It is often suggested by casual NASCAR fans that you need the faster car to win the race. Often, this is right. 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 past its half-way point, and it was raining. If the showers continued to pour on the surface of the track, the race would end. Not only Reutimann, but two other racers, Ryan Newman and Robby Gordon, made a gamble on the weather holding off.

At about 6:30 p.m. EST, NASCAR officials were obliged to cancel the race, giving Reutimann his first Sprint Cup win. In the past, a victory in a rain-shortened event had a proverbial asterisk beside it. 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. This must be balanced with the fact that NASCAR is probably the most competitive form of auto racing in the country. A win is a win, and every driver on the track would be happy to 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.

A reasonable plan contributed to Reutimann’s victory that day. His crew chief followed the weather report, and felt as if it was in his driver’s best interest to stay out. If the showers had stopped, and the other drivers reentered the track, then they would have went to the pit, but according to Childers and Reutimann, they would have made necessary adjustment to increase automotive performance. Adjustments such as these are rather time consuming. As a result, they would have lost their position on the track if they had pitted with the lead vehicles; therefore, Reutimann opted to wait out the weather. This ended up being the winning strategy for the team.

Driver Kyle Busch had maintained the lead for 173 of the 207 laps that were paced, while the winner Reutimann jumped to lead position for five laps and after holding fourteenth position at the time the precipitation began.

The NASCAR news agencies made a big deal out of Jeff Gordon’s use of the same strategy to win. In 2007, Gordon used a similar strategy to win a race at Pocono. Although his car was no longer in shape to compete, his team believed that rain was coming, and it paid off big. In fact, if the rain would have come a mere five seconds later than it did, Gordon would have finished second. Fellow driver Ryan Newman was passing around Gordon’s vehicle when the caution flag was displayed.

It seems like all the stars of the heavens must be in alignment to win a race. Tire strategy and fuel mileage are other strategies that can allow a driver to win a race without having the fastest car.

In 2003, Newman and his Penske Racing team were noted for stretching fuel mileage with a smaller carburetor. Perhaps half of his eight wins in the 2003 racing season were a result of fuel mileage strategy.

Other drivers have used the two-tire pit stop to get a better track position near the close of the race, thus, affording opportunity to run for the checkered flag. In many cases, it has worked out for the driver.

No matter how it was achieved, a win is a win. It makes no difference how the trophy was gained, the driver will take it every time.