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Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge

Johnson's Pit Crew Claims Season Title: The pit crew for newly-crowned Nextel Cup champion Jimmie Johnson claimed the season-long Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge competition. Though Johnson's #48 Lowe's crew was tied with Tony Stewart's crew with five wins each, the tiebreaker went to Johnson's crew for having the highest finish in the driver point standings. For winning the season pit crew championship, Johnson's team will collect a $105,000 bonus from Checkers/Rally's. The presentation will be made Nov. 30 in New York City at the NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Awards Luncheon. By winning the Checkers/Rally's weekly competition five times and earning $10,500 for each victory, the total prize money earned in 2006 by Johnson's pit crew was $157,500. Johnson's over-the-wall crew consists of: Chris Anderson (jackman), Art Simmons (front-tire carrier), Mike Trower (front-tire changer), Ron Malec (rear-tire carrier), Tim Ladyga (rear-tire changer), Rich Gutierrez (gasman), Mike Knauer (catch can) and Sean Kerlin (eighth-man). The team's pit crew coach is Matt Clark and the crew chief is Chad Knaus.
"I'd like to congratulate Jimmie Johnson's crew for winning the Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge championship as well as the NASCAR Nextel Cup championship," said Rich Turer, Vice President of Marketing, Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Inc. "It was a competitive season among the pit crews with 15 different teams winning the weekly competition. Checkers/Rally's is excited to bring the spotlight to the crew members, who play an integral role in the success of each team."
Joe Nemechek's U.S. Army pit crew took top honors in Sunday's season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. It was the second Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge win for the #01 team. Nemechek's over-the-wall crew, which spent 298.990 seconds on pit road, includes: Scott King (jackman), John Boyd (front-tire carrier), Charlie Brock (front-tire changer), Dwayne Moore (rear-tire carrier), Dave Woodhead (rear-tire changer), Danny Harrington (gasman), Mark Bieberich (catch can) and J.D. Hilton (windshield). The team's crew chief is Ryan Pemberton and the pit crew coach is Lance Munksgard.
Checkers/Rally's paid out $483,000 in prize money during the 2006 Nextel Cup season. Checkers/Rally's is the Official Burger and Drive-Thru Restaurant of NASCAR, more info at checkers.com. The Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge is in its second season with the Nextel Cup Series.
Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge Nextel Cup Standings
(Following Ends of 2006 season)
Pos Car No. Pit Crew Wins Prize Money
x1 48 Jimmie Johnson Team 5 157,500*
2 20 Tony Stewart Team 5 52,500
3 5 Kyle Busch Team 4 42,000
T4 07 Clint Bowyer Team 3 31,500
T4 29 Kevin Harvick Team 3 31,500
T6 38 David Gilliland Team 2 21,000
T6 24 Jeff Gordon Team 2 21,000
T6 31 Jeff Burton Team 2 21,000
T6 2 Kurt Busch Team 2 21,000
T6 25 Brian Vickers Team 2 21,000
T6 01 Joe Nemechek Team 2 21,000
T12 11 Denny Hamlin Team 1 10,500
T12 21 Ken Schrader Team 1 10,500
T12 14 Sterling Marlin Team 1 10,500
T12 66 Jeff Green Team 1 10,500
x-won in tiebreaker - highest finishing team in driver point standings
*includes $105,000 season champion bonus
2006 Nextel Cup Winners
Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge
Daytona (2/19) Jimmie Johnson Team
California (2/26) Jimmie Johnson Team (2)
Las Vegas (3/12) Kyle Busch Team
Atlanta (3/20) Tony Stewart Team
Bristol (3/26) Tony Stewart Team (2)
Martinsville (4/2) Elliott Sadler Team
Texas (4/9) Denny Hamlin Team
Phoenix (4/22) Clint Bowyer Team
Talladega (5/1) Elliott Sadler Team (2)
Richmond (5/6) Kevin Harvick Team
Darlington (5/13) Kyle Busch Team (2)
Charlotte (5/28) Jimmie Johnson Team (3)
Dover (6/4) Jeff Burton Team
Pocono (6/11) Kurt Busch Team
Michigan (6/18) Brian Vickers Team
Infineon (6/25) Jimmie Johnson Team (4)
Daytona (7/1) Tony Stewart Team (3)
Chicago (7/9) Kevin Harvick Team (2)
New Hamp. (7/16) Kyle Busch Team (3)
Pocono (7/23) Jeff Gordon Team
Indianapolis (8/6) Kyle Busch Team (4)
Watkins Glen (8/13) Clint Bowyer Team (2)
Michigan (8/20) Joe Nemechek Team
Bristol (8/26) Jeff Gordon Team (2)
California (9/3) Clint Bowyer Team (3)
Richmond (9/9) Ken Schrader Team
New Hamp. (9/17) Jeff Burton Team (2)
Dover (9/24) Kurt Busch Team (2)
Kansas (10/1) Tony Stewart Team (4)
Talladega (10/8) Brian Vickers Team (2)
Charlotte (10/14) Sterling Marlin Team
Martinsville (10/22) Jeff Green Team
Atlanta (10/29) Jimmie Johnson Team (5)
Texas (11/5) Tony Stewart Team (5)
Phoenix (11/12) Kevin Harvick Team (3)
Homestead (11/19) Joe Nemechek Team (2)
(DMF Communications PR)(11-23-2006)
Pit Crew Win Gives Harvick's Team Double Victory in Phoenix: Kevin Harvick's over-the-wall crew picked up the Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge win in Sunday's NASCAR NEXTEL Cup event at Phoenix International Raceway. The winning effort by the #29 pit crew helped Harvick capture the victory at the one-mile oval. It was the third pit crew win of the season for Harvick's crew. The team's other pit crew victories were at the May race in Richmond, Va. and the July race in Joliet, Ill. Harvick's over-the-wall crew, which will receive $10,500 for the win from Checkers/Rally's, consists of: Nick Terry (jackman), Josh Mick (front-tire carrier), Jason Pulver (front-tire changer), Matt Krueter (rear-tire carrier), Clint Pittman (rear-tire changer), Brian Englehart (gasman), Scott Naset (catch can), Rick Tulbert (2nd gas can) and John Goodwin (eighth-man). The team is led by crew chief Todd Berrier. Heading into Sunday's (Nov. 19) final Nextel Cup event at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the over-the-wall crews for Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart are tied for first in the season-long competition with five wins each. If the competition is still tied after Sunday's Cup finale, the Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge championship and the $105,000 bonus will be awarded to Johnson's No. 48 crew since the tie-breaker is decided on driver point standings. Johnson, who leads in the Chase standings, cannot be passed by any team still in contention for the pit crew title. To date, Checkers/Rally's has paid out $367,500 in NEXTEL Cup Series prize money during this season. Checkers/Rally's is the Official Burger and Drive-Thru Restaurant of NASCAR, more info at checkers.com. The Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge is in its second season with the Nextel Cup Series.(DMF Communications PR)(11-15-2006)
Texas Pit Crew Win Moves Stewart's Team into First-Place Tie in Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge : Tony Stewart's over-the-wall crew moved into a tie for first-place in the season-long Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge by taking top honors Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway. It was a double win for the #20 crew, which helped boost its driver to a winning performance in the Dickies 500 race at the 1.5-mile oval. With two Nextel Cup races remaining, Stewart's and Jimmie Johnson's pit crews are tied for first with five victories each. Kyle Busch's crew is in third with four wins. If there's a tie after the final race at Homestead-Miami Speedway (Nov. 19), the team that finishes highest in the driver point standings will be awarded the Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru season championship with the $105,000 bonus. Stewart's over-the-wall crew, which earned $10,500 for being the top crew in Texas, consists of: Jason Lee (jackman), Tom Dean (front-tire carrier), Ira-Jo Hussey (front-tire changer), Jody Fortson (rear-tire carrier), Todd Foster (rear-tire changer), Jeff Patterson (gasman), Brian Larson (catch can) and Scott Geerts (windshield). The team's crew chief is Greg Zipadelli and the pit stop coordinator is Paul Alepa. To date, Checkers/Rally's has paid out $357,000 in NEXTEL Cup Series prize money during this season. Checkers/Rally's is the Official Burger and Drive-Thru Restaurant of NASCAR, more info at checkers.com.(DMF Communications PR)(11-8-2006)
Johnson's Crew Takes Lead in Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge: Jimmie Johnson's over-the-wall crew took over sole possession of first place in the Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge competition by taking top honors in Sunday's NEXTEL Cup event at Atlanta Motor Speedway. It was the fifth pit crew win of the season for Johnson's team and it broke a three-way tie with Tony Stewart's and Kyle Busch's crews. Johnson's crew, which spent 316.721 seconds on pit road, will earn $10,500 for the weekly honor and is one step closer to the $105,000 bonus Checkers/Rally's will present to the crew with the most wins at the completion of the 36-race schedule. Johnson's No. 46 over-the-wall crew, which spent only 109.657 seconds on Atlanta's pit road includes: Chris Anderson (jackman), Art Simmons (front-tire carrier), Mike Trower (front-tire changer), Ron Malec (rear-tire carrier), Tim Ladyga (rear-tire changer), Rich Gutierrez (gasman), Mike Knauer (catch can) and Sean Kerlin (eighth-man). The crew with the most victories at the completion of the 36-race schedule will be presented with a $100,500 bonus. Checkers/Rally's will present the crew with the most victories at the completion of the 36-race schedule with a $100,500 bonus. To date, Checkers/Rally's has paid out $346,500 in Nextel Cup Series prize money during this season. The Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge is in its second season with the Nextel Cup Series. Checkers/Rally's is the Official Burger and Drive-Thru Restaurant of NASCAR, more info at checkers.com.(DMF Communications PR)(11-2-2006)
Green's #66 Team Becomes 15th Checkers/Rally's Pit Crew Winner at Martinsville: Jeff Green's #66 over-the-wall crew became the 15th NASCAR NEXTEL Cup team to earn a win in the weekly Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge competition by claiming the honor in Sunday's race at Martinsville Speedway. The Best Buy crew, which spent the least amount of time on Martinsville's pit road (285.023 seconds), helped lift the team to an eighth-place finish. The #66 over-the-wall crew, which earned $10,500 for the win, consists of: Phillip Gee (jackman), Michael "Shrek" Morneau (front-tire carrier), Kelly Kellis (front-tire changer), Zach McGowan (rear-tire carrier), Daniel Smith (rear-tire changer), Robby Maschhaupt (gasman) and Derick Jennings (catch can). The pit crew coach is Wayne Holden. With four races remaining on the NEXTEL Cup circuit, the pit crews of Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch and Tony Stewart are tied for first place in the Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge standings. The crew with the most victories at the completion of the 36-race schedule will be presented with a $100,500 bonus. Checkers/Rally's will present the crew with the most victories at the completion of the 36-race schedule with a $100,500 bonus. To date, Checkers/Rally's has paid out $336,000 in Nextel Cup Series prize money during this season. The Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge is in its second season with the Nextel Cup Series. Checkers/Rally's is the Official Burger and Drive-Thru Restaurant of NASCAR, more info at checkers.com.(DMF Communications PR)(10-25-2006)
Marlin's Team Tallies Pit Crew Win at Charlotte: Sterling Marlin's #14 over-the-wall crew picked up its first win of the season in the weekly Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge by spending the least amount of time on pit road during Saturday night's (Oct. 14) Bank of America 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. "The guys on this #14 MB2 Motorsports team have been solid in the pits all year," said Marlin. "They don't always get the recognition they deserve because we haven't been in position to capitalize on the great job they do. It's nice that Checkers/Rally's is putting a spotlight on them for a job well done." Marlin's Ginn Clubs & Resorts pit crew, which spent 443.597 seconds on pit lane, will be awarded the weekly $10,500 prize by Checkers/Rally's. The #14 over-the-wall crew consists of: Ike Sneed (jackman), Aaron Schields (front-tire carrier), Adam Davis (front-tire changer), Kevin McDowell (rear-tire carrier), Mick Grove (rear-tire changer), Les Huntley (gasman), Steve Gleason (catch can) and Doug Morgan (windshield). The pit crew coach is Lance Munksgard. With five races remaining on the NEXTEL Cup Schedule, the pit crews of Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch and Tony Stewart lead the standings with four wins each. Checkers/Rally's will present the crew with the most victories at the completion of the 36-race schedule with a $100,500 bonus. To date, Checkers/Rally's has paid out $325,500 in NEXTEL Cup Series prize money during this season. The Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge is in its second season with the Nextel Cup Series. Checkers/Rally's is the Official Burger and Drive-Thru Restaurant of NASCAR, more info at checkers.com.(DMF Communications PR)(10-17-2006)
Vickers' Team Earns Pit Crew Win at Talladega: It was a double victory for Brian Vickers' #25 team Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway. Not only did the Hendrick Motorsports driver capture his first career Nextel Cup victory, the #25 over-the-wall crew also claimed its second win of the season in the weekly Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge. Vickers' GMAC Chevrolet spent the least amount of time on pit road (247.112 seconds) to take top honors during the 188-lap, 500-mile race. "Having good pit stops at superspeedways are important because you always try to maintain contact with those cars you pit with in order to have a drafting partner when you leave," said crew chief Lance McGrew. "I'm really proud of the guys on the GMAC Racing team for their efforts on Sunday. Over the past several weeks, they've turned it up a notch which has helped us get some good finishes." The #25 pit crew will be awarded with the weekly $10,500 prize. In addition, Checkers/Rally's will also present the crew with the most victories at the completion of the 36-race schedule with a $100,500 bonus.
