Since all cars in races like the Indianapolis 500 have to make pit stops during the race, how do the race officials figure the pit-stop time in when determining the winner?
They don’t have to. Pit-stops are part of the race, that’s why its so important that the crews change the tires, gas the car up, and make whatever adjustments necessary in the fastest possible time. Fast pit-crews are essential to winning races. At a time when the whole field of cars pit at the same time, a matter of seconds in the pit can mean the difference between coming out of the pits in 1st place or last place.
They don’t. The winner is not determined by the time that an individual completes 500 laps, but by the first person to complete 500 laps. Pit stops are considered a normal lap (even though you’re off the actual racing part of the track, you still cross the start/finish line). Since all drivers have to pit during the race, it is considered even for everybody. If team A can work out it’s fuel mileage so they only have to pit 5 times during a race, they’ve got a huge advantage over team B that needs to pit 6 times to run the same distance. This can be a huge strategy at some tracks. Also, when you pit under a green flag, not all drivers pit at the same time. It’s really important to get in and out in as little time as possible. That’s why pit crews work so fast. If your crew can fuel up and change four tires in 16 seconds (we’re talking NASCAR times here), and Jeff “Shit Head” Gordon’s crew does the same in 17 seconds, you’ve either shaved a second off of his lead, or you have added a second to your lead. A second on the track at 175 MPH can mean A LOT of distance. Basically, once the race has started, it doesn’t matter what you have to do (pit) or what happens to your car (flat tire/crash/engine), it’s an all out battle to see who can be the first to run x-number of laps.
Yeah, what Voltaire said, too. (I really need to finish my posts faster.)
Okay, I follow you so far, but doesn’t everybody haul ass into the pits when a yellow flag comes out? Is that just like getting a “freebie” pit stop or what? And the other thing I don’t understand is how they figure your position during a caution. I realize everybody is supposed to maintain their same position in the race, but if you’re half a lap behind “shit head” Gordon, and the caution comes out, can you run right up on his ass and get away with it as long as you don’t pass him?
I’m not a big fan of auto racing, but I’ve watched a few and I doubt you could close a half lap w/Gordon without changing your position relative to some others in the race.
Sigmundex, teams like to pit under yellow because speeds are reduced, so they will lose less distance/fewer laps in the time the stop takes. It’s also the only way to pass under yellow. If you go into the pits behind someone, complete your stop faster, and get out first, you have effectively passed him.
And yes, under yellow you can close the distance between yourself and the car in front of you, but you cannot pass anyone.