Why the heck did ANYONE plan on a 3-stop strategy in Mid-Ohio?

[gillart]

From the very beginning of coverage, it was said that those on a 2-stop strategy would need yellows. Then there were no yellows. But then suddenly everyone who had pitted only twice was fine to get to the end, despite no yellows. ????? And don't tell me they were conserving fuel - no one was able to catch the leaders at all so they couldn't have been conserving THAT much. So I ask you, how did so many teams miscalculate the need to stop 3 times? If there were no yellows (which was the case), you could make it on 2 stops, as we saw. And if there HAD been yellows, well then you surely could have made it on only 2 stops. So why did so many pit 3 times??

[RyanRacing]

Were there any others on a two stop strategy besides the first 4? If I had to choose the 5 best people at saving fuel it would be those 4 and Dario.

[vintage]

I believe that several other cars may have been trying a two stop but were at a pace that required 8 or 10 laps of yellow, so they either switched at some point to three stops or had to pit late for fuel.

Typically fast cars that qualify poorly try a three stop to run by themselves at a faster pace, then hope for a timely yellow after everyone has made the first or second stop. by doing that, they can get ahead of cars that may be stuck in traffic and having to run a slower pace prior to completing the first stop.

It can also work for cars that have no chance to run up front using a normal strategy - sometimes they get lucky. In her last year Danica often pitted early and hoped for lucky yellow flags to gain track position.

I believe Marco and Briscoe also did 2 stops.

[Indy 500]

The 3 stop strategy was faster and less risky anyway, the difference was the guys doing the 2 stoppers were just faster in general.

[ndcrs]

3 stops to get back on reds maybe? were the practice times on reds significantly quicker than the blacks? if so, maybe they predicted they would loose more time riding around for 28 laps on blacks versus the time to change to reds and lap faster? no real idea, just a thought.

[trock12]

When Hinch made his first stop..he came out some 47 seconds behind Power. At the end he was 7 or so seconds behind Dixon. That means he trimmed 1/2 second a lap the rest of the race after his first stop on lap 7.

[Unzerdog]

Those in the back were in a hurry to get off the Blacks. I didn't mean for that to rhyme.

[numetalbizkit]

I didn't mean for that to rhyme.

Brother, it's not a crime.

[WJenness]

Brother, it's not a crime.

But please, practice on your own time...

[PenelopePitstop]

Why the heck did ANYONE plan on a 3-stop strategy in Mid-Ohio? Tony Kanaan gained 12 positions largely because of a 3-stop strategy, that's why.

[goldie19]

TK and Hinch made it work. Gets you off the blacks,mon to reds, and then a clean track to run hard on while the rest of the field was conserving in that middle stint

History also shows that a few FCYs were bound to happen. Had TK and Hinch gotten onto reds and a yellow come out on lap 16 or so, I think the leaders would have followed suit. They couldn't afford to have the top two run off and leave them at that point

[goldie19]

Hinch last stop was particularly brilliant IMO. Instead of waiting till the fuel and tires were gone as Josef did, Hinch pitted early on is last stop so that the time to refuel was shorter. Thought that was pretty awesome! Proof was in his finishing spot vs Josef spot

[drewdawg727]

It's the Danica way. Pit early, pray for a yellow so you get a free ticket to the front, and get back on everyone else's strategy. Doesn't sound too hard really.

That's pretty much how TK finds himself up front in every race. He is taking a page out of DP's book.

[apollo8fan]

Well, it's pretty easy for us sitting here AFTER we've watched the broadcast to second-guess team strategy.

[Danny Noonan]

I hate fuel strategy but it's part of the game and those guys at the sharp end certainly have it figured out. It's most impressive to have back to back twisty races with no FCYs. I"ll take those every race as it results in pure racing. Only way to get to the front is by being quick.

[PenelopePitstop]

Pit early, pray for a yellow so you get a free ticket to the front, and get back on everyone else's strategy. Doesn't sound too hard really.

That's pretty much how TK finds himself up front in every race.

Good theory, but which yellow gave TK his free ticket to the front?

[shakespeare]

Panther planned for a 2-stopper but their driver had to duck in for a splash-and-go with 6 laps to go.

Foyt's team figured out they were going to be short on fuel shortly after their first stop and changed to a 3-stopper.

Panther finished way ahead of Foyt, even though Foyt's driver had a lot of laps in the 1:07s and Panther's driver didn't have a single lap under 1:08 IIRC.

[Oldfan]

Panther planned for a 2-stopper but their driver had to duck in for a splash-and-go with 6 laps to go.

Yup, JR needed a few yellow laps to make it on 2.

At the other end of the world, the Slotus had no choice but to plan on 3 full stops due to the atrocious fuel mileage.

[drewdawg727]

Good theory, but which yellow gave TK his free ticket to the front?

Sorry, I was putting a blanket over the whole "idea" of a 3-stopper converted to a 2-stopper.

This race TK just had amazing race pace (hey, he was able to pass 3 cars in one turn!) and he made it work. So did Hinch. I call this a fluke though because 9 times out of 10, the 3-stopper bites you in the arse if your race setup is pants.