Vickers' over-the-wall crew is made up of: Mike Moore (jackman), Jake Brzozowski (front-tire carrier), Tony Hamm (front-tire changer), Matt Myers (rear-tire carrier), Jeff Fabian (rear-tire changer), Chris Fasulka (gasman), Chris Hamilton (catch can) and Jim Jenkins (windshield). The pit crew coach is Mark Mauldin. With six races remaining on the Nextel Cup Schedule, the pit crews of Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch and Tony Stewart lead the standings with four wins each. To date, Checkers/Rally's has paid out $315,000 in Nextel Cup Series prize money during this season. The Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge is in its second season with the Nextel Cup Series. Checkers/Rally's is the Official Burger and Drive-Thru Restaurant of NASCAR, more info at checkers.com.(DMF Communications PR)(10-11-2006)
Stewart's Pit Crew Takes Top Honors in Kansas: By claiming the Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge win in Sunday's Nextel Cup race at Kansas Speedway, Tony Stewart's over-the-wall crew moved into a three-way tie for first place in the season-long competition. It was the fourth win of the season for Stewart's crew, equaling the number of victories scored by Jimmie Johnson's and Kyle Busch's teams. Along with paying the winning pit crew $10,500 at each race, Checkers/Rally's will also award a $105,000 bonus to the crew with the most victories at the completion of the 36-race schedule. The weekly pit crew winner is determined by the team which spends the lowest cumulative time on pit road and finishes on the lead lap. Stewart, who drove his #20 Chevrolet to Victory Lane in Kansas, praised his crew for an outstanding effort during the 267-lap, 400-mile event. "I'm really proud of the guys on this Home Depot team," said Stewart. "They work so hard and had an awesome day at Kansas. We never lost a position on pit lane all day. We at least maintained or gained positions on each stop. It was the best day the guys have had on pit road all season." Stewart's over-the-wall crew is comprised of: Jason Lee (jackman), Tom Dean (front-tire carrier), Ira-Jo Hussey (front-tire changer), Jody Fortson (rear-tire carrier), Todd Foster (rear-tire changer), Jeff Patterson (gasman), Brian Larson (catch can) and Scott Geerts (windshield). The team's crew chief is Greg Zipadelli and the pit stop coordinator is Paul Alepa. "The Home Depot crew really picked it up and kept us in contention by being consistent," added Stewart, "That's what the Double Drive-Thru Challenge is all about. It proves that consistency means more than one quick stop." To date, Checkers/Rally's has paid out $304,500 in NEXTEL Cup Series prize money during this season. The Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge is in its second season with the Nextel Cup Series. Checkers/Rally's is the Official Burger and Drive-Thru Restaurant of NASCAR, more info at checkers.com.(DMF Communications PR)(10-4-2006)
Kurt Busch's Team Captures Pit Crew Challenge Win in Dover: Kurt Busch's #2 over-the-wall crew tallied its second Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge win of the season by spending the least amount of time on pit road in Sunday's NEXTEL Cup event at Dover International Speedway. Spending just 405.936 seconds on pit road, the Miller Lite crew helped lift its driver to a fourth-place finish in the Dover 400. Checkers/Rally's will award the team with the weekly $10,500 prize. In addition, a $105,000 bonus will be given to the pit crew with the most victories at the completion of the 36-race schedule. Busch's over-the-wall crew consists of: Ray Gallahan (jackman), Dave Littau (front-tire carrier), Dustin Coonfield (front-tire changer), Larry Robinette (rear-tire carrier), Kevin Hebert (rear-tire changer), Chris Williams (gasman), Steve Williams (catch can) and Brian Wilson (windshield). The #2 crew captured the win despite missing two full-time members. Front-tire changer Jay Hackney was at home in Mooresville, N.C. where he and his wife, Krista, were awaiting birth of their first child. And Andy Brown, rear-tire carrier, has been out with an injury since the August Bristol race. With eight races remaining on the NEXTEL Cup schedule, the Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge championship is still for the taking with the pit crews of Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch leading the standings with four wins. Clint Bowyer's and Tony Stewart's teams are tied for second with three wins each. The Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge is in its second season with the Nextel Cup Series. To date, Checkers/Rally's has paid out $294,000 in prize money during this season. Checkers/Rally's is the Official Burger and Drive-Thru Restaurant of NASCAR, more info at checkers.com.(DMF Communications PR)(9-27-2006)
Burton's Team Claims Pit Crew Win in New Hampshire: Jeff Burton's #31 pit crew earned its second Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge win in Sunday's NEXTEL Cup event, helping boost the Chase driver to a seventh-place finish in the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway. "Our pit crew has been a big part of Team Cingular's success this season," said Scott Miller, crew chief for the #31 Cingular Chevy. "Everyone has worked extremely hard to do their part, and we have seen the result of that on the track. I am very proud of the pit crew's efforts and look for it to continue throughout the final nine races in The Chase." Burton's over-the-wall crew, which spent a winning 171.097 seconds on pit road, consists of: Josh Yost (jackman), Kevin Nervenga (front-tire carrier), Joe Zielinski (front-tire changer), Jason Fowler (rear-tire carrier), Aaron Smith (rear-tire changer), Larry Hartle (gasman), Rich Burgess (catch can) and Wes Adams (windshield). The pit crew coordinator is Corrine Mauldin. Burton's team is one of 13 different pit crews to have won the weekly competition, which pays $10,500 for each win. In addition, a bonus of $105,000 will be awarded to the pit crew with the most victories at the completion of the 36-race schedule. With nine races remaining, the $105,000 bonus is still up for grabs with the over-the-wall crews of Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch leading the standings with four wins each. Clint Bowyer's and Tony Stewart's teams are tied for second with three wins. The Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge is in its second season with the Nextel Cup Series. Checkers/Rally's is the Official Burger and Drive-Thru Restaurant of NASCAR, more info at checkers.com.(DMF Communications PR)(9-19-2006)
Schrader's Team Grabs Pit Crew Win in Richmond: #21-Ken Schrader's pit crew claimed the Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge win in Saturday night's Chevy Rock & Roll 400, becoming the 13th Nextel Cup team of the season to capture the weekly competition. The pit crew win, which helped lift Schrader to a season-best seventh-place finish, was the result of the #21 U.S. Air Force/Little Debbie/Motorcraft Ford Fusion spending the least amount of time on Richmond International Raceway's pit road - 418.964 seconds. "They've been solid all year," said Schrader of the #21 pit crew. "Enthusiasm is a very infectious disease. The better the car has been running the better they've been in getting us in and out of the pits. I'm glad this happened because they certainly deserve to be recognized." Schrader's over-the-wall crew consists of: Chuck White (jackman), Brandon Pegram (front-tire carrier), Mike "Andretti" Smith (front-tire changer), Dwayne Doucette (rear-tire carrier), Chris McMullen (rear-tire changer), Jimmy Watts (gasman), James Rhoades (catch can) and Mike Hartman (eighth man). The pit crew coach is Gary Smith and crew chief is Michael "Fatback" McSwain. The competition awards $10,500 per week to the top pit crew. In addition, the pit crew with the most wins will be awarded a $105,000 bonus at the completion of the 36-race schedule. Checkers/Rally's is the Official Burger and Drive-Thru Restaurant of NASCAR, more info at checkers.com.(DMF Communications PR)(9-14-2006)
Bowyer's Team Captures Pit Crew Win in California: Clint Bowyer's #07 pit crew earned the Checkers / Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge win at California Speedway, helping boost the Richard Childress Racing driver to a third-place finish in Sunday night's Nextel Cup race. This is the third pit crew challenge win of the season for the #07 team, which is now tied with Tony Stewart's team for second-place in the season-long standings. Bowyer's crew also took the honors at Phoenix International Raceway in April and Watkin's Glen International in August. The crews of Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch are tied for the lead with four victories each. The #07 over-the-wall crew consists of: Carey Wimbish (jackman), Dail Long (front-tire carrier), Shane Westerberg (front-tire changer), Dustin Stanley (rear-tire carrier), Jake Lind (rear-tire changer), Ron Liddell (gasman), Clint Almquist (catch can) and Troy Welty (windshield). The pit stop coordinator is Corinne Mauldin. Bowyer's Jack Daniels Chevrolet spent 332.959 seconds on pit road. The crew will be awarded the weekly $10,500 prize and an additional $105,000 will be presented to the pit crew with the most wins at the completion of the 36-race schedule. The Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge is in its second season of rewarding pit crews, the unsung heroes in the Nextel Cup Series. The competition awards $10,500 per week to the top pit crew. In addition, the pit crew with the most wins will be awarded a $105,000 bonus at the completion of the 36-race schedule. Checkers/Rally's is the Official Burger and Drive-Thru Restaurant of NASCAR, more info at checkers.com.(DMF Communications PR)(9-6-2006)
Jeff Gordon's Team Captures Pit Crew Win in Bristol: Jeff Gordon's #24 pit crew claimed its second win of the season in the weekly Checkers / Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge competition, helping boost the Hendrick Motorsports driver to a fifth-place finish in Saturday night's (Aug. 26) Nextel Cup race at Bristol Motor Speedway. "The DuPont crew did an amazing job on Saturday night," said Steve Letarte, crew chief of the DuPont Chevrolet. "They've been phenomenal all year, and I'm glad they are starting to get the recognition they deserve." Gordon's over-the-wall team edged out other participating crews by spending the least amount of time on pit road during the Sharpie 500. The #24 machine spent 313.006 seconds on pit lane. Gordon's over-the-wall crew, which will receive the weekly $10,500 reward from Checkers/Rally's, consists of: Jeff Cook (jackman), Mike "Tiny" Houston (front-tire carrier), Clay Robinson (front-tire changer), Jeff Knight (rear-tire carrier), Kevin Gilman (rear-tire changer), Caleb Hurd (gasman), Jamie Frady (catch can) and Jason "Penske" Seitzinger (eighth-man). The pit crew coach is Matt Clark. With twelve races remaining in the 36-race Nextel Cup schedule, the over-the-wall crews of Kyle Busch and Jimmie Johnson are tied for first place in the Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge standings with four victories each. The Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge is in its second season of rewarding pit crews, the unsung heroes in the Nextel Cup Series. The competition awards $10,500 per week to the top pit crew. In addition, the pit crew with the most wins will be awarded a $105,000 bonus at the completion of the 36-race schedule. Checkers/Rally's is the Official Burger and Drive-Thru Restaurant of NASCAR, more info at checkers.com.(DMF Communications PR)(8-31-2006)
Nemechek's Pit Crew Takes Top Honors in Michigan Joe Nemechek's pit crew claimed its first win of the season in the weekly Checkers / Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge competition by spending the least amount of time on pit road in Sunday's NEXTEL Cup event at Michigan International Speedway. "I'm very proud of all the guys on the U.S. Army pit crew," said Nemechek. "They've had unbelievable pit stops all year but haven't always gotten the credit they've deserved. Without a doubt, this is one of the strongest over-the-wall teams on pit road and I'm thrilled they're being recognized for their hard work. This is also a special win since Checkers/Rally's is an associate sponsor on the Army Chevrolet." Checkers/Rally's will award the #01 team with the weekly $10,500 prize. In addition, a $105,000 bonus will be presented to the team with the most wins at the completion of the 36-race schedule. "Our guys work hard week in and week out to be the best they can be on pit road," offered Lance Munksgard, pit stop coordinator for MB2 Motorsports. "It's great that their hard work is being highlighted and that they are being recognized for the efforts they contribute to the team each week." Nemechek's over-the-wall team, which spent 230.171 seconds on pit road, includes: Scott King (jackman), Josh Houghton (front-tire carrier), Charlie Brock (front-tire changer), Dwayne Moore (rear-tire carrier), Dave Woodhead (rear-tire changer), Danny Harrington (gasman), Mark Bieberich (catch can) and J.D. Hilton (windshield). The team's crew chief is Ryan Pemberton. The crews of Kyle Busch and Jimmie Johnson continue to lead the season-long competition with four wins each. Tony Stewart's team is in second place with three wins. The Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge is in its second season of rewarding pit crews, the unsung heroes in the Nextel Cup Series. The competition awards $10,500 per week to the top pit crew. In addition, the pit crew with the most wins will be awarded a $105,000 bonus at the completion of the 36-race schedule. Checkers/Rally's is the Official Burger and Drive-Thru Restaurant of NASCAR, more info at checkers.com.(DMF Communications PR)(8-23-2006)
Bowyer’s Team Garners Pit Crew Challenge Win at Watkins Glen: Clint Bowyer’s #07 pit crew garnered the Checkers / Rally’s Double Drive-Thru Challenge win in Sunday’s NEXTEL Cup event at Watkins Glen International. Checkers/Rally’s will award the Jack Daniels crew with the $10,500 prize given each week to the team that spends the least amount of time on pit road. In addition, the crew that has earned the most pit crew challenge wins at the completion of the 36-race schedule will receive a $105,000 bonus. “It’s pretty exciting for the Jack Daniel’s Team to win for the second time this year, especially at Watkins Glen where we essentially pit the car backwards,” said #07 crew chief Gil Martin. “That throws a lot of teams off their game but our guys never missed a beat. Clint did a great job getting on and off pit road so this award is truly the result of a total team effort.” Bowyer’s over-the-wall team, out of the Richard Childress Racing stable, spent just 88.019 seconds on pit lane during Sunday’s AMD at The Glen. “The over-the-wall guys struggled a bit a couple weeks ago at Indianapolis so I’m really proud of them for bouncing back in a big way,” continued Martin. “Too often those guys get in trouble when something goes wrong on pit road so it’s important that they get the recognition they deserve when things go right.” Bowyer’s over-the-wall team includes: Carey Wimbish (jackman), Dail Long (front-tire carrier), Shane Westerberg (front-tire changer), Dustin Stanley (rear-tire carrier), Tommy Wallace (rear-tire changer), Ron Liddell (gasman), Clint Almquist (catch can) and Troy Welty (windshield). The team’s pit stop coordinator is Corinne Mauldin. The crews of Kyle Busch and Jimmie Johnson continue to lead the season-long competition with four wins each. Tony Stewart’s team is in second place with three wins.
The Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge is in its second season of rewarding pit crews, the unsung heroes in the Nextel Cup Series. The competition awards $10,500 per week to the top pit crew. In addition, the pit crew with the most wins will be awarded a $105,000 bonus at the completion of the 36-race schedule. Checkers/Rally's is the Official Burger and Drive-Thru Restaurant of NASCAR, more info at checkers.com.(DMF Communications PR)(8-15-2006)
Kyle Busch's Team Claims Pit Crew Win at Indy: Kyle Busch's #5 Kellogg's pit crew earned its fourth win of the season in the weekly Checkers / Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge competition at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, moving them into a tie with Jimmie Johnson's pit crew for first-place in the season-long contest. "My crew worked on my car all day long making major adjustments," offered Busch. "We missed it in qualifying and had a terrible pit stall selection for the guys to work with. They dealt with it, gave me awesome stops and got me positions on the track with each stop." Busch's over-the-wall team spent just 230.550 seconds on pit lane during Sunday's Allstate 400 at the Brickyard. This is the crew's second win in the last three NEXTEL Cup events-they also took top honors in the July 16 race at New Hampshire International Raceway. "I think Alan (Gustafson, crew chief) told the team at the start of the race over the radios, 'heroes don't make a team, a team makes heroes,' and that's what we have been rolling with," said Busch. Checkers/Rally's will present the team with the weekly $10,500 check awarded to the crew that spends the least amount of time on pit road each week. In addition, a $105,000 bonus will be rewarded to the season champion at the completion of the 36-race NEXTEL Cup schedule. Busch's over-the-wall team includes: Rick Pigeon (jackman), Jeremy "JD" Holcomb (front-tire carrier), DJ Richardson (front-tire changer), Jason Jones (rear-tire carrier), Josh Kirk (rear-tire changer), Brad Pickens (gasman), Jason Dalrymple (catch can), and Whit Satterwhite (eighth-man). The pit crew coach is Mark Mauldin.
The Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge is in its second season of rewarding pit crews, the unsung heroes in the Nextel Cup Series. The competition awards $10,500 per week to the top pit crew. In addition, the pit crew with the most wins will be awarded a $105,000 bonus at the completion of the 36-race schedule. Checkers/Rally's is the Official Burger and Drive-Thru Restaurant of NASCAR, more info at checkers.com.(DMF Communications PR)(8-9-2006)
Gordon's Team Claims Pit Crew Win at Pocono: Jeff Gordon's DuPont pit crew claimed its first win of the season in the weekly Checkers / Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge competition, helping boost the Hendrick Motorsports driver to a third-place finish in Sunday's (July 23) NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race at Pocono Raceway. "I'm glad this over-the-wall crew is getting the recognition it deserves," said Steve Letarte, crew chief of the #24 DuPont Chevrolet. "They've been great all year long, especially during difficult days when the car wasn't handling well." Gordon's over-the-wall team edged out other crews by spending the least amount of time in the pits during the Pennsylvania 500. Gordon's 324 Chevrolet spent 228.349 seconds on pit lane. His pit crew will be awarded the weekly $10,500 prize. The #24 over-the-wall team includes: Jeff Cook (jackman), Mike "Tiny" Houston (front-tire carrier), Clay Robinson (front-tire changer), Jeff Knight (rear-tire carrier), Kevin Gilman (rear-tire changer), Caleb Hurd (gasman), Jamie Frady (catch can) and Jason "Penske" Seitzinger (eighth-man). The pit crew coach is Matt Clark. With four wins in the Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge, Jimmie Johnson's team leads the season-long competition. Tony Stewart's and Kyle Busch's pit crews are tied for second place with three victories each. The Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge is in its second season of rewarding pit crews, the unsung heroes in the Nextel Cup Series. The competition awards $10,500 per week to the top pit crew. In addition, the pit crew with the most wins will be awarded a $105,000 bonus at the completion of the 36-race schedule. Checkers/Rally's is the Official Burger and Drive-Thru Restaurant of NASCAR, more info at checkers.com.(DMF Communications PR)(7-26-2006)
Kyle Busch's Crew Takes Top Honors in New Hampshire : Kyle Busch's over-the-wall crew had two reasons to celebrate when they left New Hampshire International Speedway Sunday. Not only did Busch win the NEXTEL Cup event, but his No. 5 Kellogg's pit crew also took top honors in the weekly Checkers®/Rally's® Double Drive-Thru Challenge. "The Kellogg's guys worked their tails off in New Hampshire," said Alan Gustafson, crew chief of the No. 5 team. "They had flawless pit stops and never lost focus all day long. It was one of the hottest days we've had on pit road and they just went out there and did their job. The No. 5 team deserves respect because they are a great pit crew. I'm proud of how hard they work and they deserve this reward." This is the third Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge win of the season for Busch's team, which is now tied with Tony Stewart's crew for second place in the season-long competition. Jimmie Johnson's crew leads with four victories. "My guys did it for me in New Hampshire," said Busch. "They were on the money every stop. Alan (Gustafson) made great calls and I just can't say enough because it was a total team effort, right down to the guys who build the cars and motors back at Hendrick Motorsports." Busch's over-the-wall team, out of the Hendrick Motorsports stable, spent 133.356 seconds on pit road to claim the win. The group includes: Rick Pigeon (jackman), Jeremy "JD" Holcomb (front-tire carrier), DJ Richardson (front-tire changer), Jason Jones (rear-tire carrier), Josh Kirk (rear-tire changer), Brad Pickens (gasman), Jason Dalrymple (catch can), and Whit Satterwhite (eighth-man). The pit crew coach is Mark Mauldin. Busch's crew collected $10,500 for the win. The Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge is in its second season of rewarding pit crews, the unsung heroes in the Nextel Cup Series. The competition awards $10,500 per week to the top pit crew. In addition, the pit crew with the most wins will be awarded a $105,000 bonus at the completion of the 36-race schedule. Checkers/Rally's is the Official Burger and Drive-Thru Restaurant of NASCAR, more info at checkers.com.(DMF Communications PR)(7-18-2006)
Harvick's Over-the-Wall Crew Quickest in Chicago: Kevin Harvick's over-the-wall crew collected its second Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge win of the season Sunday by spending the least amount of time on pit road during the USG Sheetrock 400. Harvick's #29 GM Goodwrench Chevrolet spent 192.847 seconds on pit road during the 400-mile race. The winning performance by the #29 crew lifted Harvick to a fourth-place finish. Harvick's over-the-wall team, which also picked up pit crew challenge honors at Richmond International Raceway in May, includes: Nick Terry (jackman), Josh Mick (front-tire carrier), Jason Pulver (front-tire changer), Matt Krueter (rear-tire carrier), Clint Pittman (rear-tire changer), Brian Englehart (gasman), Scott Naset (catch can), Rick Tulbert (2nd gas can) and John Goodwin (eighth-man). The team is led by crew chief Todd Berrier. The Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge is in its second season of rewarding pit crews, the unsung heroes in the Nextel Cup Series. The competition awards $10,500 per week to the top pit crew. In addition, the pit crew with the most wins will be awarded a $105,000 bonus at the completion of the 36-race schedule. Checkers/Rally's is the Official Burger and Drive-Thru Restaurant of NASCAR, more info at checkers.com.(DMF Communications PR)(7-11-2006)
Stewart's Crew Wins Pit Crew Challenge at Daytona: Tony Stewart's over-the-wall crew picked up the Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge win Saturday night at Daytona International Speedway, helping lift the team to its second consecutive victory in the summer classic at the 2.5-mile tri-oval. This is the third pit crew challenge win of the season for the No. 20 team, which now owns second place in the season-long standings. They also took the honors at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Bristol Motor Speedway in March. Jimmie Johnson's crew is in the lead with four victories. "I've never worked with a group of guys that were more dedicated to what they do and why they do it," said Stewart. "That's what makes nights like this that much more impressive. This is not a race where a driver can go out and just win it. You have to have a fast car -- one that's prepared well -- and you have to have a crew that gets you in and out of the pits consistently fast all night. We had it all working for us tonight. It was a total team effort." The #20 over-the-wall crew consists of: Jason Lee (jackman), Tom Dean (front-tire carrier), Ira-Jo Hussey (front-tire changer), Jody Fortson (rear-tire carrier), Todd Foster (rear-tire changer), Jeff Patterson (gasman), Brian Larson (catch can) and Scott Geerts (windshield). The team's crew chief is Greg Zipadelli and the pit stop coordinator is Paul Alepa. Stewart's Home Depot Chevrolet spent 205.081 seconds on pit road.(DMF Communications PR)(7-4-2006)
Johnson's Team Earns Pit Crew Challenge Win at Infineon: Jimmie Johnson's team extended its lead in the season-long Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge by winning the award in Sunday's Dodge/ Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, CA. The victory was the fourth of the season for the #48 Lowe's pit crew. They also picked up wins at Daytona, California, and Charlotte. Tony Stewart's, Elliott Sadler's and Kyle Busch's crews are tied for second place with two wins each. Johnson's team will be awarded the weekly $10,500 prize. An additional $105,000 will be presented to the pit crew with the most wins at the completion of the 36-race schedule. Johnson's over-the-wall crew, which spent only 109.657 seconds on pit road during the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup event, includes: Chris Anderson (jackman), Art Simmons (front-tire carrier), Mike Trower (front-tire changer), Ron Malec (rear-tire carrier), Tim Ladyga (rear-tire changer), Rich Gutierrez (gasman), Mike Knauer (catch can) and Sean Kerlin (eighth-man).(DMF Communications PR)(6-28-2006)
Vickers' Team Captures Pit Crew Win In Michigan: Brian Vickers' pit crew claimed the Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge win in Sunday's rain-shortened 3M Performance 400, becoming the 10th Nextel Cup team of the season to capture the weekly competition. The victory was the result of Vickers' #25 Chevy spending the least amount of time on Michigan International Speedway's pit road - 337.524 seconds. "It was a solid performance by the GMAC Racing team on pit road at Michigan," said Hendrick Motorsports pit crew coach Mark Mauldin. "We had all of our regulars on the crew back in place and it showed. We expect to be able to win this award a couple of mores times before the season is finished." Vickers' over-the-wall crew includes: Mike Moore (jackman), Jake Brzozowski (front-tire carrier), Tony Hamm (front-tire changer), Matt Myers (rear-tire carrier), Jeff Fabian (rear-tire changer), Chris Fasulka (gasman), Chris Hamilton (catch can) and Jim Jenkins (windshield). Crew chief for the #25 team is Lance McGrew. The program awards $10,500 per week to the pit crew of the car spending the least amount of time on pit road. In addition, a bonus of $105,000 will be awarded to the pit crew with the most wins at the completion of the 36-race schedule. Jimmie Johnson's crew leads the season standings with three Checkers/Rally's Drive-Thru Challenge wins. Tony Stewart's, Elliott Sadler's and Kyle Busch's crews are tied for second with two wins each.(DMF Communications PR)(6-21-2006)
Kurt Busch's Team Scores Pit Crew Challenge Win in Pocono: By spending the least amount of time on pit road during Sunday's NEXTEL Cup event at Pocono Raceway, Kurt Busch's team earned its first Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge win of the season. The #2 Miller Lite crew spent 193.228 seconds on pit lane, helping to advance Busch to a runner-up finish in the Pocono 500. Busch's over-the-wall crew includes: Ray Gallahan (jackman), Dave Littau (front-tire carrier), Jay Hackney (front-tire changer), Andy Brown (rear-tire carrier), Kevin Hebert (rear-tire changer), Chris Williams (gasman), Steve Williams (catch can) and Dustin Coonfield (windshield). After 14 of 36 races in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season, nine teams have won the weekly Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge, each earning $10,500 per win. In the season standings, Jimmie Johnson's crew leads with three wins while Tony Stewart's, Elliott Sadler's and Kyle Busch's crews are tied for second with two wins. The Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge is in its second season with the Nextel Cup Series. A bonus of $105,000 will be presented to the team with the most wins at the completion of the 36-race schedule.(DMF Communications PR)(6-16-2006)
Burton's Team Grabs Pit Crew Challenge Win In Dover; Jeff Burton's pit crew took home the $10,500 first-place check for winning the Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge in Sunday's Neighborhood Excellence 400 at Dover International Speedway. The #31 crew, which assisted its veteran driver to a fourth-place finish in the 400-lap, 400-mile Nextel Cup race, spent the least amount of time on pit road -- 395.590 seconds. Burton's over-the-wall crew includes: Josh Yost (jackman), Kevin Nervegna (front-tire carrier), Joe Zielinski (front-tire changer), Jason Fowler (rear-tire carrier), Aaron Smith (rear-tire changer), Larry Hartle (gasman), Rich Burgess (catch can) and Wes Adams (windshield). The pit crew coordinator is Corrine Mauldin. The #31 team became the eighth pit crew of the season to win the weekly Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge. A bonus of $105,000 will be presented to the team with the most wins at the completion of the 36-race schedule. Checkers/Rally's is the Official Burger and Drive-Thru Restaurant of NASCAR, more info at checkers.com.(DMF Communications PR)(6-7-2006)
#48 Team Takes PIt Crew Honors at Charlotte: Jimmie Johnson's over-the-wall crew took the lead in the season-long Checkers / Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge by tallying its third win of the season in Sunday's Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Johnson's crew spent 558.658 seconds on pit road during the NASCAR® NEXTEL Cup event, helping boost its driver to a second-place finish in the circuit's longest race of the season. Johnson's over-the-wall crew, part of the Hendrick Motorsports family, consists of: Chris Anderson (jackman), Art Simmons (front-tire carrier), Mike Trower (front-tire changer), Ron Malec (rear-tire carrier), Tim Ladyga (rear-tire changer), Rich Gutierrez (gasman), Mike Knauer (catch can) and Sean Kerlin (eighth-man). The #48 team, guided by crew chief Chad Knaus, also picked up pit crew challenge wins at Daytona International Speedway and California Speedway in February. Johnson's crew, which will be awarded the weekly $10,500 prize, is vying for the $105,000 bonus that will be presented by Checkers/Rally's to the team with the most wins at the completion of the 36-race schedule.(DMF Communications PR)(6-1-2006)
#5 Team Takes PIt Crew Honors at Darlington: Kyle Busch's over-the-wall crew won its second Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge by spending the least amount of time on pit road in Saturday's Dodge Charger 500 at Darlington Raceway. Busch's crew, which spent 350.021 seconds on pit road during the NEXTEL Cup event, is now in a four-way tie for first place in the season-long competition. The crews of Tony Stewart, Elliott Sadler and Jimmie Johnson also have two wins each. Busch's #5 Kellogg's Chevrolet team consists of: Rick Pigeon (jackman), Jeremy "JD" Holcomb (front-tire carrier), DJ Richardson (front-tire changer), Jason Jones (rear-tire carrier), Josh Kirk (rear-tire changer), Brad Pickens (gasman), Jason Dalrymple (catch can), and Whit Satterwhite (eighth-man). The team's crew chief is Alan Gustafson and the pit crew coach is Mark Mauldin. Busch's over-the-wall crew, part of the Hendrick Motorsports stable, will be awarded the weekly $10,500 prize. A bonus of $105,000 will be presented by Checkers/Rally's to the team with the most wins at the completion of the 36-race schedule.(DMF Communications PR)(5-17-2006)
#29 Team Takes PIt Crew Honors at Richmond: Kevin Harvick's race team scored its first win of the season in the weekly Checkers / Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge competition by spending the least amount of time on pit road in Saturday night's Nextel Cup race at Richmond International Raceway. The GM Goodwrench crew, which spent 164.225 seconds on pit road during the Crown Royal 400, helped propel its driver to a third-place finish in the event. Harvick also led the most laps, 272 of 400. "It was a great race for our entire GM Goodwrench crew," said Todd Berrier, crew chief for the #29 Chevrolet. "Our guys did an excellent job on pit road. We had good, clean, fast pit stops all night that helped keep Kevin up front." Harvick's over-the-wall crew consists of: Nick Terry (jackman), Josh Mick (front-tire carrier), Jason Pulver (front-tire changer), Matt Krueter (rear-tire carrier), Clint Pittman (rear-tire changer), Brian Englehart (gasman), Scott Naset (catch can), Rick Tulbert (2nd gas can) and John Goodwin (eighth-man). The team's pit crew coach is Corrine Mauldin. The #29 Richard Childress Racing crew will be awarded the weekly $10,500 prize. A bonus of $105,000 will be presented by Checkers/Rally's to the team with the most pit crew challenge wins at the completion of the 36-race schedule. After 10 Nextel Cup races, the pit crews for Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart and Elliott Sadler are tied for first place in the Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge standings with two wins each.
