Jayski's® NASCAR Silly Season Site - 2009 Pit Crew News Page

2009 PIT CREW NEWS

JUMPS on this page
Sprint Pit Crew Challenge
Tissot Pit Road Precision Award
Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew Award
MAHLE Engine Builder Showdown
Pilot Truck Driver Challenge

Jayski Pit Crew Page Links:
2009 Pit Crew Chart
2008 Pit Crew News/Awards
2008 Pit Crew Chart
2007 Pit Crew Chart
Racing Schools/Jobs page
Current Pit Crew News / Links

MISC Pit Crew News

Penske Racing Hauler driver wins: Congratulations goes out to Bill “Stump” Lewis for claiming the first-place prize in the 2009 Freightliner Run Smart Hauler Challenge. The final segment of the annual contest for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team transport drivers was held over the weekend at Lowe’s Motor Speedway and “Stump” was presented his trophy and $35,000 first-place check on the stage prior to Saturday night’s NASCAR Banking 500. “This one’s especially sweet,” said the popular veteran driver, who shares the over-the-road duties with wife, Cindy. “It’s my third big trophy and I was up against a bunch of young bucks this time around.” “I guess you could call Stump the Brett Favre of what we do out here,” Cindy offered. “I’m so proud of him. He just keeps on getting better…in everything he does…” The last time Stump was a winner in the contest, he bought Cindy a new Harley-Davidson motorcycle. “This time around, we’re going to spend the money on getting things done around the house, like putting in an irrigation system for the yard.” “But first, we’ll have a big party to celebrate and have all the team over,” said Cindy.(Tom Roberts PR)(10-21-2009)

Biffle's pit crew gets a name: Greg Biffle has a new weapon in his war in the Chase for the Championship - the Pit Bulls. 3M Car Care announced the winner of the "Name of Fame" contest to find an 3M Pit Bulls appropriate name for Biffle's hard-working crew. Named by Dennis Romano of Dingman's Ferry, PA, a long-time Greg Biffle fan who cheers him on every weekend. Romano's entry in the 3M Car Care Name of Fame contest was selected from 10 finalists and voted on by 3M Car Care and the #16 3M team. More than 1,000 entries were received in the contest. The Pit Bulls and winning entry are featured in a special video on www.3MCarCare.com/NameofFame and shows their new look on pit road at the Richmond race. Romano's grand prize for his winning entry is a VIP trip for two to meet the #16 pit crew at one of the final races of the season. The grand prize package includes airfare, hotel, rental car, race tickets, garage credentials and spending money.(VMG/3M)(9-13-2009)

Lawsuit reveals insight on crew pay: A lawsuit against Roush Fenway Racing gives a look into the world of crew members and what they earn and what their contracts can be like. Jason Myers, former car chief for Carl Edwards, has filed suit against Roush Fenway Racing for wrongful discharge (i.e. firing) and in violation of the Family Medical Leave Act. Myers, who joined Roush in 2002 and was Edwards' car chief (title just below crew chief) from 2006-2008. Court documents stated that Myers suffered from depression and attempted suicide three times. The court document states that on Feb. 17, 2009, the team fired him "for allegedly not noifying anyone that he would miss work on Friday, Feb. 13.'' The case has moved to federal court. Monday, Roush Fenway Racing filed a motion to dismiss Myers' wrongful discharge claim. Roush Fenway Racing claims in court documents that Myers was "not employed with Roush as an employee at-will as required to state a claim of wrongful discharge under North Carolina law. In this case, Myers was emplyed with Roush pursuant to an employment agreement dated January 11, 2008.'' Roush submitted Myers' contract as part of its court documents on Monday. Just like driver contracts, crew contracts are kept confidential. Teams don't want other teams to know what they're paying or how they're compensating their employees. Get a look at the contract information with salary/bonus at the Virginian Pilot.(8-11-2009)

