Stewart Avoids Drowsiness, Bumps For Win
Sunday, February 11th, 2007 10:29am CST
By Luke, Thunder Lounge
Published on Thunder Lounge.
In what many would consider the Bud Snoozeout, Stewart again showed his muscle on a Saturday night at Daytona International Speedway, taking his third victory in the event.
So, it wasn’t exceptionally interesting to watch. It seemed to be a “race on eggshell’s” type of occasion. Was it shaking the cobwebs out from the off-season? No. Was it just being cautious to save yourself, and your hand, for the Duel’s and the 500? No. It was the tires.
As you may have known, and you can dig through our archives for more information, NASCAR has obliterated the 22 gallon fuel cell for 2007. For the last couple of years, regardless of the 22 gallon cell everywhere else, they had ran a 13 gallon fuel cell at the “plate” tracks. Now for 2007, at all tracks, they are running a new 17 3/4 gallon fuel cell. Note, at all tracks.
In light of this special “occasion”, Goodyear decided that with the extra weight of the fuel (all what, 30 pounds or so, give or take) and the additional distance a team could make it on a fuel run, that they would bring a harder right side tire compound to the show.
The results of this, are a mixed feeling in the garage. Stewie, for example, isn’t impressed and feels the tire has an incredible lack of grip. He also notes that even four stickers don’t have much grip, and correlates it to trying to drive on ice at 180 mph.
On the other side of the fence you have Kevin Harvick. He loves it, and feels that the tire brings in an important factor to the party. Handling. He feels it is going to make for a more competitive race, and if you’re car can’t handle then you’ll find yourself feathering a lot more, etc.
Regardless of what you “saw” as a race Saturday night, which for viewing purposes looked much like a snooze at first glance, from the driver’s seat it was apparently much, much more. We saw a few of the “big saves”, like when Stewart punted Kyle Busch (who also lead the most laps), or when Harvick slipped up in the middle of the pack and saved himself and everyone else.
According to many driver comments after the fact, there was such an occasion of some type on about every lap not under the yellow flag.
The good thing, we won’t see that in the 500. Another week of time on this compound and the teams will have it figured out. Sounds like another tire scenario that we visited last season, doesn’t it? Can we say “Charlotte”, folks? Anyone care to reminisce on the All-Star race and the 600 from 2006?
Well it ended up just peachy last May, and there isn’t any reason that it won’t turn around in time for the 500. After all every single team out there, all 61 of them, are hard working professionals in this sport. The best of the best, even at the lower levels. Some are better than others, but this isn’t what we’re debating. The point at hand is that come next Sunday they’ll have the whole setup figured out, and the show will go on.
Filed Under: Nascar, Nextel Cup
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