"...it was THEIR day to win(we all have had them)..."
Yep ! If you enter enuff races, you'll eventually experience it. We've won races in which we didn't really have to make a decent pass, because our opponents either made mistakes or had mechanical problems. A red light, a mechanical problem, a slow light, we get the semi-final bye run, & the other guy trips the red light in the final.
No, we didn't earn it. BUT, the winner's check was made out to us, anyhow !
And we never refused to accept the check & cash it.