Wrenchman Award created to honor crew members: Craftsman, the Official Tools of NASCAR, and NASCAR have announced the newest NASCAR season-ending award -- the NASCAR Craftsman Wrenchman Award, to recognize a team member from each of the three national NASCAR touring series who best showcases core Craftsman attributes of trust, quality, knowledge and innovation when performing their job with the race team. The Wrenchman Award is open to all crew members, whether they work at the track or race shop. Teams will nominate one team member with a selection committee choosing the finalists. A fan voting will decide the winner on the Sprint Cup Series side, while the selection committee will choose the winners from the Nationwide and Camping World Truck series. The accomplishments and profiles of each of the 12 Cup Series finalists, showcasing how they embody the core Craftsman attributes, will be featured on www.craftsman.com, giving fans a unique opportunity to get a glimpse behind-the-scenes at what it takes to field a NASCAR team and vote for their favorites. In addition, one lucky fan will win a trip to Champions Week in Las Vegas to make the presentation to the winning crew member. Overall, the program is expected to award approximately $170,000 in cash and Craftsman tools to the winners. Crew member nominations by participating Cup, Nationwide and Truck series teams will take place this summer. A selection committee will narrow the Cup Series finalists in August. Fan voting will commence in the fall, leading up to the announcement of the Wrenchman Award winners on Nov. 22 at Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway.(NASCAR)(5-22-2009)

Dodson injured in car wreck: Former NASCAR Cup crew chief Barry Dodson suffered multiple injuries in an automobile accident on April 10 in Pawley’s Island, S.C. Dodson was taking a test drive at a dealership when he says the car’s accelerator hung. He crashed into two cars on the lot, totaling both, before he struck a steel pole. Dodson suffered neck, shoulder and closed-head injuries and remains under a physician’s care. “The only escape route I had was a busy four-lane highway,” Dodson said. “So I chose to crash into the cars on the lot rather than taking a chance on injuring someone else.” He declined to identify the dealership.(SceneDaily)(4-23-2009)

2009 Sprint Pit Crew Challenge

Burton's crew wins NASCAR Sprint Pit Crew Challenge: The #31 Caterpillar Chevy team led by crew chief Scott Miller and pit crew coach Matt Clark won the fifth annual NASCAR Sprint Pit Crew Challenge presented by Craftsman with a time of 22.115 seconds, a new event record, and a $70,675 payout. “It’s a total team effort,” said Clark. “These guys have been unbelievable with their diligence in pushing the car and had some horsepower tonight.” The #43 United States Air Force Dodge finished the event second with a time of 23.839 seconds, approximately 1.7 seconds behind the event winner. The individual championship crowned six new winners and one return winner, of which five individual winners originated from the #1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet team and two members from the #18 M&Ms Toyota team.The NASCAR Sprint Pit Crew Challenge presented by Craftsman is a fan-friendly event that featured competition between the series’ top-24 pit crews and is the only indoor event sanctioned by NASCAR.
Burton's over-the-wall crew of gas man Curt Bowman, catch-can man Andrew Childers, front-tire changer Daniel Blizzard, front-tire carrier Jon Wallace, rear-tire changer Terry Spalding, rear-tire carrier Chris Martin and jackman Adam North completed their respective skills and the 40-yard car push in 22.115 seconds, an event record, to defeat the #43 Richard Petty Motorsports Dodge team of driver Reed Sorenson in the finals. "I'm really proud of them," said Burton, who attended the event in support of his crew and his wife Kim, who steered the car during the push. "They put so much effort into the pit stops, and they take this very seriously. They truly are athletes, and they work very hard at it." The 31 team, led by crew chief Scott Miller, won the event with a rear tire changer (Spalding) who had just joined the team, after a stint with Michael Waltrip Racing. "Terry literally started for us yesterday," said pit crew coach Matt Clark. "Yesterday was his first practice. We did two practice runs with him… We were having performance problems, and Terry became available. We liked what we saw, and we definitely liked what we saw tonight."
Individual Champions
Front-Tire Changer – Dennis Terry, #1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet (14.855 seconds)
Front-Tire Carrier – Shannon Keys, #1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet (14.855 seconds)
Rear-Tire Changer – Jake Seminara, #18 M&M’s Toyota (14.900 seconds)
Rear-Tire Carrier – Kenny Barber, #18 M&M’s Toyota (14.900 seconds)
Gas Man – Preston Cordell, #1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet (10.072 seconds)
Catch-Can Man – Eric Hoyle, #1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet (10.072 seconds)
Jack Man – Jeff Kerr, #1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet (5.666 seconds)
(NASCAR)(5-15-2009)