Checkers/Rally's is the Official Burger and Drive-Thru Restaurant of NASCAR, more info at checkers.com.(DMF Communications PR)(5-10-2006)
#38 Team Takes PIt Crew Honors at Talladega: Elliott Sadler's #38 team took top honors in the Checkers / Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge competition at Talladega Superspeedway. The M&M's pit crew, which spent 276.495 seconds on pit road in Monday's rain-delayed Aaron's 499, also won the competition at Martinsville Speedway on April 2. The victory moved Sadler's pit crew into a three-way tie for first place in the Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge standings. The pit crews for Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart have also scored two wins with a quarter of the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season completed (nine races). Sadler's over-the-wall crew consists of: Rodney Fetters (jackman), Ryan McCray (front-tire carrier), Mike Lingerfelt (front-tire changer), Lance Hanna (rear-tire carrier), Dave Smith (rear-tire changer), Brian Dunaway (gasman), Frankie Good (catch can) and Toby Mellott (windshield). The team's crew chief is Tommy Baldwin, Jr. The #38 crew, part of the Robert Yates Racing stable, will be awarded the weekly $10,500 prize. The Nextel Cup pit crew with the most wins at the completion of the 36-race schedule will receive a $105,000 bonus.(DMF Communications PR)(5-4-2006)
#07 Team Takes PIt Crew Honors at Phoenix: Clint Bowyer's pit crew captured the Checkers / Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge competition in Saturday night's race at Phoenix International Raceway, helping propel its rookie driver to a Nextel Cup career-high fifth-place finish. The program awards $10,500 per week to the [eligible] pit crew of the car spending the least amount of time on pit road. In addition, the pit crew with the most wins will be awarded a $105,000 bonus at the completion of the 36-race schedule. "The guys did a good job on pit road," said Gil Martin, crew chief of Bowyer's #07 Chevrolet. "They stayed in sync pretty well and Clint did a good job getting on and off pit road. The guys were consistent and we did what we needed to do. They beat everybody off of pit road towards the end of the race, so that shows how well they kept their composure. All-in-all, it was a very good night." Bowyer's Jack Daniel's machine spent 266.258 seconds on pit road during the 312-lap race. Bowyer's over-the-wall crew consists of: Carey Wimbish (jackman), Dail Long (front-tire carrier), Shane Westerberg (front-tire changer), Dustin Stanley (rear-tire carrier), Tommy Wallace (rear-tire changer), Ron Liddell (gasman), Clint Almquist (catch can) and Troy Welty (windshield). The team's pit stop coordinator is Corinne Mauldin. Bowyer's crew, part of the Richard Childress Racing stable, becomes the sixth different team to win the Checkers/Rally's weekly competition. Pit crews for Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch, Tony Stewart, Elliott Sadler, and Denny Hamlin have also scored wins. The Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge is in its second season with the Nextel Cup Series.(DMF Communications PR)(4-26-2006)
#11 Team Takes PIt Crew Honors at Texas: Denny Hamlin's pit crew became the fifth team of the season to secure the weekly Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge competition by spending the least amount of time on pit road in Sunday's NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway. "The #11 FedEx Racing crew was unbelievable and those guys deserve all the credit in the world for the finish we had," said Hamlin, who posted a career best fourth-place result. "From the start of the race they were pulling off quick stops and making good changes. It seemed that every time we needed a lift the guys stepped it up." Hamlin's pit crew, part of the Joe Gibbs Racing stable, spent 253.611 seconds on pit lane during the Samsung/RadioShack 500. The team earned $10,500 for the win. The #11 over-the-wall team consists of: Chris Webb (jackman), Blake Haughland (front-tire carrier), Donnie Brown (front-tire changer), Heath Cherry (rear-tire carrier), Barry Cook (rear-tire changer), Scott Wood (gasman), John Eicher (catch can), Bobby "Spike" Christenson (windshield) and John Furino (pit support). The team's crew chief is Mike Ford and the pit crew coordinator is Paul Alepa. Along with the #11 team win, the pit crews of Kyle Busch and Elliott Sadler have one win apiece in the Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge, while Jimmie Johnson's and Tony Stewart's pit crews are tied for first in the standings with two victories each. The season champion will receive a $105,000 bonus. The Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge is in its second season with the Nextel Cup Series. Checkers/Rally's is the Official Burger and Drive-Thru Restaurant of NASCAR, more info at checkers.com.(DMF Communications PR)(4-12-2006)
Sadler's Team Earns Pit Crew Challenge Win: Elliott Sadler's #38 M&M's pit crew claimed its first win of the season in the weekly Checkers / Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge competition, helping boost the Robert Yates Racing driver to a sixth-place finish in Sunday's (April 2) Nextel Cup race at Martinsville Speedway. Sadler's over-the-wall team edged out other participating crews by spending the least amount of time in the pits during the DIRECTV 500. Sadler's #38 Ford spent 279.774 seconds on pit lane. "You've got to have good pit stops and my guys were definitely on it on Sunday," continued Sadler, whose crew earned $10,500 for the win. "This M&M's team needed a good run. I think we are definitely back on track." Sadler's over-the-wall crew consists of: Rodney Fetters (jackman), Ryan McCray (front-tire carrier), Mike Lingerfelt (front-tire changer), Lance Hanna (rear-tire carrier), Dave Smith (rear-tire changer), Brian Dunaway (gasman), Frankie Good (catch can) and Toby Mellott (windshield). The team's crew chief is Tommy Baldwin Jr. and the pit crew coach is Andy Ward. After the sixth race of the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season, Jimmie Johnson's and Tony Stewart's pit crew are tied in the Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge standings with two victories each. The season champion will receive a $105,000 bonus. Checkers/Rally's is the Official Burger and Drive-Thru Restaurant of NASCAR, more info at checkers.com.(DMF Communications PR)(4-5-2006)
Stewart's Team Earns Second Straight Pit Crew Challenge Win: For the second week in a row, Tony Stewart's pit crew secured the weekly Checkers / Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge competition by spending the least amount of time on pit road in Sunday's (March 26) NEXTEL Cup race at Bristol Motor Speedway. "Our pit stops were really good all day," said Stewart, who recorded a 12th-place finish in his Home Depot/Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet. "For two straight weeks our stops have been good. The guys have really stepped it up and I'm proud of them. We never lost a spot on pit road, and at a place like Bristol where track position is so important, having a crew that keeps what you earned on the race track is invaluable." Stewart's team will be awarded the weekly $10,500 prize entitled to the winning team. In addition, a $105,000 reward will be presented to the team with the most pit crew wins at the conclusion of the 36-race Nextel Cup season. Stewart's over-the-wall crew, who spent 206.844 seconds on pit road during the 500-lap event, consists of: Jason Lee (jackman), Tom Dean (front-tire carrier), Ira-Jo Hussey (front-tire changer), Jody Fortson (rear-tire carrier), Todd Foster (rear-tire changer), Jeff Patterson (gasman), Brian Larson (catch can) and Scott Geerts (windshield). The team's crew chief is Greg Zipadelli and the pit stop coordinator is Paul Alepa. The Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge is in its second season with the Nextel Cup Series. Checkers/Rally's is the Official Burger and Drive-Thru Restaurant of NASCAR, more info at checkers.com.(DMF Communications PR)(3-29-2006)
Stewart's Pit Crew Takes Top Honors in Atlanta: Tony Stewart's pit crew captured the Checkers / Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge competition in Monday's rain-delayed NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge is in its second season of rewarding pit crews, the unsung heroes in the Nextel Cup Series. The program awards $10,500 per week to the top pit crew. In addition, the pit crew with the most wins will be awarded a $105,000 bonus at the completion of the 36-race schedule. Stewart's #20 Home Depot Chevrolet spent the least amount of time on pit road (322.141 seconds) during Monday's 500-mile race. The winning performance by the #20 crew lifted Stewart to a fifth-place finish. Stewart's over-the-wall crew consists of: Jason Lee (jackman), Tom Dean (front-tire carrier), Ira-Jo Hussey (front-tire changer), Jody Fortson (rear-tire carrier), Todd Foster (rear-tire changer), Jeff Patterson (gasman), Brian Larson (catch can) and Scott Geerts (windshield). The team's crew chief is Greg Zipadelli and the pit stop coordinator is Paul Alepa. The #20 crew, part of the Joe Gibbs Racing stable, snapped a three-race win streak by Hendrick Motorsports teams. The first two Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge wins of the season went to Jimmie Johnson's #48 crew. The round-three winner was the #5 crew for Kyle Busch. Daytona (2/19) Jimmie Johnson Team; California (2/26) Jimmie Johnson Team; Las Vegas (3/12) Kyle Busch Team; Atlanta (3/20) Tony Stewart Team.(DMF Communications PR)(3-22-2006)

NEXTEL Pit Crew Challenge
#1 Pit Crew win Pit Crew Challenge: Martin Truex Jr's #1 Bass Pro Shops Team put on an outstanding show on Wednesday night at the Charlotte Bobcats Arena en route to capturing the second annual NASCAR NEXTEL Pit Crew Challenge and the $70,100 prize. The #1 Team won over the #9 Team with 25.44 seconds vs. 31.71 [with penalties].(See more at RacingOne.com)(5-18-2006)
Nextel Pit Crew Challenge: May 17th As the kick-off event to NASCAR’s all-star week in Charlotte, NC, the Nextel Pit Crew Challenge presented by Craftsman focuses attention on drivers’ seven-member pit crews. Good, timely work in the pits can win or lose races, and Wednesday night’s second annual competition at the Charlotte Bobcats Arena in Charlotte, N.C., is a time for those crew members to shine. A total of 24 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup pit crews will compete for an overall grand prize of $70,100. Each of the seven over-the-wall pit-crew positions will compete for a $10,000 prize.#9- Kasey Kahne’s pit crew is the defending overall champion. The event begins at 7:00pm/et. All tickets are $10; all seats are general admission. Pit crews eligible for this year’s competition include all those from teams qualified for the 2006 NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge – all 2005 event winners and any additional winners through May 15. Also eligible are the winner of the 2005 NEXTEL Open, #25-Brian Vickers, and the fan vote winner from the 2005 NEXTEL Open, #1-Martin Truex Jr. If there are no new event winners, the remaining positions go to the highest-ranked teams in the car owner standings who aren’t otherwise eligible for Saturday’s all-star event. This year, those are the pit crews for #31-Jeff Burton, #42-Casey Mears, #38-Elliott Sadler and Raybestos Rookie of the Year candidate #11-Denny Hamlin. Prize Money: $70,100 to the winning team; $10,000 to each pit-crew position champion.(NASCAR PR)(5-16-2006)
Pit Crew Challenge:The second NASCAR NEXTEL Pit Crew Challenge presented by Craftsman will take place in a new venue in 2006, moving to the new Charlotte Bobcats Arena in uptown Charlotte. The event, taking place at 7:00pm/et, Wednesday, May 17, is the only event of its kind officially sanctioned by NASCAR and pits the sport's favorite over-the-wall athletes against each other in several skills competitions to showcase their considerable talents. General admission tickets for the event are available April 17 for $10. Fans can purchase at the Bobcats Arena Box Office at CharlotteBobcatsArena.com or by calling (800) 495-2295. Participating teams will partake in open practice at Cabarrus Arena and Events Center throughout the month of May. The practices, which are open to the public, are May 8 from 2-6 p.m., and May 9 and 10 from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.(LMS PR)(4-13-2006)

2006 Pilot Truck Driver Challenge
Seaberg win Pilot Truck Driver Challenge: Evernham Motorsports hauler driver Jeff Seaberg, who steers the #10 Valvoline/Stanley Tools Dodge to the track each week, was named the 2006 Pilot Truck Driver Challenge winner Friday at AMS. Seaberg claimed his $50,000 check and large trophy in front of a room full of his peers and a smattering of media members. Seaberg claimed the title by acing a comprehensive test of driving ability, alertness and dedication to his profession. The competition included safety checks, spot quizzes and navigating through driving courses. Joe Gibbs Racing's Peter Jellen finished second and picked up $5,000, and Penske Racing's Bill Lewis was third, earning $2,500. Pilot Travel Centers also announced plans for increased purse money for next season's challenge, upping second- and third-place prizes to $10,000 and $5,000 respectively.(AMS Pit Notes)(10-28-2006)
Seaberg Soars in Bristol; Scores Perfect in Truck Challenge: Jeff Seaberg, transport driver for Evernham Motorsports' #10 Valvoline team, has jumped into contention in the 2006 Pilot Truck Driver Challenge. Seaberg won the third and final Chicane Course for this year's challenge completing his run with a perfect score. The Pilot Truck Driver Challenge, with a main focus on safe and responsible truck driving, pits transport drivers from the Nextel Cup garage against each other. The winner of the challenge will earn the title of the safest driver in the NASCAR garage and will take home $50,000. During the course at the Bristol Mall on August 24, drivers were required to navigate through various obstacles. Dumping their trailers and driving tractors only, the competitors were asked to back into a dock, reverse through tight obstacles and choose a path between various obstructions. Each course is designed to test various aspects of truck driving that these champion drivers encounter in their profession. Seaberg achieved the only perfect score in the competition with a narrow victory over competition leader Peter Jellen. With his second victory in the driving portion in the challenge, Seaberg has closed the gap on leaders Peter Jellen, Joe Gibbs Racing's #18 Interstate Batteries team and Bill Lewis, Penske Racing's, #2 Miller Lite team. The competitors have only one category remaining, a safety quiz, until the winner's announcement in October at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. More at PilotTruckChallenge.com.(Marketing 500 PR)(8-29-2006)
