than the others were. Mostly, we're just talking about Ford, Chevrolet, and Pontiac here. When Dodge re-entered the sport a few years ago, Nascar tried to make sure that Dodge got some breaks too. Pontiac left, and now Toyota's here, but so far this year, I'm seeing very little effort on the part of Nascar to regulate parity between the manufacturers. Supposedly the new car, or what was previously known as the Car Of Tomorrow was supposed to accomplish that goal.

I have read various claims that Toyota engines make anywhere from 15 to 40 more horsepower than any of the other engines. I don't know that to be true, but I suspect that the Toyota engines are definitely making more horsepower than they were last year. That's totally understandable with the entry of Joe Gibbs Racing and Mark Cronquist into the equation. But I must ask the question: Does Toyota indeed have an advantage? And given the long, colorful history of Nascar, is that what Nascar wants? If they do, then why?

Is having one particular manufacturer being dominant what Nascar wants in 2008 and beyond?

Kyle Busch won 4 races with arguably the most successful race team in the last decade and a half, Hendrick Motorsports. Kyle was fired last year to make room for Dale Earnhardt Jr, the most popular driver in the sport for the last several years. Kyle found a new home with Gibbs and Toyota, and so far has made the most of it. He leads in points and wins, and isn't very humble about it, nor should he be required to be. The "in your face" tactics toward both Hendrick and Earnhardt probably are very satisying to Kyle, and I'm glad he's found success.

Humility has a way of finding cocky drivers though. Kyle Busch, enjoy it while you can.

Age Old Questions

Probably the biggest question that's been asked after the Watkins Glen race last week, is what's up with Tony Eury Jr., crew chief for Dale Earnhardt's 88 Amp Energy Drink / National Guard team. I've seen a lot of answers, from that Tony Jr. is a bonehead, to Dale Jr. just can't drive a race car. I have to laugh at all of these responses.

I too disagreed with Tony Jr.'s strategy of trying to keep Dale Jr. out for not one, but two green flag runs just a little too long. Boneheaded, you say? I doubt it.

Tony Eury Jr. has had the top job for a few years now, and I'm certainly not saying he's the greatest crew chief out there, but besides who his cousins are, there has to be reason for him to be running that team. Though it might not sound like it, especially during the races, should you happen to listen in on the radio conversations between the two Jr.'s, there is obviously a lot of trust there.

Trust, like all things worthwhile in life, takes time to develop and to totally gel. Though Tony Jr. and Dale Jr. have known each other all their lives, they have only been working in their current capacities for a few years. Both are new guys at Hendrick Motorsports this year, and for much of the season have been the Hendrick marquis team. They've been highest in points, up until Watkins Glen, and have a points win, which is one more than teammate Jeff Gordon has this year. I believe, if you sit down and analyze the facts, the 88 team has done very well for itself this year. Certainly both driver and crew chief have made mistakes, and maybe more than they need to be making to assure themselves of a championship. But drivers and crew chiefs are human. So far this year, Dale Jr. and Tony Jr. have made some mistakes. Apparently Kyle Busch and Steve Addington have made fewer mistakes. Apparently Toyota found something in the offseason that Chevrolet didn't find. There are so many factors going on here that they are nearly impossible to count and credit or discredit.

Kyle Busch is having a career year. He's won 8 races in the Cup series, and any driver would love to have that record. It doesn't mean that he will win the championship, by any means. There are still far to many races to be run.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Eury Jr. have some things they need to sort out. I know they do, and so do they. I do think, however, that the consistency that Dale Jr. has shown so far this year, with a brand new team and a brand new owner, brand new engines and cars, shows us that even if the championship doesn't happen this year, it's surely going to happen very soon.

Examining Chase Possible drivers, Part Two

Here's some more. If you like it or don't like it, then feel free to contact me.

8. Greg Biffle. Too much Ford, too much not being consistent. Fords seem to have a problem this year, or at least some of them do.

9. Tony Stewart. Tony's due to win anytime now. He probably will, but it might be too little too late. The Toyotas are strong, but how strong is Tony? He's headed back to Chevy anyway.

10. Denny Hamlin. Denny should have won far more than he has so far this year. His teammate, Kyle Busch hasn't had too many problems winning. I can't figure out why Denny has basically not won but once this year.

11. Kevin Harvick. Kevin should have won a lot more than he has so far, but he's not had the car or the crew chief, or maybe just not enough fans. It's hard to say.

12. Clint Bowyer. He's hanging on. Clint will eventually win a championship if he can just win more races. He's a good guy. He probably will win it all one day.

13. Matt Kenseth. We just hardly ever hear from the Quiet One from Wisconsin. He's won it all before, and he might sneak back up and do it again.

14. David Ragan. He's a media favorite, but not experienced as much as he needs to be to win it all this year. Give him a few years, and he might do it.

Examining Chase Possible drivers, Part One

Just an informal examination of the Chase possibilities for Drivers that currently have a shot at the Chase for the Cup.

1. Kyle Busch. He's the media's favorite, and has won 7 races this year for his new owner, Joe Gibbs. Kyle seems to do exactly everything right except when he does everything wrong. He can win a race and still irritate fans, even his own, just by his force of personality that seems to run from none to sarcastic, but no better than that.

2. Dale Earnhardt Jr. He's run under the radar, according to at least one article I've recently read. He's won one race but manages to stay 2nd in points. Dale Jr. is probably feeling more pressure than he has in his entire career, according to the media and the press. According to Dale Jr., he's just having fun.

3. Carl Edwards. He's won 4 races now, and treated us all to his famous back flips. Were he to win the Cup Championship, I'd love to see him do a two and a half gainer off the stage at the Waldorf-Astoria, in a tuxedo.

4. Jimmie Johnson, who won all there was to win last year, except what his teammate, Jeff Gordon won. Jimmie only has 2 wins this year, but Jimmie and Chad Knaus seem to have figured out to race this new car. I just hope Jimmie doesn't go golfing before the end of the season.

5. Jeff Burton. How can you not like Jeff Burton? He's one of the most honest guys in the garage. He's won a lot of races, not really this year, but in his career. Right now he's the top guy at Richard Childress Racing, in number of points. Harvick fans are a little upset about that too.

6. Jeff Gordon. It's almost the middle of August, and Jeff hasn't won a race yet this year. Think about the 'yet' part though. Watkins Glen? He's even money to me to win the race.

7. Kasey Kahne. He's a two time race winner in 2008, but none of the Dodges has seen any real consistency this year. They might win a race, but they might finish 35th or worse at the next race. Are there cup holders in that car for the Budweiser?

More in a day or two.