2009 NASCAR Sprint Pit Crew Challenge Entry List: The 2009 NASCAR Sprint Pit Crew Challenge presented by Craftsman will feature the top-24 NASCAR Sprint Cup SeriesTM pit crews in a head-to-head competition at 7:00pm/et Thursday, May 14 at the Time Warner Cable Arena [in Charlotte, NC]. Tickets start at $15 and can be purchased online at www.pitcrewchallenge.com or by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 495-2295. SPEED’s broadcast of the event begins at 9pm/et.
Eligibility for the NASCAR Sprint Pit Crew Challenge presented by Craftsman is determined by teams qualified for the 2009 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, which includes NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race winners from 2008 and 2009, NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race winners of the past 10 years and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champions of the past 10 years who are active drivers and have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event during the 2008 or 2009 season. Also, the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Pit Crew Challenge winner is eligible to compete.
As of May 9, 2009, any remaining unfilled positions became available to the car owners ranked highest in the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship Owner point standings, who are not otherwise eligible for this event.

Official Entry List
#00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota
#07 Jack Daniel’s Chevy
#1 Bass Pro Shop Chevy (2006 winner)
#2 Miller Lite Dodge
#5 Kellogg’s/Carquest Chevy
#9 Budweiser Dodge (2005 winner)
#11 FedEx Toyota
#14 Office Depot/Old Spice/Burger King Chevy
#16 3M Ford
#17 DEWALT Ford
#18 M&Ms Toyota
#24 DuPont Chevy
#29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevy
#31 Caterpillar Chevy
#33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevy
#39 U.S. Army Chevy
#42 Tums Chevy
#43 McDonald’s Dodge
#47 Bush’s Best Baked Beans Toyota
#48 Lowe’s Chevy
#83 Red Bull Toyota (2008 winner)
#88 National Guard/AMP Energy Chevy
#96 Ask.com Ford
#99 AFLAC Ford
Note: #09 Miccosukee Chevy is eligible for the event but has opted not to compete.

•This is the fifth annual event, held each year prior to the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race in mid-May.
•It showcases pit crews for 24 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams.

Past winners:
2008 Champion: #83 Red Bull Toyota
2008 Runner-up: #11 FedEx Freight Toyota
2007 Champion: #12 Alltel Dodge
2007 Runner-up: #43 Cheerios Dodge
2006 Champion: #1 Bass Pro Shops Chevy
2006 Runner-up: #9 Dodge Dealers Dodge
2005 Champion: #9 Dodge/UAW Dodge
2005 Runner-up: #42 Texaco Havoline Dodge
For more information, visit www.pitcrewchallenge.com.(5-12-2009)

Sprint Pit Crew Challenge Format Remains Same
The 2009 NASCAR Sprint Pit Crew Challenge presented by Craftsman, a fan-friendly event that features competition between the series’ top pit crews, is scheduled for 7:00pm/et Thursday, May 14 at the Time Warner Cable Arena. Tickets start at $15 and can be purchased online at www.pitcrewchallenge.com or by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 495-2295. SPEED’s broadcast of the event begins at 9:00pm/et.
Returning for its fifth consecutive year, the NASCAR Sprint Pit Crew Challenge presented by Craftsman is the only indoor event sanctioned by NASCAR and is one of the highlights of the week leading up to the 25th running of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race Saturday, May 16 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. The format for this year’s event remains the same as a year ago.
Competition Format

Teams are seeded for the NASCAR Sprint Pit Crew Challenge based on the following:

- Seeding will be determined by the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car owner point standings as of May 9, 2009.