Jellen up to the Challenge: Peter Jellen, Transport Driver for the #18 Joe Gibbs Racing Team [J.J. Yeley], was all smiles Monday, after his driving skills earned him the victory in the second Chicane Course of the 2006 Pilot Truck Driver Challenge. The Chicane took place at the Charlotte Knight's Baseball Stadium. Each competitor was judged on his ability to avoid obstacles and navigate the course safely. The course consisted of six stations each requiring an array of skills. Bill "Stump" Lewis, of the #2 Penske Racing team, was leading the challenge until the final station, when a bumped cone deduction gave Jellen the victory. Throughout the 2006 race season Pilot Travel Centers will host a series of challenges to reward the Nextel Cup transport driver who demonstrates safe and responsible truck driving, all year long. At the end of the season the winner will walk away with $50,000 and the coveted title "The 2006 Pilot Truck Driver Challenge Champion." For more information on the challenge visit pilottruckchallenge.com.(5-25-2006)
Seaberg wins latest Truck Driver Challenge: On Thursday May 11th [doesn't say where..Darlington?] the Nextel Cup transport drivers showed their skills behind the wheel as part of competition for the 2006 Pilot Truck Driver Challenge. Each driver was judged on his ability to navigate a chicane course safely. At the conclusion of the day's event Jeff Seaberg, transport driver of the #10 Evernham Racing team, and Brent Davis of Peak Fitness Racing, showed that they are one of the best in the garage. Jeff and Brent tied for first place edging out Penske's Bill Lewis of the #2 team. "The course was pretty tight, it was very challenging," said Seaberg, "it was a great time we all had a lot of fun." "When I was in the cab on the course the competition was definitely on my mind," remarked Brent Davis, "I want to be a contender to win it all." With Davis and Seaberg off to a hot start, you can expect the action to pick up in the next event. Throughout the 2006 race season Pilot Travel Centers will host a series of challenges to reward the Nextel Cup transport driver who demonstrates safe and responsible truck driving, all year long. At the end of the season the winner will walk away with $50,000 and the coveted title "The 2006 Pilot Truck Driver Challenge Champion." The next Pilot Truck Driver Challenge event will be held Monday May 22nd at the Charlotte Knights Baseball Stadium from 5-9pm.(Marketing 500)(5-16-2006)
Pilot Truck Driver Challenge - On the Road Again: The Pilot Truck Driver Challenge is on again for 2006, the Truck Driver Challenge showcases team transport drivers to demonstrate why they are the best truck drivers on the road. With the responsibility of driving millions of dollars in equipment from the team shop to the track, owners demand the best, and these drivers will prove that claim. Categories in the Truck Driver Challenge will put the driver's skills to the test as they compete for a grand prize of $50,000. New faces around the garage will introduce some transport drivers to the challenge for the first time. Timmy Rogers and DeWayne Zirkle, rookie drivers for Petty Enterprises, will be competing in the challenge as they enter their first full season in the Nextel Cup. Veteran drivers such as Peter Jellen of Joe Gibbs Racing and Bill Lewis of Penske Racing are out to prove experience can hammer down the enthusiasm of the younger drivers. With the theme of safe and responsible truck driving, new categories will be added in the 2006 challenge. Drivers will be required to complete two safety quizzes, as well as a team event, where they will be partnered with another competitor. During this category, drivers will work together using hand signals and voice commands to navigate obstacles. The popular Chicane Courses will again be a part of this year's challenge with three courses scheduled for competition. The dates and locations are:
1. Florence Civic Center, Florence, SC - Thursday, May 11
2. Knights Baseball Stadium, Fort Mills, SC - Monday, May ?
3. Sears Mall, Bristol, TN - Thursday, August 24
2006 promises to be an exciting season as the Nextel Cup team hauler drivers try to prove who is the best of the best. Defending champion Franky Nester of Richard Childress Racing will be defending the crown as the Pilot Truck Driver Challenge Champion. Each week the drivers will tackle a different category of the challenge in their quest to take home the title, and walk away with the $50,000 check when the Challenge winner is announced in Atlanta.(PR)(3-11-2006)

2006 Clevite Engine Builder Showdown
Hendrick Motorsports duo wins Builder Showdown: The final round of the 2006 Clevite Engine Builder Showdown was held May 23 at the NASCAR Technical Institute in Mooresville, NC. Mike Maiwald and Shane Parsnow of Hendrick Motorsports, in their third final-round appearance, built against Dennis Borem and Darrell Hoffman of Pro Motor Engineering. Borem and Hoffman fired their engine 2 seconds ahead of Maiwald and Parsnow, but it cut out after running just a few seconds. Borem and Hoffman fired their engine again, but it was too late. When the noise stopped, Maiwald and Parsnow finally captured the prize that had eluded them the past two years – the Randy Dorton Memorial Trophy. The teams assembled 357 cubic inch Ford engines — similar in design to those used by NASCAR’s Ford race teams. Borem and Hoffman received a cash award of $5,000 and runner-up trophies. Champions Maiwald and Parsnow received a cash award of $20,000 and will take their rightful place alongside past Showdown Champions on the Randy Dorton Memorial Trophy. (SceneDaily.com)(6-7-2006)

WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Race
Wypall Wipers Crowns Crew Chief Champions: Wypall Wipers announced Robbie Reiser, Trip Bruce and Rick Ren as the winners of its 2006 Crew Chief Challenge. The Wypall Wipers Crew Chief Challenge has been a season-long contest to determine the best crew chiefs in the garage. At the conclusion of each event in racing's top-three series, a panel of judges, including Tony Eury Sr., Director of Competition at Dale Earnhardt, Inc., a member of the local media and a Wypall Wipers representative, decided which crew chief did an outstanding job. It wasn't necessarily the crew chief that went to victory lane, but it was always the crew chief that made the biggest difference to his team. The crew chief in each series with the most weekly wins won top honors as the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Year. The Wypall Wipers Crew Chief Challenge spotlights the crew chief's efforts to get his team in Victory Lane.
Robbie Reiser, crew chief of the Nextel Cup Series #17 Roush Racing DeWalt Ford, earned Crew Chief of the Race accolades at five events this season, narrowly edging Kenny Francis, crew chief of the #9 Dodge Dealers Dodge, who won the award four times. Reiser received $20,000 as the Crew Chief of the Year.
Trip Bruce, crew chief of the Busch Series #9 Evernham Motorsports Dodge Charger, won the Crew Chief of the Race award five times this season, beating out Shane Wilson, crew chief of the #21 Coast Guard Chevrolet, who picked up four wins. Bruce won $10,000 for his achievement.
Rick Ren, crew chief of the Craftsman Truck Series #23 Bill Davis Racing Toyota, won a close competition over Mike Hillman Jr., crew chief of the #30 Lumber Liquidators Toyota, for Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Year honors. Ren won the Crew Chief of the Race award five times throughout 2006, earning a $10,000 grand prize as the champion.
Wypall Wipers will return in 2007 with its Crew Chief Challenge and continue to spotlight the men behind the machines. For more information, log onto Wypall.com.(11-27-2006)
Tryson Wins WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Race Award at Phoenix: Almost every crew chief followed the same pit strategy in the Checkers Auto Parts 500, that is, except for Pat Tryson. Tryson was one of the few daring crew chiefs who opted to take only two tires on the last round of pit stops. His decision brought the #6 AAA team a finish just outside the top-five and earned him the WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Race award. After spending the majority of the race outside the top-10, Tryson earned Martin's track position the easy way - he spent less time on pit road. When the caution waved on lap 253, Tryson called for a two-tire change on his driver's Ford Fusion, a move the shot Martin into the lead for the restart. Martin took advantage of his newfound real estate and held on to finish in sixth-place. Three judges, including a member of the local media, Robbie Reiser and a WypAll Wipers representative, agreed that Tryson deserved Crew Chief of the Race honors. For winning the Crew Chief of the Race award, WypAll Wipers presented Tryson $1,000. At the end of the season, the Nextel Cup crew chief with the most weekly wins will receive $20,000 and be crowned the WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Year. This was Tryson's first Crew Chief of the Race award, which ties him for fifth-place in the standings with Doug Richert, Philippe Lopez, Frankie Stoddard, Alan Gustafson, and Kevin Hamlin. Mike Ford, Scott Miller, Roy McCauley, Greg Zipadelli and Chad Knaus are tied for fourth-place, all with two wins. Todd Berrier and Tony Eury Jr. are tied for third-place, both with three wins. Kenny Francis is in second place with four wins and Robbie Reiser is in first-place with five wins.(WypAll PR)(11-14-2006)
Andrews Wins WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Race Award Thanks to Paul Andrews' decision to leave Bobby Labonte on the track during the final round of pit stops in the Subway 500, the #43 team scored their best finish of the season. Andrews' call put Labonte out front with 100 laps remaining and allowed him to avoid the short track mêlée in the closing stages of the race. Labonte went on to finish in third-place, his third top-five of the season. For his efforts, Andrews was voted the WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Race. Three judges, including a member of the local media, Robbie Reiser and a WypAll Wipers representative, agreed that Andrews deserved Crew Chief of the Race honors. For winning the Crew Chief of the Race award, WypAll Wipers presented Andrews $1,000. At the end of the season, the Nextel Cup crew chief with the most weekly wins will receive $20,000 and be crowned the WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Year. This was Andrew's first Crew Chief of the Race award, which ties him for fourth-place with Doug Richert, Philippe Lopez, Frankie Stoddard, Alan Gustafson, Kevin Hamlin and Greg Zipadelli. Mike Ford, Scott Miller, Roy McCauley and Chad Knaus are tied for third-place, all with two wins. Todd Berrier and Tony Eury Jr. are tied for second-place, both with three wins. Robbie Reiser and Kenny Francis are tied for first-place, both with four wins.(WypAll PR)(10-25-2006)
Thomas Takes Home WypAll Wipers Award in First Race with #96 Team: In his first outing with Hall of Fame Racing, crew chief Brandon Thomas teamed with Tony Raines to pick up his first top-10 of the season and the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Race award. At a packed Lowe's Motor Speedway on Saturday night, Thomas set his own course for the race calling Raines in for an early pit stop after an incident in the early stages of the bank of America 500. Under caution, Raines was given four fresh tires and topped off with fuel. Thomas's decision to pit out of sequence paid dividends; nine laps later the rest of the field came down pit lane under caution and Raines took over the top spot. With cunning calls and great communication, the #96 DLP HDTV team led 28 laps and hovered in the top-10 for most of the night, ending the race in seventh-place, Raines' best finish for the year. Three judges, including a member of the local media, Robbie Reiser and a Wypall Wipers representative, recognized Thomas' effort at the Lowe's Motor Speedway and selected him as the deserving winner. The pairing of Thomas and Raines gave the #96 team a great platform to plan for their 2007 season.(WypAll PR)(10-17-2006)
McCauley Wins Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Race Award at Talladega: While most competitors in the UAW/Ford 500 had a day filled with ups and downs, Kurt Busch was a picture of consistency. Following crew chief Roy McCauley's game plan, the #2 Miller Lite team performed a series of two-tire pit stops that kept Busch on the leader's board for the majority of the race. Busch's track position allowed him to steer clear of trouble and finish the day in third-place. McCauley's strategy earned him the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Race award. The #2 team went the entire race without performing a four-tire pit stop. After starting in 29th place, Busch seemed stuck towards the back of the field and couldn't make any significant gains on the leaders. McCauley called for a change of right-side tires when Busch made his first trip down pit lane, which moved him up with the front runners. McCauley kept his driver's track position by continuing to call for two-tire stops, each time rotating the side that his crew changed. Busch stayed up front to finish the day in third-place. A panel of voters, including Tony Eury Sr., a member of the local media and a Wypall Wipers representative, all voted for McCauley as the Crew Chief of the Race. For winning the Crew Chief of the Race award, Wypall Wipers presented McCauley $1,000. At the end of the season, the Nextel Cup crew chief with the most weekly wins will receive $20,000 and be crowned the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Year. This was McCauley's second Crew Chief of the Race award, which ties him for third place with Mike Ford, Scott Miller and Chad Knaus. Doug Richert, Philippe Lopez, Frankie Stoddard, Alan Gustafson, Kevin Hamlin and Greg Zipadelli are tied for fourth-place, all with one win. Todd Berrier and Tony Eury Jr. are tied for second-place, both with three wins. Robbie Reiser and Kenny Francis are tied for first-place, both with four wins.(WypAll PR)(10-10-2006)
