|

Pit Strategy:
The pit stop is the one place on the track where you can make up positions without even moving. Unfortunately, the average pit stop on the Nascar for Mac game is about 19 seconds (obviously, the rainbow warriors are not your pit crew!). With that in mind, and the fact that you are probably not going to be passing people with four tire pit stops, you have to develop some strategy that gives you an advantage over the AI.
Track Position
Everyone always talks about track position and whether you are in a real race or a sim race it can be the most important factor in determing your pit strategy. If you qualified poorly and are able to make up positions easily then pit whenever you get the chance. Each time you pit, you open your pit window just a little bit more. By being able to run just a couple more laps you can gain valuable track position at the end of a fuel run or the end of a race. If you cannot pass easily then go with your gut. Depending on how many positions you have gained and how close you are to your pit window you may want to pit. Don't risk getting shuffled back in the pack if you are not comfortable moving through the field.
Two tires or four?
Do you have treated tires? No? Well then depending on your tire wear you need to make a decision on whether you can take two tires or four. The lenght of the race may be a factor in determining how many tires you take. If you need a full load of fuel to make it the rest of the way, definitely take four tires. If you can make it on half a tank, take two. If you are at the end of a fuel run and your right side tires are still good-leave them on there. If you have been shuffled to the back of the pack and need to make a furious run to the front in a few laps-take on four.
Damage
One bad thing about your pit crew is that they start at the front of the car and work their way back when it comes to fixing damage. This seems natural because of aerodynamics but a good addition to the game would the option of being able to determine what to fix. Your car doesn't need to be perfect to run good. One way of determining how much work your crew does is by pushing return @ the F9 screen. If you need repairs then it will say repair. By hitting return you can tell them not to fix repairs. This is especially valuable when you are afraid of losing a lap and damage won't hurt you. You can also tell them to stop fixing repairs in the middle of their work, to get you out in front of the pace car.