Official 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Thread

FordTaurusSHO94 said:

NASCAR has no problem throwing debris cautions at every other track, why not this one so the fast cars finish up front? The 48, 5, and 17 were the class of the field and all ran out of gas.

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2. Jimmie Johnson ran out of gas, again: When Johnson’s tank ran dry with two laps to go on Sunday, it marked the third time this season the No. 48 team has miscalculated on fuel.

Or did it?

After Johnson ran out of gas at Michigan in June, I made the mistake of accusing crew chief Chad Knaus of making an uncharacteristic error that cost the three-time defending champions a victory. He argued that it wasn’t a mistake at all. They knew all along what their fuel situation was, and gambling by going for it would have no long-term effects on their season.

His argument is valid and holds true to Sunday’s race, as well.

Johnson was not going to win that race no matter what call was made. Because he’s third in the standings and has 30 Chase bonus points from his three wins this season, Knaus had the luxury of pushing the envelope and chasing the victory. If there was one more caution in the race, or one more opportunity for Johnson to conserve, they win Sunday and grab 10 additional bonus points.

If they had stopped for gas, they have no opportunity to win the race, settle for probably a top-five finish and concede those 10 extra points. It’s the same exact result as running out of gas.

At this stage of the season, when Johnson’s spot in the Chase is already established, there is no difference between a fifth-place finish and the 33rd-place finish. It’s all about risk versus reward, and the No. 48 team has the luxury of weighing the two right now with little consequence.

Once the Chase begins, Knaus won’t gamble that same way. But for now, who really cares?

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