Zipadelli Wins WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Race Award at Kansas: Greg Zipadelli's gas gamble in the Banquet 400 at Kansas Speedway paid off big time. While most crew chiefs elected to have their drivers pit for fuel one more time following the final caution period, Zipadelli made the call to leave Tony Stewart on the track. His decision brought the Home Depot team their third win of the season and earned him the WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Race award. The final caution period of the race lasted from laps 196 to 199. Sixty-eight laps remained in the race, which put most drivers outside of their fuel window. Nearly everyone made an additional trip down pit lane to top off with gas, however Zipadelli rolled the dice and elected not to bring the #20 Chevrolet into the pits. Stewart ran out of fuel after exiting turn 2 on the final lap, but was able to coast across the finish line over 10 seconds ahead of second-place finisher Casey Mears. A panel of voters, including Tony Eury Sr., a member of the local media and a WypAll Wipers representative, all voted for Zipadelli as the Crew Chief of the Race. For winning the Crew Chief of the Race award, WypAll Wipers presented Zipadelli $1,000. At the end of the season, the Nextel Cup crew chief with the most weekly wins will receive $20,000 and be crowned the WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Year. This was Zipadelli's first Crew Chief of the Race award, which ties him for fourth-place with Doug Richert, Philippe Lopez, Frankie Stoddard, Alan Gustafson, Kevin Hamlin and Roy McCauley. Mike Ford, Scott Miller and Chad Knaus are tied for third-place, all with two wins. Todd Berrier and Tony Eury Jr. are tied for second-place, both with three wins. Robbie Reiser and Kenny Francis are tied for first-place, both with four wins.(WypAll PR)(10-3-2006)
Miller Wins WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Race Award: With help from crew chief Scott Miller, Jeff Burton made a long awaited return to victory lane this weekend at Dover International Speedway. After taking four fresh tires on the last round of pit stops, Burton tracked down Matt Kenseth to snag the lead and claim his first win of the season. Miller's call for fresh rubber not only brought the #31 team a win, but earned him the WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Race award. The Cingular Wireless Chevy wasn't as strong in the early stages of the Dover 400, a "15th-place car" at best, admitted Burton. As the race progressed, "Scott made the car better and better." All the pieces came together for Burton following the last caution period, when Matt Kenseth elected not to pit for tires. Burton pitted and was the first driver to rejoin the field with fresh rubber, just the ammunition he needed to take over the lead. "The last pit stop and strategy are what won the race," said Burton. A panel of voters, including Tony Eury Sr., a member of the local media and a WypAll Wipers representative, all voted for Miller as the Crew Chief of the Race. For winning the Crew Chief of the Race award, WypAll Wipers presented Miller $1,000. At the end of the season, the Nextel Cup crew chief with the most weekly wins will receive $20,000 and be crowned the WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Year. This was Miller's second Crew Chief of the Race award, which ties him for third-place in the standings with Mike Ford and Chad Knaus. Doug Richert, Philippe Lopez, Frankie Stoddard, Alan Gustafson, Kevin Hamlin and Roy McCauley are tied for fourth-place, all with one win. Todd Berrier and Tony Eury Jr. are tied for second-place, both with three wins. Robbie Reiser and Kenny Francis are tied for first-place, both with four wins.(WypAll PR)(9-27-2006)
Hamlin Wins WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Race Award at NHIS: Kevin Hamlin and Dave Blaney teamed up to bring the #22 Caterpillar team its second-best finish of the season this weekend at New Hampshire International Speedway. With Hamlin calling the shots, Blaney used an off-sequence pit strategy to land the ninth position in the Sylvania 300. Hamlin's strategy earned him the WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Race award. Hamlin positioned Blaney for a top-10 by opting not to pit when the caution flag waved on lap 210. All of the leaders made pit stops under the yellow; Blaney stayed out and took over the lead. "It really wasn't a gamble," explained Hamlin. "We knew we didn't have enough fuel to go the distance from there, so we just stayed out. We figured we'd have to come in at least once more, so we stayed out to make up some track position and hoped for another caution to come out before we got to the end of our fuel run." Hamlin got his wish. The caution came out again on lap 265 which allowed Blaney to pit on-sequence with the leaders. He returned to the track in ninth-place where he remained until the finish. It marked his second consecutive top-10 in as many weeks. A panel of voters, including Robbie Reiser, Chuck Givler of the Easton Express Times and a WypAll Wipers representative, all voted for Hamlin as the Crew Chief of the Race.
For winning the Crew Chief of the Race award, WypAll Wipers presented Hamlin $1,000. At the end of the season, the Nextel Cup crew chief with the most weekly wins will receive $20,000 and be crowned the WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Year. This was Hamlin's first Crew Chief of the Race award, which ties him for fourth-place in the standings with Doug Richert, Philippe Lopez, Frankie Stoddard, Scott Miller, Alan Gustafson and Roy McCauley. Todd Berrier and Tony Eury Jr are tied for second-place, each with three wins. Mike Ford and Chad Knaus are tied for third-place, both with two wins. Robbie Reiser and Kenny Francis are tied for first-place, both with four wins.(Wypall PR)(9-18-2006)
Berrier Wins WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Race Award at RIR: Kevin Harvick and Todd Berrier returned to Richmond International Raceway with a vengeance. The duo made all the right calls in Saturday night's Chevy Rock & Roll 400, redeeming their near-win in last May's Crown Royal 400 with a victory. Harvick held the lead six times for a total of 54 laps before he took the checkered flag to claim his third win of the season. Berrier's race-winning performance earned him the WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Race award. A panel of voters, including Tony Eury Sr., a member of the local media and a WypAll Wipers representative, all cast their vote for Berrier as the Crew Chief of the Race. For winning the Crew Chief of the Race award, WypAll Wipers presented Berrier $1,000. At the end of the season, the Nextel Cup crew chief with the most weekly wins will receive $20,000 and be crowned the WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Year. This was Berrier's third Crew Chief of the Race award in 2006, which ties him for second-place with Tony Eury Jr. Doug Richert, Philippe Lopez, Frankie Stoddard, Scott Miller, Alan Gustafson and Roy McCauley are tied for fourth-place, all with one win. Mike Ford and Chad Knaus are tied for third-place, all with two wins. Robbie Reiser and Kenny Francis are tied for first-place, both with four wins.(Wypall PR)(9-14-2006)
Reiser Wins WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Race Award at Bristol: Robbie Reiser's #17 team scored their second Nextel Cup win in a row this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway, defending their crown as Sharpie 500 champions. Matt Kenseth's victory earned Reiser the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Race award. Kenseth led the race four times for a total of 117 laps, but not before a late-race caution put his team to the test. On lap 449, the leaders made their final pit stops, giving the field a chance to pass Kenseth on pit road. Fortunately, the "Killer Bees" put their driver back on the track in first place, where he easily held on for the win. "If the #5 had beaten us off pit road, he would have beaten us for sure," said Kenseth after the race. A panel of voters, including Tony Eury Sr., a member of the local media and a Wypall Wipers representative, all voted for Reiser as the Crew Chief of the Race. For winning the Crew Chief of the Race award, Wypall Wipers presented Reiser $1,000. At the end of the season, the Nextel Cup crew chief with the most weekly wins will receive $20,000 and be crowned the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Year. This was Reiser's fourth Crew Chief of the Race award in 2006, which ties him for first-place place in the standings with Kenny Francis. Tony Eury Jr. is in second place with three wins. Mike Ford, Chad Knaus and Todd Berrier are tied for third-place, all with two wins. Todd Berrier, Doug Richert, Philippe Lopez, Frankie Stoddard, Scott Miller, Alan Gustafson and Roy McCauley are tied for fourth-place, all with one win.(Wypall PR)(8-29-2006)
Reiser Wins WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Race Award at Michigan: The Robbie Reiser led #17 team cruised to their third win of the season at Michigan International Speedway. Matt Kenseth's DeWalt Ford paced the field for a race high 87 laps in the GFS Marketplace 400 before taking the checkered flag over Jeff Gordon. For leading his team to victory, Reiser won the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Race award. A panel of voters, including Tony Eury Sr., a member of the local media and a Wypall Wipers representative, all voted for Reiser as the Crew Chief of the Race. For winning the Crew Chief of the Race award, Wypall Wipers presented Reiser $1,000. At the end of the season, the Nextel Cup crew chief with the most weekly wins will receive $20,000 and be crowned the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Year. This was Reiser's third Crew Chief of the Race award in 2006, which ties him for second-place place in the standings with Tony Eury Jr. Mike Ford, Chad Kanus Knaus and Todd Berrier are tied for third-place, all with two wins. Darian Grubb, Todd Berrier, Doug Richert, Philippe Lopez, Frankie Stoddard, Scott Miller, Alan Gustafson and Roy McCauley are tied for fourth-place, all with one win. Kenny Francis is in the lead with four wins.(Wypall PR)(8-22-2006)
Berrier Wins Second WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Race Award: Kevin Harvick tactfully negotiated the twists and turns of Watkins Glen International to pick up his second win of the season. Crew chief Todd Berrier's call to bring the #29 Goodwrench Chevy in for service on lap 53 proved to be the call of the race, as it moved Harvick into the top-3. Harvick took advantage of his newfound track position and took turns swapping the lead with race leader Tony Stewart, passing him for the final time on lap 88. Berrier's day earned him the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Race award. A panel of voters, including Tony Eury Sr., Stan Creekmore and a Wypall Wipers representative, all voted for Berrier as the Crew Chief of the Race. Despite coming on strong at the end, Harvick didn't appear to have a race-winning machine in the opening stages of the AMD at the Glen. For winning the Crew Chief of the Race award, Wypall Wipers presented Berrier $1,000. At the end of the season, the Nextel Cup crew chief with the most weekly wins will receive $20,000 and be crowned the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Year. This was Berrier's second Crew Chief of the Race award in 2006, which ties him for third-place place in the standings with Robbie Reiser, Mike Ford and Chad Kanus. Darian Grubb, Todd Berrier, Doug Richert, Philippe Lopez, Frankie Stoddard, Scott Miller, Alan Gustafson and Roy McCauley are tied for fourth-place, all with one win. Tony Eury Jr. is in second-place with two wins. Kenny Francis is in the lead with four wins.(Wypall PR)(8-15-2006)
Eury Jr. Collects Third Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Race Award: Tony Eury Jr.'s quick thinking in the final stages of the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard improved his team's finish by 22 positions. The crew chief's gutsy call to leave Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the track during a late-race caution salvaged the Budweiser Chevrolet a sixth-place finish and boosted the team back inside the top-10 point standings. Eury Jr.'s performance earned him the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Race award. Things looked bleak for the #8 team throughout the event. Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s mishandling Chevrolet prevented him from moving beyond the top-20 for the majority of the race. Fortunately, a caution flag waved on lap 143 and the bulk of the lead pack all entered the pits for fresh tires. Despite having 20 laps on his current tires, Eury Jr. decided to forego service on the #8 machine and left Earnhardt Jr. on the track. The call moved him from 28th place into second-place for the final restart, with 14 laps remaining. "I had to drive really hard at the end," said Earnhardt Jr. "(It was) harder than I normally drive." The worn rubber made it tough, but Earnhardt Jr. took advantage of the newfound track position and fought to finish just outside the top-five. A panel of voters; including a member of the local media, Robbie Reiser and a Wypall Wipers representative; all gave the nod to Eury Jr. as the crew chief that did the best job.
For winning the Crew Chief of the Race award, Wypall Wipers presented Eury Jr. $1,000. At the end of the season, the Nextel Cup crew chief with the most weekly wins will receive $20,000 and be crowned the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Year. This was Eury Jr.'s third Crew Chief of the Race award in 2006, which puts him in second-place place of the standings. Robbie Reiser, Mike Ford and Chad Kanus are in third-place, all with two wins. Darian Grubb, Todd Berrier, Doug Richert, Philippe Lopez, Frankie Stoddard, Scott Miller, Alan Gustafson and Roy McCauley are tied for fourth-place, all with one win. Kenny Francis is in the lead with four wins.(Wypall PR)(8-9-2006)
Ford Wins WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Race Award at Pocono: For the second time this season, Mike Ford's #11 Fed Ex team owned the Pocono Raceway. His team dominated the action, leading a race-high 151 laps of the 200 lap event, and scored Denny Hamlin his second consecutive win at the raceway. The team's performance not only kept Hamlin's undefeated reign at Pocono intact, but also made Ford the easy pick for this week's Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Race award. Ford is no stranger to Pocono Raceway. He won the 2002 July event wit Bill Elliott and brought Hamlin his first career Nextel Cup win there earlier this season. A panel of voters; including a member of the local media, Robbie Reiser and a Wypall Wipers representative; all agreed that Ford deserved Crew Chief of the Race honors.
