Every May during All Star week NASCAR has the Pit Crew Challenge to see who is the best crew on that night. Certainly as much as the spotlight is on the pit crew that night there is no bigger spotlight than the final pit stop of the race where it is in the hands of the crew to service their driver as quickly as possible to ensure their best chance of winning. That statement hasn’t been truer than in the past few weeks at Darlington, Dover and last Saturday night in the All Star Race.

In Darlington, it seemed Carl Edwards was on his way to another win this season when a caution happened with nine to go, Carl Edwards and Kasey Kahne pitted and took two tires while Regan Smith and Tony Stewart stayed out. Despite another caution which caused the post race excitement between Harvick and Kyle Busch. Regan Smith proved worn tires were better than two tires as he held off Carl Edwards to score his first victory.

In Dover, Carl Edwards and Jimmie Johnson dominated the race and seemed destined to duel for the win at the Monster Mile but again a caution would force both Edwards and Johnson to pit road. Matt Kenseth took two tires while Mark Martin stayed out and assumed the lead, and even though it seemed 30 laps would be enough for both Jimmie and Carl to catch Kenseth and Martin with four new tires, again tires proved they can handle more than the drivers thought as Kenseth with only two fresh tires won the race and Mark Martin finished second on old tires while Carl and Jimmie settled for seventh and ninth respectively.

In what may be a precursor for the Coke 600 this weekend, Carl Edwards may regret showing that taking two tires can last 90 laps. Edwards pitted on lap 25 in the All Star Race and took only two tires and never pitted again until the mandatory pit stop at lap 90 in which teams were forced to take four tires which proved to be the Million Dollar move.

Knowing what we all know from the past month of racing action, will teams put this in the memory bank for the rest of the season and take bigger gambles to help get them into the Chase and get those bonus points for winning races? If a late race caution happens in Homestead and running for the title, do you risk pitting and possibly losing track position and the championship or do you stay out and do all you can to win the title? The best part is we’ll all find out together.

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