Jeff Gordon pitted three times during the caution that flew from Lap 114 to Lap 131. Credit: Autostock

Sunoco Pit Move of the Week: Homestead

Luck is better than skill. Fortunately for Jeff Gordon, he had both.

Of course, Gordon didn't win his fifth NASCAR championship -- he finished 16 points back -- but he wouldn't have even come close had Gordon not pitted a second time under the caution on Lap 124.

Gordon pitted with everyone when the caution came out for Jeremy Mayfield's crash on Lap 113. It was normal. Gordon took on four tires and fuel like everyone else.

VIDEO Sunoco Pit Move A punctured tire sends Jeff Gordon to pit road under the yellow flag at Homestead

During that time, light rain began to fall, and the caution period was extended.

But sometime between Lap 115 and Lap 124, Gordon ran over something -- and he knew it. He was able to get Jimmie Johnson to check it out, and Johnson told Gordon that he felt he needed to pit.

A post-pit check revealed that Gordon's tire had a small piece of metal imbedded in it. It was a tiny 10-cent washer, but it would have easily felled a $400 tire if the race had gone green.

As it turned out, the decision saved Gordon's race. Had Gordon had to pit under green, he probably would have gone two laps down. At a minimum, Gordon would have been one of the last cars one lap down.

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Homestead-Miami is one of the worst places to pit under green, because cars have to use an access road to enter and exit pit road.

"That flat left rear tire really got us behind," Gordon said.

Gordon restarted on Lap 132 as the last car on the lead lap.

Gordon was hoping the race would go the rest of the way under green, because he had topped with fuel and had an outside shot at completing the race on just two more stops.