Pennzoil Pontiac Race Report: Watkins Glen
11 August 1997
Bud at the Glen
August 10, 1997
Watkins Glen, NY
Benson and Hewitt Duel Fuel Mileage Gods !!
Pennzoil Pontiac Crew Chief Doug Hewitt celebrated his 48th birthday
on the Bahari' Racing team hauler Sunday just minutes before The Bud
at the Glen. The impromptu party included the team presenting its
fifth-year crew chief with an oversized cake with about half the
required candles.
"And wait `til you see the present this team and Johnny (Benson) will
give you this afternoon," said car owner Chuck Rider.
The race proved Rider correct as Hewitt, a native New Yorker, watched
the team, Benson and the fuel mileage gods reward him with an 11-th
place finish -- one of the team's better finishes on a road course.
It was the third consecutive race Hewitt and Benson parlayed hard
driving and savvy fuel strategy into a top finish. Last week at
Indianapolis fuel strategy and last lap driving heroics enabled Benson
to finish 7th and at Pocono the previous week, they timed caution
lights and pit stops correctly to finish 13th.
Sunday's 11th-place finish enabled the team to continue its quest to
climb into the top-10 in the 1997 Winston Cup point standings. Benson
remains 12th in points, but less than 70 points behind 10th place Bill
Elliott and 109 points behind eighth place Jeremy Mayfield.
The 1997 Bud at the Glen boiled down to fuel mileage. Everyone knew it
would be a gamble to try and make the 90-lap race on two stops, but
Hewitt and the team rolled the dice.
Just how close did Hewitt and the Bahari team cut the fuel mileage on
Sunday in order to ensure making the race with just two pitstops? As
close as it gets.
After stopping on lap 17 while running about 20th, Hewitt wanted
Benson to stay on the track until lap 54. If the Pennzoil Pontiac
could stay out 37 laps and take advantage of track position then come
in at lap 54, it would have a chance to race the final segment without
another stop.
"We are going to stick to our plan and see what happens," Hewitt told
Benson on the radio as the crew debated fuel strategy.
Benson stayed out when others came in to pit. He led several laps and
remained among the leaders despite racing with older tires. Benson
and the crew knew as lap 54 drew near that they were tempting fate,
but as soon as the 1996 Rookie of the Year crossed the start/finish
line on lap 53 Hewitt ordered him to the pits.
Then disaster appeared to strike.
Benson radioed he was out of gas. As crew members looked for ether to
restart a dead engine, everyone's hopes deflated. Then Benson radioed
in another message.
"Wait, I think its running again," he said to the delight of the team.
Benson managed to restart the Pennzoil Pontiac on the course and make
it into the pits losing relatively no time.
"That was close," Hewitt told the team.
But that drama was just unfolding. Engineer John Plyler, engine
builder Ron Puryear, gas man Bill Tucker and Hewitt began figuring the
gallons of gas used on the last run, the number of laps, expected
cautions, and several other factors. When the calculating was over
they concluded Benson could go the rest of the race without pitting
only if a few caution flags flew in the race's final segment.
"We need three laps under caution to have a chance," said one crew
member.
Hewitt's strategy appeared to have worked to perfection as caution
flags flew for a handful of laps at the end. Benson circled the track
slowly saving gas. When the green flag fell, Benson retained 11th
place and on the final lap when it appeared a long day was going to
end happily.
Then the nightmare repeated itself.
"I'm out of gas," Benson said. And then after a pause. A very long
pause. He said, "Wait, I think I can make it across the finish line."
He did and took the checkered flag without losing a position. He
needed a quick splash of fuel to get back to the garage where he
congratulated a relieved Hewitt and his teammates.
"Man, I'm worn out today," Benson said.
"The fuel mileage thing was certainly a good call again today. We are
pleased. We came up here for a few days to test last month and that
helped a lot, but I'm ready to return to the ovals."
Benson will return to the ovals, in fact, he will return to his
favorite oval -- the Michigan Speedway -- where several thousand
homestate fans will cheer him on Sunday in his bid to improve upon his
13th-place finish in June and move into the top ten in the point
standings.
As for Hewitt, this birthday won't be soon forgotten. .
"That was interesting day," he said smiling.
For More Information
Contact: Drew Brown
Cohn & Wolfe
(404) 880-5269
drew_brown@cohnwolfe.com