For winning the Crew Chief of the Race award, Wypall Wipers presented Ford $1,000. At the end of the season, the Nextel Cup crew chief with the most weekly wins will receive $20,000 and be crowned the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Year. This was Ford's second Crew Chief of the Race award in 2006, which ties him for second-place place with Robbie Reiser, Chad Knaus and Tony Eury Jr. Darian Grubb, Todd Berrier, Doug Richert, Philippe Lopez, Frankie Stoddard, Scott Miller, Alan Gustafson and Roy McCauley are tied for third-place, all with one win. Kenny Francis is in the lead with four wins.(Wypall PR)(7-24-2006)
Gustafson Wins WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Race Award at NHIS: Alan Gustafson guided Kyle Busch to his third career Nextel Cup victory in Sunday's Lenox Industrial Tools 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway. Busch led a race-high 107 laps and endured an overtime finish in route to the checkered flag. Gustafson's day earned him the WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Race award. Busch was on the track 96 laps after his final pit stop, including 8 unplanned laps of overtime. Two of the top-five competitors ran out of fuel on the final green flag run, yet Busch had enough gas in the tank for celebratory burn outs following his victory. A panel of voters; including a member of the local media, Tony Eury Sr. and a WypAll Wipers representative; collectively agreed the Gustafson deserved Crew Chief of the Race honors. For winning the Crew Chief of the Race award, WypAll Wipers presented Gustafson $1,000. At the end of the season, the Nextel Cup crew chief with the most weekly wins will receive $20,000 and be crowned the WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Year. This was Gustafson's first Crew Chief of the Race award in 2006, which ties him for third place with Darian Grubb, Todd Berrier, Doug Richert, Philippe Lopez, Frankie Stoddard, Scott Miller and Roy McCauley. Robbie Reiser, Chad Knaus and Tony Eury Jr. are tied for second-place, all with two wins. Kenny Francis is in the lead with four wins.(Wypall PR)(7-18-2006)
Scott Miller Wins WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Race Award: Jeff Burton had a near-perfect weekend at Chicagoland Speedway. With guidance from crew chief Scott Miller, Burton sat the #31 Cingular Wireless Chevy on the pole for the USG Sheetrock 400 and came home with a second-place finish. The #31 team's performance earned Scott Miller the WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Race award. Burton led 60 laps of the event, second only to Matt Kenseth. As good as the #31 machine was, the cooling track temperatures made its handling tighten up as the race went on. A panel of voters; including a member of the local media, Tony Eury Sr. and a WypAll Wipers representative; all voted for Miller as the crew chief of the race. For winning the Crew Chief of the Race award, WypAll Wipers presented Miller $1,000. At the end of the season, the Nextel Cup crew chief with the most weekly wins will receive $20,000 and be crowned the WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Year. This was Miller's first Crew Chief of the Race award in 2006, which ties him for third place with Darian Grubb, Todd Berrier, Doug Richert, Philippe Lopez, Frankie Stoddard and Roy McCauley. Robbie Reiser, Chad Knaus and Tony Eury Jr. are tied for second-place, all with two wins. Kenny Francis is in the lead with four wins.(Wypall PR)(7-10-2006)
no PR sent out after Daytona
Lopez Wins Crew Chief of the Race Award: Prior to this weekend's Dodge/Save Mart 350, the #96 DLP HDTV team's best finish was a 16th place run at Pocono Raceway, but thanks to a crafty pit strategy from crew chief Philippe Lopez, Terry Labonte left Infineon Raceway with a 3rd place finish to boot. Lopez's day earned him the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Race award. After starting 37th, Labonte worked his way into the top-25, but had trouble making up any additional ground on the leaders. Realizing that the opportunities to pass at the winding road course were few and far between, Lopez made the gutsy call to leave Labonte on the track following his pit stop on lap 60, which allowed him to inherit the lead. Lopez's decision went against the grain, as all other competitors elected to come in for fuel at least one more time. Although few thought the #96 had enough fuel to go the distance, Labonte cruised his way to a top-five finish.
A panel of voters; including a member of the local media, Robbie Reiser and a Wypall Wipers representative; all cast their vote for Lopez as the crew chief that made the biggest impact to his team. For winning the Crew Chief of the Race award, Wypall Wipers presented Lopez $1,000. At the end of the season, the Nextel Cup crew chief with the most weekly wins will receive $20,000 and be crowned the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Year. This was Lopez's first Crew Chief of the Race award in 2006, which ties him for third place with Darian Grubb, Todd Berrier, Doug Richert, and Roy McCauley. Robbie Reiser, Chad Knaus and Tony Eury Jr. are tied for second-place, all with two wins. Kenny Francis is in the lead with four wins.(Wypall PR)(6-27-2006)
Francis Wins WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Race Award at MIS: Kasey Kahne and Kenny Francis, crew chief [actually called Team Director] of the #9 Dodge, appeared to be bulletproof at this weekend's 3M Performance 400 [at Michigan]. The duo overcame a run-in with the wall and an overheating machine to score their fourth win of 2006. Francis' day earned him the WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Race award. Kahne started his weekend out with a bang; with a speed of 185.644 mph, Kahne sat the Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge on the pole. Unfortunately for the #9 team, Kahne's car tagged the retaining wall during the final practice session. Francis was able to repair the damage; however, Kahne wasn't able to turn any laps in the reformed vehicle until go-time. Still, the #9 showed little evidence of weakness in the race, as Kahne led the opening lap and was once again in the top spot on lap 32. Kahne's fortune took another turn south, though, when a piece of debris collected on the grill of his car, causing the engine to overheat. Francis called his driver in for an unscheduled stop on lap 38 to clean the grill, which relegated him to 38th place, one lap down to the leaders. Kahne was the beneficiary of the "lucky dog" award on lap 55 when the caution flag waved for rain. Once he was back on the lead lap, Kahne methodically worked his way through the field. He recaptured the lead on lap 117 and held on until lap 129, when the race was called due to rain. "It was nerve-racking, that's for sure," said Francis. "I think part of the key to it for sure was being on the pole and having that pit box. The way it's laid out here, that's a big advantage under caution. We knew it was going to rain and we kept watching the radar in the pit box. When they finally did throw the yellow, I couldn't believe it was raining. It was just surrounding."
A panel of voters; including a member of the local media, Robbie Reiser and a WypAll Wipers representative; all cast their vote for Francis as the crew chief who did the best job.
For winning the Crew Chief of the Race award, WypAll Wipers presented Francis $1,000. At the end of the season, the Nextel Cup crew chief with the most weekly wins will receive $20,000 and be crowned the WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Year. This was Francis's fourth Crew Chief of the Race award in 2006, which puts him in the lead. Robbie Reiser, Chad Knaus and Tony Eury Jr. are tied for second-place, all with two wins. Darian Grubb, Todd Berrier, Doug Richert, Kenny Francis and Roy McCauley are tied for third-place, all with one win.(Wypall PR)(6-19-2006)
Spin to Win Earns Ford Crew Chief of the Race Award at Pocono: With guidance from crew chief Mike Ford, Denny Hamlin performed a near-miraculous comeback to score the first points race victory in his Nextel Cup career this weekend at the Pocono Raceway. The duo's efforts made Ford the easy pick for this week's WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Race award. The #11 FedEx Chevy was undoubtedly the class of the field in Sunday's Pocono 500. Hamlin sat his machine on the pole and dominated the opening stages of the race, however, his efforts were almost for nil after his tire blew on lap 51, causing him to spin out. The incident relinquished him to 40th place and damaged the left-rear quarter panel of his race car. Fortunately for Hamlin, Ford was able to restore the car to its original form over the course of several pit stops during the ensuing caution flag laps. Once the damage was fixed, Hamlin methodically climbed his way through the field. After taking over the top spot with 24 laps remaining, Hamlin had no problem holding off the advances of his competitors. A panel of voters; including Chuck Givler of the Easton Express-Times, Robbie Reiser and a WypAll Wipers representative; all agreed that Ford deserved Crew Chief of the Race honors. For winning the Crew Chief of the Race award, WypAll Wipers presented Ford $1,000. At the end of the season, the Nextel Cup crew chief with the most weekly wins will receive $20,000 and be crowned the WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Year. This was Ford's first Crew Chief of the Race award in 2006, which ties him for third-place in the standings with Darian Grubb, Todd Berrier, Doug Richert and Roy McCauley. Robbie Reiser, Chad Knaus and Tony Eury Jr. are tied for second-place, all with two wins. Kenny Francis is in the lead with three wins.(Wypall PR)(6-15-2006)
Knaus Wins WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Race at Dover: Apparently it takes a lot more than bad starting position, a mishandling race car and an accident on the track to keep Chad Knaus and his #48 Lowe's team down. No matter how bad the odds seemed stacked against them, Knaus never lets his crew quit, as we all saw in Sunday's Neighborhood Excellence 400. Knaus gave a textbook display of how to turn a dismal day into a top-ten finish, and earned the WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Race award for his efforts. Few would have thought that Jimmy Johnson stood a chance of finishing in the top-20 at the beginning of this weekend's race. Johnson started in the 42nd position and wasn't gaining any positions in the early stages of the event. His car was way to loose and he ended up losing one lap to the leaders as a result. To make matters worse, he suffered damage to the rear end of his machine after getting spun out from behind by the #40 car. Just when it seemed like it was the end of the road for the #48 team, Knaus called for a round of adjustments that dialed in the Lowe's Chevy. Johnson not only got his lap back, but drove his way to a sixth-place finish. A panel of voters; including Stan Creekmore of Circle Track Plus, Tony Eury Sr. and a WypAll Wipers representative; all agreed that Knaus deserved Crew Chief of the Race honors.
For winning the Crew Chief of the Race award, WypAll Wipers presented Knaus $1,000. At the end of the season, the Nextel Cup crew chief with the most weekly wins will receive $20,000 and be crowned the WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Year. This was Kanus' second Crew Chief of the Race award in 2006, which ties him for second-place in the standings with Robbie Reiser and Tony Eury Jr. Darian Grubb, Todd Berrier, Doug Richert and Roy McCauley are tied for third-place, all with one win. Kenny Francis is in the lead with three wins.(Wypall PR)(6-6-2006)
Francis Wins WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Race at Charlotte: After taking home wins in Texas and Atlanta, the Kasey Kahne/Kenny Francis tandem continued their dominance at the mile-and-a-half tracks this weekend at the Coca-Cola 600. Kahne picked up his third win of the season at Lowe's MotorSpeedway, dethroning the reigning champion Jimmie Johnson. With crew chief Kenny Francis calling the shots, Kahne was a picture of consistency throughout NASCAR's longest, most grueling race. The #9 Dodge led a race-high 158 laps and was rarely spotted outside of the top-10. Francis' winning strategy earned him the WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Race award. As solid as Kahne's car was during the course of the event, the Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge indicated it might begin to fade on the night's final run if left untouched. Francis called for adjustments to loosen up the #9 machine during the race's last pit stop, which was just what Kahne needed to recapture the lead. Kahne stormed from third-place position on the restart into the lead on lap 371 and never looked back. A panel of voters; including a member of the local media, Robbie Reiser and a WypAll Wipers representative; all voted for Francis as the crew chief that made the biggest impact on his team.