- The top-eight teams in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series owner points will receive a bye into the second round of the competition.

- The remaining eligible teams will be ranked in order of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series owner points seeded as Nos. 9-24 and will compete in a head-to-head format in the first round of the NASCAR Sprint Pit Crew Challenge.

Competition Rounds

- Seeding Round: The seeding round will be held at 4:30 p.m. Featuring the top-eight teams in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series owner points, teams will compete in four head-to-head runs with the quickest time receiving the top, overall seed for the NASCAR Sprint Pit Crew Challenge. The remaining seven teams in the seeding round will be seeded Nos. 2-8 in order of their times (quickest to slowest).

- Round One: All teams seeded Nos. 9-24 compete in a head-to-head, single-elimination format with the eight winning teams advancing to the second round of competition.

o Additionally, the fastest crew member at each station will be crowned as the individual champion in the following categories: front-tire changer and carrier, rear-tire changer and carrier, jack man and gas man, and catch-can man. Each of the winning individual crew members will receive a $10,000 prize. Teams competing in the seeding round and first round will have individual skills’ times count toward the individual skills’ titles.

- Round Two: The eight winning teams from round one advance to challenge the teams seeded Nos. 1-8. Eight heat winners advance to round three (Quarterfinals).

- Round Three Quarterfinals:

o “Name Your Opponent Round” - The highest-remaining team advancing into round three may choose its opponent from any of the other seven teams advancing into round three. The selection process will continue with the next, highest-remaining, non-selected team until the round three line up (four total) is set.

o The head-to-head competition continues with the same format as round two. Four heat winners advance to round four (Semifinals).

- Round Four Semifinals: The winning teams from round four compete head to head with the two winners advancing to the championship round.

- Round Five Finals: The winning teams from round four compete head to head with the winner crowned as the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Pit Crew Challenge Champion.

- Note: In the event of a tie in any of the rounds, the car owner who is ranked higher in the current 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series owner point standings as of May 13, 2009, will prevail.

- The finishing order of the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Pit Crew Challenge presented by Craftsman determines the order of pit selection for the race that each competing team is eligible for - The Sprint Showdown or the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race.

Eligibility:
All teams qualified for the 2009 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, which includes NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race winners from 2008 and 2009, NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race winners of the past 10 years and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champions of the past 10 years who are active drivers and have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event during the 2008 or 2009 season. Also eligible is the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Pit Crew Challenge winner. If there are no new event winners, the remaining unfilled positions will become available to the car owners ranked highest in the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series owner point standings as of May 13, 2009, who are not otherwise eligible for this event.
The current eligible teams are: #2 Miller Lite Dodge; #5 Kellogg’s Chevy; #09 Miccosukee Chevy; #9 Budweiser Dodge; #11 FedEx Toyota; #14 Office Depot Chevy; #16 3M Ford; #17 DeWALT Ford; #18 Mars Toyota; #24 DuPont Chevy; #29 Shell Chevy; #31 Caterpillar Chevy; #33 General Mills Chevy; #39 Army Chevy; #48 Lowe’s Chevy; #83 Red Bull Toyota; #88 Amp/National Guard Chevy; #96 Ask.com Ford; and #99 Aflac Ford.(PR), see the rules on my Pit Crew News page.(4-28-2009)

