Yellow/P35 pit strategy

[ETR]

Getting into the secret 11 herbs and spices here, but maybe some will share.

 

I find it's the strategy and planning that really sets those next level teams apart.  Teams come in all shapes and sizes, so what's the approach? 

 

-Do you have a dedicated crew chief focused on these matters, ready to take advantage?

-Are you a smaller team where each driver and crew already knows what to do, sort of preplanned for xyz situation within a pit window?

-How do you balance the opportunity of pitting a little early during a yellow/p35 with not going overtime on your last driver and having an extra pit?  A 7hr could help here I'd imagine.

-Do you maintain a high level of readiness with crew suited up?  Do you have dedicated crew or is it your drivers?

 

As a small team of typically 4 drivers only (no crew), we've had rare glimpses of thoughtful strategy and it has paid dividends.  Hats off to you teams that can do it consistently.  

[Chappy]

We are a small team (normally 4 drivers no crew at each race).  We try to be all suited and ready to put helmets on about 5-10 min before the window opens.  Once you hit the window if a pink comes across we will pit.  Good radio communication is key.  

 

Extra stop typically kills you, so you need to be in your window for it to work in your favor.  Assuming you can go 2hrs on fuel, for 8hr races, it really only gives you a 5-10min window to pit.  
 

7hr is a different ballgame, lots of different strategies, once you hit the 1hr mark, technically you could be at an advantage to pit under pink35.  Pit windows are wider on the 7hr.  We typically target approx 1:40 stint times, but the window will open around. 1:25 and might not close until 2:00 hoping the pink/yellow flies.  

Edited Wednesday at 03:31 AM by Chappy

[MMiskoe]

Drivers do the over-under calcs while driving and direct the crew accordingly.  Crew sits fully dressed and ready for the entire duration, F1 style. 

 

Well, not exactly.  But we are all versed in what we need to do ahead of time, as soon as a stop is done, all tools and fuels are reset for next time.  Once in the window, we're ready.

 

I have long lobbied for maximum time in the driver seat to be no more than 1:50, or have a minimum number of stops to force even-numbered-length races to get away from being 1:55 sprints.

[turbogrill]

It's Harris Hill specific but look for a Jason Deli lunch bag at the pit marshal tent. That means a loooong purple is about to happen.

[DEE DEE]

6 hours ago, turbogrill said:

It's Harris Hill specific but look for a Jason Deli lunch bag at the pit marshal tent. That means a loooong purple is about to happen.

Don't bet on that.

[Wittenauer Racing]

8 hours ago, MMiskoe said:

...

I have long lobbied for maximum time in the driver seat to be no more than 1:50, or have a minimum number of stops to force even-numbered-length races to get away from being 1:55 sprints.

 

Why shorter instead of slightly longer? Say 2:10 or 2:15?

 

I do agree, in an 8hr it's very hard to be competitive while not being on a 2-2-2-2 schedule and taking an extra stop. The pits will always be busy on a caution in the fuel window, but making that 5 to 10 minute window into 15 or 20 could reduce pit road load a good bit in a green flag race.

[MMiskoe]

Longer works too for creating strategy, but there are more cars that become more competitive when you give them one extra stop.  Giving people one less stop is going to help the cars that can already go that long.  I don't think there are many cars that can go much past 2 hours, if most cars could go 3 hours then it would be different.

 

By shortening the window a little bit you force the extra stop while still allowing fuel saving strategies to work.  Perhaps it would be better to give unlimited stint lengths, but require a minimum number of stops.

 

 

[wvumtnbkr]

Don't put the strategy in the drivers hands.  They have enough to think about ...

 

If it seems like there are goi g to be plenty of cautions, an extra stop is fine. Many teams have won with an extra stop.

 

This is track dependent too.  At wgi in the past, it was easy to make up a stop since double yellow was almost 5 mins anyway.  You didn't even necessarily lose a lap if you were near the pacecar.

 

Tldr...  track and pace dependent.  Also depends if using purple 35 or the pacecar.

[tommytipover]

16 hours ago, wvumtnbkr said:

This is track dependent too.  At wgi in the past, it was easy to make up a stop since double yellow was almost 5 mins anyway.  You didn't even necessarily lose a lap if you were near the pacecar.

At WGI you just stop ever other caution, right?

[petawawarace]

1 hour ago, tommytipover said:

At WGI you just stop ever other caution, right?

If you followed that strategy you would have stopped 16 times in a 7hr last last year.  

[Gkuhn41]

On 3/15/2023 at 10:00 PM, wvumtnbkr said:

Don't put the strategy in the drivers hands.  They have enough to think about ...

 

If it seems like there are goi g to be plenty of cautions, an extra stop is fine. Many teams have won with an extra stop.

 

This is track dependent too.  At wgi in the past, it was easy to make up a stop since double yellow was almost 5 mins anyway.  You didn't even necessarily lose a lap if you were near the pacecar.

 

Tldr...  track and pace dependent.  Also depends if using purple 35 or the pacecar.

 

This is mostly true. 

 

We will communicate window open/closed so everyone knows you need driver input on severity and their location for timing. 

[wvumtnbkr]

4 hours ago, Gkuhn41 said:

 

This is mostly true. 

 

We will communicate window open/closed so everyone knows you need driver input on severity and their location for timing. 

Exactly right!

[Team Infiniti]

If it’s anywhere near a window we are having the conversation:

“How bad?” “Think it will be cleared fast?”

Edited Saturday at 01:25 AM by Team Infiniti