At an oval track, it’s a no-brainer that the top qualifier will choose pit stall No. 1, closest to the exit from pit road. So why did Greg Zipadelli, crew chief for polesitter #20-Joey Logano, choose pit stall No. 11-just short of the start/finish line-for Sunday’s race? Quite simply, there are considerations at the 1.99-mile road course that don’t apply at an oval track. Here’s the explanation:
Given the likelihood of green-flag pit stops and the danger of running out of fuel, Zipadelli opted for a pit stall that gives the team room to push-start the car in a situation where it’s out of gas. There’s a small opening in front of pit stall No. 11, which would give the team room to push the car without rolling through another team’s pit box.
AJ Allmendinger’s crew chief, Mike Shiplett, chose pit stall No. 1 with the seventh pick. Yes, there’s a clear exit from pit road, but there’s also a risk. If Allmendinger happens to run out of fuel, his team won’t be able to push-start the car, because of the proximity of pit stall No. 1 to the racing surface. That’s why the first 10 stalls at Infineon aren’t popular picks with most crew chiefs.(Sporting News), see all the picks on my Pit Stall Selection chart. (6-26-2011)