For winning the Crew Chief of the Race award, WypAll Wipers presented Francis $1,000. At the end of the season, the Nextel Cup crew chief with the most weekly wins will receive $20,000 and be crowned the WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Year. This was Francis' third Crew Chief of the Race award in 2006, which moves him into first place of the standings. Robbie Reiser and Tony Eury Jr. are tied for second-place, each with two wins. Darian Grubb, Todd Berrier Chad Knaus, Doug Richert and Roy McCauley are tied for third-place, all with one win.(Wypall PR)(5-30-2006)
Richert Wins WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Race at Darlington: Greg Biffle and his crew chief Doug Richert finally shook their spell of bad luck this weekend at Darlington Raceway. Biffle dominated the Dodge Charger 500, leading a race-high 170 laps before claiming his first Nextel Cup victory of the season. Biffle's wining performance earned Richert the WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Race award. Although Biffle was up front for the majority of the event, on the second-to-last run, his car's handling began to fade and relegated him to fourth-place before the final round of pit stops. Richert called Biffle into the pits earlier than the rest of the field for fresh tires, which moved him into the lead once the stops cycled around. The #16 National Guard Ford remained on point until the checkered flag. A panel of voters; including a member of the local media, Tony Eury Sr. and a WypAll Wipers representative; all cast their vote for Richert as the crew chief who did the best job. For winning the Crew Chief of the Race award, WypAll Wipers presented Richert $1,000. At the end of the season, the Nextel Cup crew chief with the most weekly wins will receive $20,000 and be crowned the WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Year. This was Richert's first Crew Chief of the Race award in 2006, which ties him with Darian Grubb, Todd Berrier Chad Knaus and Roy McCauley for second-place in the Crew Chief of the Year standings. Robbie Reiser, Tony Eury Jr. and Kenny Francis are tied for first, each with one win.(Wypall PR)(5-15-2006)
Eury Jr. Wins WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Race at Richmond: Tony Eury Jr. helped Dale Earnhardt Jr. snap a 27 race winless streak this weekend at Richmond International Raceway. The pivotal moment of the event came when Earnhardt Jr. relinquished his second-place position to pit for fresh tires during the closing stages of the Crown Royal 400. The strategy allowed Earnhardt Jr. to track down the leader and fend off the advances of a hard charging Denny Hamlin before capturing the checkered flag. Eury's winning call earned him the WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Race award. A panel of voters; including a member of the local media, Robbie Reiser and a WypAll Wipers representative; all cast their vote for Eury Jr. as the Crew Chief of the Race. For winning the Crew Chief of the Race award, WypAll Wipers presented Eury Jr. $1,000. At the end of the season, the Nextel Cup crew chief with the most weekly wins will receive $20,000 and be crowned the WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Year. This was Eury's second Crew Chief of the Race award in 2006, which ties him for the lead with Robbie Reiser and Kenny Francis in the standings. Darian Grubb, Todd Berrier Chad Knaus and Roy McCauley are tied for second-place, each with one win.(Wypall PR)(5-8-2006)
Knaus Wins WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Race at Talladega: In typical Talladega fashion, the Aaron's 499 played out like a 200 mph game of chess. In the end, it was Chad Knaus' decision to bring the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet in for service on the last round of pit stops which proved to be the game winning strategy. Jimmie Johnson's fresh tires were exactly what he needed to climb through the pack and capture the win. Knaus' triumphant tactics earned him the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Race. With 22 laps to go, Knaus was left with the difficult choice of whether to have his driver pit or stay on the track. Knaus elected to have Johnson reload with fresh tires for the final run. The decision put Johnson in 15th place for the restart, but Johnson had little difficulty storming to the front. A panel of voters; including a member of the local media, Tony Eury Sr. and a Wypall Wipers representative; agreed that Knaus' strategy earned him Crew Chief of the Race honors. For winning the Crew Chief of the Race award, Wypall Wipers presented Knaus $1,000. At the end of the season, the Nextel Cup crew chief with the most weekly wins will receive $20,000 and be crowned the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Year. This was Knaus' first Crew Chief of the Race award in 2006, which ties him with Darian Grubb, Todd Berrier and Roy McCauley for second-place in the standings. Robbie Reiser and Kenny Francis are tied for the lead, each with two wins.(Wypall PR)(5-2-2006)
Berrier Wins WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Race: Team owner Richard Childress may have been the one on a hunting trip this weekend, but it was his driver Kevin Harvick who came home with the trophies. Harvick won both the Busch Series and Nextel Cup Series races at Phoenix International Raceway, bringing each of his crew chiefs, Shane Wilson and Todd Berrier, the WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Race award. Following each race, a panel of voters; including Tony Eury Sr., Robbie Reiser, a member of the local media and a WypAll Wipers representative; cast their vote for the crew chief they thought made the biggest impact on his team. Wilson and Berrier were voted the WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Race for their solid runs. In the Subway Fresh 500 on Saturday, it wasn't until lap 304 that Harvick cruised into the lead, putting him at the point for the final nine laps. For winning the Crew Chief of the Race award, WypAll Wipers gave Berrier $1,000. At the end of the season, the Nextel Cup crew chief with the most weekly wins will receive $20,000 and be crowned the WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Year. This was Berrier's first Crew Chief of the Race award in 2006, which ties him with Darian Grubb and Roy McCauley for second-place in the standings. Robbie Reiser and Kenny Francis are tied for the lead, each with two wins.(Wypall PR)(4-26-2006)
Francis Wins WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Race Award: Kenny Francis and Kasey Kahne teamed up to capture another win this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. For the second time this season, Kahne started on the pole and held on to take the checkers, this time out-dueling Tony Stewart and Matt Kenseth in the final stages of the Samsung / Radio Shack 500. Francis' dominant weekend earned him the WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Race. A panel of voters; including Tony Eury Sr., a member of the local media and a WypAll Wipers representative; all cast their vote for Francis as the Crew Chief of the Race. For winning the Crew Chief of the Race award, WypAll Wipers gave Francis $1,000. At the end of the season, the crew chief with the most weekly wins will receive $20,000 and be crowned the WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Year. This was Francis' second Crew Chief of the Race award in 2006, which ties him with Robbie Reiser for the lead. Darian Grubb and Roy McCauley are tied for second-place in the standings, each with one win.(Wypall PR)(4-10-2006)
Eury Jr. Wins WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Race Award: Martinsville Speedway delivered 500 laps of incensed racing excitement in this weekend's DIRECTV 500. Pushing, bumping and shoving were the norm at the half-mile bull ring, leaving the garage littered with numerous torn up vehicles by the event's end. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and crew chief Tony Eury Jr. weren't exempt from the action, as the #8 Budweiser Chevy was involved in two separate incidents on the race track, forcing lengthy pit stops to fix the damage after each episode. Still, with Eury Jr.'s guidance, Earnhardt Jr. was able to climb back and finish inside the top-five. Eury Jr.'s comeback earned him the WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Race. Earnhardt Jr. suffered extensive damage to the right side of his Monte Carlo after getting collected in a multi-car accident during the opening stages of the DIRECTV 500. Eury Jr. ordered vast repairs to the #8 Chevy and worked his driver inside the top-10 following the maintenance, but contact wit the #12 car on lap 318 forced another unscheduled stop. Despite the two setbacks, the Earnhardt Jr. and Eury Jr. combination fought to a fourth-place finish. A panel of voters; including Robbie Reiser, Mike Mulhern of the Winston-Salem Journal and a WypAll Wipers representative; unanimously agreed that Eury Jr.'s comeback deserved Crew Chief of the Race accolades. For winning the Crew Chief of the Race award, WypAll Wipers gave Eury Jr. $1,000. At the end of the season, the crew chief with the most weekly wins will receive $20,000 and be crowned the WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Year. This was Eury Jr.'s first Crew Chief of the Race award in 2006, which ties him with Darian Grubb, Kenny Francis and Roy McCauley for second-place in the standings. Robbie Reiser is in the lead with two wins.(Wypall PR)(4-5-2006)
McCauley Wins Crew Chief of the Race Award: Kurt Busch and crew chief Roy McCauley survived 500 laps of furious racing action this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway. Despite setbacks with tires and radio transmissions, Busch battled back from the problems to capture his fifth victory at Thunder Valley. Busch's come from behind win earned McCauley the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Race. Trouble started early for Busch and McCauley. From the get-go, Busch and the team battled radio problems that hindered Busch from communicating with the team. On lap 62, a flat right-rear tire forced the #2 Miller Lite Dodge to make an unscheduled pit stop. Even with the problems, Busch methodically worked his way through the field in route to one of the speedway's most impressive comebacks. A panel of voters; including Tony Eury Sr., a member of the local media and a Wypall Wipers representative; all agreed that McCauley's comeback deserved Crew Chief of the Race accolades. For winning the Crew Chief of the Race award, Wypall Wipers gave McCauley $1,000. At the end of the season, the crew chief with the most weekly wins will receive $20,000 and be crowned the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Year. This was McCauley's first Crew Chief of the Race award in 2006, which ties him with Darian Grubb and Kenny Francis for second-place in the standings. Robbie Reiser is in the lead with two wins.(Wypall PR)(3-27-2006)
Francis Wins Crew Chief of the Race Award: The only person that Kasey Kahne couldn't outrun this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway was Mother Nature. Sunday afternoon's rain showers forced NASCAR to postpone the Golden Corral 500 until the following day, but Kahne had no problem leaving the field in his #9 Dodge Charger's wake once the race went green. Kahne's day earned his crew chief, Kenny Francis, the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Race. A panel of voters; including Tony Eury Sr., a member of the local media and a Wypall Wipers representative; all agreed that Francis deserved Crew Chief of the Race honors for putting Kahne in position to collect the win. For winning the Crew Chief of the Race award, Francis was presented $1,000. At the end of the season the crew chief with the most weekly wins will receive $20,000 and be crowned the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Year. This was Francis' first Crew Chief of the Race award in 2006, which ties him with Darian Grubb for second-place in the standings. Robbie Reiser is in the lead with two wins.(Wypall PR)(3-21-2006)

MISC News/Press Releases
#31 Pit Crew to be honored: The #31 Team Cingular pit crew will be awarded Mechanix Wear's third quarter 'Most Valuable Pit Crew Award' during the Bank of America 500 pre-race ceremonies. The award was voted on by the NASCAR Cup Series crew chiefs. An outstanding pit crew is selected each quarter of the season and one of the quarterly winners will be chosen as the Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew at season end and awarded $75,000.(RCR PR)(10-11-2006)
DIRECTV Unveils Award Program to Honor Crew Chiefs: DIRECTV, Inc. the official satellite television service provider of NASCAR, which provides outstanding service for race teams up and down pit row, will begin recognizing the invaluable contributions crew chiefs make to the sport with two new awards throughout the 2006 NEXTEL Cup season. DIRECTV's program will name a "NASCAR DIRECTV Crew Chief of the Race" after each NEXTEL Cup race and crown a "NASCAR DIRECTV Crew Chief of the Year," who will be honored during NASCAR Champions Week in New York City following the season. The "NASCAR DIRECTV Crew Chief of the Race" will be awarded to the crew chief of the driver who has demonstrated the best qualifying and race effort based on finishing times during the weekend. Following each race, each participating crew chief's car's start and finishing positions will be combined, with points equally given to qualifying and finishing positions. The lowest combined score of start and finish positions will earn "Crew Chief of the Race." (For example, a first place finish nets one point, as does a pole position; a tenth place start position or finish nets ten points). If a tie should result from the tally of these positions, the award will go to the race's higher-finishing car. Each winning crew chief will be honored with a $5,600 cash award that will be presented during pre-race ceremonies at the following NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race. In addition, the crew chief who accrues the most "NASCAR DIRECTV Crew Chief of the Race" awards throughout the season will be named the "NASCAR DIRECTV Crew Chief of the Year." This honor, along with a $102,400 cash award, will be presented to the winner during NASCAR Champion's Week in New York City. As part of the program, race fans will be able to enter the "NASCAR DIRECTV Crew Chief of the Year Sweepstakes" by logging onto www.DIRECTV.com/racing or visiting in-store displays at consumer electronic and independent retail locations for a chance to win a variety of DIRECTV and NASCAR related prizes. The grand prize winner will receive the opportunity to act as an honorary crew member with Richard Childress Racing (RCR) during a NEXTEL Cup Series race in 2007. Second place prize is a trip to New York City during the 2006 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Champions Week and the third place prize is a VIP, behind-the-scenes experience with RCR in Charlotte, North Carolina during the 2007 season.(PR)(4-15-2006)
Airline Hires NASCAR Crews to teach: UAL Corp., which emerged from bankruptcy earlier this year, plans to schedule more flights with fewer aircraft in a move to lift United Airlines "out of the ditch," according to a top executive. Chief Operating Officer Peter McDonald said in a speech Tuesday evening at Northwestern University that the company has hired NASCAR pit crews to train ramp workers in order to reduce turnaround time at airports. McDonald said improving aircraft turns, refueling, cleaning and loading and unloading planes on layover will add 125 flights to United's schedule without putting more planes in the air. Increasing efficiency is part of the company's plan to return to profitability after being forced into bankruptcy by a surge of low-cost carriers, high labor costs, and ever-rising fuel prices. The key to its strategy, McDonald said, is United's "most important asset"--its people.(cbs2chicago.com), doesn't say what diviion of NASCAR or what teams the pit crews are from.(4-14-2006)
#26 Tire Changer Injured, Prognosis Good: Joe Kruschek, rear tire changer for the #26 Roush Racing Ford Fusion, was injured in last Monday’s race in Atlanta during a routine pit stop. Kruschek sustained injuries to both hands when the jack was released while he was still in the process of tightening lugnuts. Kruschek suffered a broken left thumb, a broken right middle finger and a cut right index finger. He successfully underwent surgery on Tuesday, March 21st, in a local hospital in Griffin, Georgia, and was transported back to the Charlotte, North Carolina area by Roush Racing. Kruschek will be in a cast and will undergo physical therapy for at least a couple of months, but the prognosis is good for a satisfactory recovery. Upon welcoming Kruschek back to the Charlotte area, team owner Jack Roush contacted Dr. Jerry Petty, a Charlotte neurosurgeon, to further evaluate Joe and refer him to a hand specialist. “We’re going to see that Joe Kruschek has the best possible care and that the most appropriate specialists are consulted and brought on board. Joe is a racer and I know that more than anything he wants to get back to work at the race track, but first and foremost we want him to be healthy,” commented Jack Roush. This is Kruschek’s first year with Roush Racing.(Roush Racing)(3-29-2006)
Tough Day for Crew Members at Atlanta: As #41-Reed Sorenson exited the pits after a stop during a caution period on lap 190, his #41 Dodge struck John Slusher, the catch-can holder for Robby Gordon's #7 crew. Slusher lay on his back on pit road while being treated. He was taken by ambulance to the track's care center, where he was evaluated, treated and released, according to NASCAR officials. Joe Kruschek, the rear tire changer on Jamie McMurray's #26 Ford, also was injured on a pit stop and taken to Spalding Regional Medical Center. He suffered a broken left thumb and required stitches in his right forefinger.(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)(3-21-2006)

Pit Crew Awards
2005 Past Winners and Top 10's and season standings
2004 Past Winners and Top 10's and season standings
Dale Jr's Pit Crew To Collect $200,000 Bonus; Sterling Marlin's Crew Takes Homestead Victory
Past Results and News - on my 2003 Past Pit Crew News Page

Union 76/Rockingham World Pit Crew competition
2003 Union 76/Rockingham World Pit Crew competition results and info - click here
2002 Union 76/Rockingham World Pit Crew competition results and info - click here

2005 NASCAR NEXTEL Pit Crew Challenge

The winning crew of the #9 Evernham Motorsports Dodge celebrates winning the NASCAR NEXTEL Pit Crew Challenge on May 19, 2005 at the Charlotte Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo Credit: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images)

The individual winners of the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Pit Crew Challenge pose together on May 19, 2005 at Charlotte Collisium in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo Credit: Chris Stanford/Getty Images)
#9 Crew are NEXTEL Pit Crew Challenge Champions: The #9 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge pit crew of driver Kasey Kahne battled against the clock and 23 teams to earn the title as 2005 NASCAR NEXTEL Pit Crew Challenge Champions at the inaugural event presented by Motorola Thursday at the Charlotte Coliseum. Racing against the clock in team and individual skills components, 24 teams battled through four rounds of competition with only one team remaining at the event’s conclusion to answer the question of who owns pit road. In the final round of competition, the # 9 team defeated the # 42 Texaco Havoline team of driver Jamie McMurray by 1.69 seconds to secure the championship. Kahne’s pit crew completed a four-tire pit stop in 16.14 seconds in the finals to the # 42 team’s 17.83-second stop.
“This event is what it’s all about,” said Tommy Baldwin, crew chief for the championship team. “To see all the smiles on their faces and to see how hard they work day in and day out – this is great. This gives them a chance to excel in the spotlight.” Under the leadership of Baldwin and hard driving by Kahne, the team secured its position in tonight’s inaugural pit crew showcase by winning at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway last Saturday night.
The team received $70,000 in cash, as well as special leather jackets and championship rings by Jostens, which produced rings for the 2005 Super Bowl Champions, the New England Patriots and the 2005 World Series Cham

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