The 1997 MBNA 400 was the first Dover NASCAR Race that the Dover International Speedway's NASCAR Race elected to trim down from 500 miles and 500 laps to 400 miles and 400 laps, and was won by Mark Martin, who drove for Roush Fenway Racing with sponsorship from Valvoline from the pole position, by leading 185 of 400 laps. The biggest game-changing race of the 17th Year of NASCAR Racing on Philippine Television was jointly produced by Television and Production Exponents, Inc. and SilverStar Communications, Inc. and aired live, nationwide, and via-satellite on GMA Network and Citynet Television 27 on September 22, 1997, with a radio simulcast on DZBB 594 Radyo Bisig Bayan, and Campus Radio 97.1 WLS FM
A slightly better strategy might have had Petty competing for a win (or at least getting second place): Tires would fall off one second per lap towards the end of the run. So... basically calculate how much of a lead he needs to pit for 4 tires and not lose a lap - and that's when he pits (so he doesn't get caught a lap down if there's a caution). A splash and go is less time of course, but you still have to slow down/speed up. 2 tires plus fuel is only takes a marginal 4 or 5 seconds extra because you're sitting stationary for the fuel anyways (but is tricky at Dover with 2 tires...), and 4 tires is at least another 12-15 seconds. But lets say he pits with 30-40 to go: He'll make up the extra 15 seconds for sure. And then some. 4 tires would have had him beating Earnhardt for sure and maybe catching Martin.
It's sad that Kyle Petty with all the perks he had at Petty Enterprises he could never win a Cup Championship, same goes for Dale Jr.....Seems to me champions are born not taught.
Kyle drove his own stuff out of his dad's shop that was and always will be his own team, till his son died then he changed numbers and Richard for awhiltook 44 back and used it for to add another driver later in on then went back to only one and Kyle still drove his own car n the 45, only time he was on a team was prior n his career, sorry didn't mean to rant but saw it it gave me a itch
To be fair to Kyle he didn't have top tier equipment. By the time he arrived to cup PE had started to decline as a premier nascar team. It declined so bad Richard himself left for the final years of his career. When Kyle had good equipment he performed as a top 10 driver .
