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[/media-credit]Aaron’s 499
Dodge PR
Talladega Superspeedway
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Keys For Success
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KEYS FOR SUCCESS: AARON’S 499
TALLADEGA, Ala. (Saturday, May 5, 2012) – Each race weekend, selected SRT Motorsports engineers, Penske Racing engineers and crew chiefs, drivers or engine specialists give their insight on the ‘Keys for Success’ for the upcoming race. This week, Howard Comstock, SRT Motorsports Engineering, provides the keys for Sunday’s Sprint Cup race.
Track: Talladega Superspeedway (Race 10 of 36 in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series)
Race: Aaron’s 499 (188 laps / 500 miles)
Trivia Question: Talladega Superspeedway has hosted 85 Sprint Cup Series races, but the 2.66-mile track is not the only facility in Alabama to host NASCAR’s premier series. How many other tracks in the state have hosted what is now the Sprint Cup Series? (Answer Below)
HOWARD COMSTOCK (SRT Motorsports Engineering)
Pack vs. Tandem Racing: “It’s going to be a hot day. There’s no reason to burn your stuff up early trying to get away, because you can’t get away. I think drivers are going to be satisfied to ride along in the pack, make a few moves here and there just to see what they can do and think about how they’re going to get to the front later in the race. Save your car for that last move and find a partner that you think that you can work with. Those last two laps are going to be something.”
Selecting A Partner: “A lot of times, we see drivers make deals before the race and say how they’re going to do this or that. The race is a dynamic thing. That’s the great thing about racing. Plans are good, but you can’t make a plan and stick to it. You make a plan early and then you’re making another plan a lap later. It’s good to have a buddy, but if he gets knocked out, where do you go? I think you have to be buddies with a lot of drivers. The last couple of times we’ve come to Talladega, drivers have shown a lot of respect during practice. We used to see big crashes here during practice. We haven’t seen that for a while. I think that’s because drivers are showing the proper amount of respect for the track, the cars and each other and understand you have to wait, wait, wait to make it to the end and have a chance at victory.”
(Pit Strategy: Running in the pack is a double-edge sword. There’s safety that you’re not going to lose the draft, but when the pack pits under green, you have to do the same. That puts a lot of cars on pit road at the same time and we’ve seen plenty of trouble in the past as drivers maneuver to get into their pits. We’ve seen crashes, spins, drivers missing their pit. The pit road speed here is 55 mph. Think about going from 55 to a stop in just a few feet. Also, you certainly don’t want to run the car out of fuel, especially with the new fuel injection system. I don’t think there’s any reason to stretch it.”
Two-Tire vs. Four-Tire Stops: “Tires should not be an issue. It’s the same tire we used here last year, the same tire we used at Daytona. Last year, we saw cars that could go 100 laps on the left-side tires. I think you will see more two-tire stops.
Hot Temperature: “I think the hot temperature will favor the Dodge and Ford brands. Our engines handle the heat more efficiently, so I think the Dodges will tolerate the warmer weather better.”
The Right Move: “I think three laps would be too early; two laps may be too early. We’ve seen a lot of races here where the driver leading in the tri-oval didn’t win the race. With the unique start-finish line well past the tri-oval, it builds a lot of drama at this track. This is a great race track.”
Trivia Question Answer: In addition to Talladega Superspeedway (85 races), six other Alabama tracks hosted 19 Sprint Cup events from 1951 to 1969.