Sprint Pit Crew Challenge takes place May 14th: The NASCAR Sprint Pit Crew Challenge presented by Craftsmen will take place on May 14 at the Time Warner Cable Arena at 7:00pm and will be aired at 9:00pm that evening on SPEED. The event is celebrating its fifth year and was just recognized as the Best Public Event under 20,000 by the International Special Events Society. The competition is the only indoor event sanctioned by NASCAR and leads into the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race Saturday, May 16 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. The finishing order of the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Pit Crew Challenge presented by Craftsman will determine the order of pit selection for the race that each competing team is eligible for (The Sprint Showdown or The NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race).
The current eligible teams are as follows: #96 Ask.com; #99 Aflac; #07 Jack Daniels; #33 General Mills; #88 Amp/National Guard; #12 Penske Racing; #11 FedEx; #16 3M; #31 Caterpillar; #24 DuPont; #48 Lowe’s; #20 Home Depot; #9 Budweiser; #29 Shell; #2 Miller Lite; #18 Mars; #5 Kellogg’s/Carquest; #17 DeWalt; #39 Army; #14 Office Depot/Old Spice/Burger King.
Tickets for the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Pit Crew Challenge presented by Craftsman, featuring over the wall, head to head competition between the top 24 pit crews in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series are on sale now. Tickets start at $15 and can be purchased online at www.pitcrewchallenge.com or by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 495-2295.(Jay Howard Events PR)(3-14-2009)

2009 MAHLE Engine Builder Showdown

Engine Builder Showdown winners: Matt Pennell and Scott Vester of Hendrick BMW/Motorsports built their Chevrolet R07 engine in record time to win the Randy Dorton Hendrick Engine Builder Showdown at Hendrick Motorsports on Wednesday, Oct. 21. The duo assembled and fired their engine in 22 minutes and 57 seconds, shattering the 2008 championship time of 27:05. This is the second year the R07 has been used in the two-day competition. Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports and chairman of Hendrick Automotive Group (HAG), started the event eight years ago as a way to recognize the engineers on his race team and in his car dealerships. He got the idea from watching a NASCAR engine building competition that Hendrick Motorsports hosted in 2000, and he held his first event one year later.

Since then, 24 individuals -- 12 engineers from Hendrick Motorsports and 12 technicians from HAG -- are paired up on 12 teams for the annual event, which is held in honor of the late engine builder Randy Dorton and sponsored by MAHLE-Clevite. The top 12 HAG technicians are chosen based upon becoming a Hendrick Master Certified technician and scoring the highest grades on an annual Automotive Service Excellence exam.

"I'm sure Jeff Andrews (Hendrick Motorsports' director of engine operations) has a place to hide those motors because I'll probably put them in something if he leaves them sitting around," Hendrick joked. "These two companies are super special, and it's because of the people. Congratulations to everybody who participated. I hope you all had a good time."

On Tuesday, Pennell, an event rookie from Hendrick BMW in Charlotte, was matched with Vester, a Hendrick Motorsports dyno engineer and two-time Showdown winner (2006 and 2007). Pennell and Vester worked through early communication issues and an improperly attached flywheel to post the fastest time (25:49) in their first build and advance to the championship round.

In the finals, Pennell and Vester faced off against Allen Gates of Darrell Waltrip Honda Volvo Subaru (Franklin, Tenn.) and Jason Ingle of Hendrick Motorsports. Gates, who won the event in 2005, and Ingle advanced to the championship matchup by scoring the second-lowest build time (26:15) during the preliminary round.

The two teams raced to build their engines on Wednesday afternoon in front of a crowd of almost 200 supporters. Pennell and Vester fired their engine roughly two minutes before Gates and Ingle. "It's exciting," a smiling Pennell said afterward, trophy in hand. "What else can you say?"
"You don't have to be the best guys out here to win," added Vester, now a three-time champion. "It's how well you mesh together and communicate. If you do that better than anybody else, you win." The winners and their guests receive suite tickets and hot passes for the May 30, 2010, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event at Lowe's Motor Speedway. The winning service technician also can invite his service manager and a guest to accompany him. "It was an honor for us to have this here," Andrews said. "This year we had an all-time high in terms of enthusiasm, participation level and having all the dealership general managers here from across the country. It's an honor to represent these groups each weekend at the racetrack."

2009 Engine Builder Showdown times
First build:
Jeff Krogmann/Superior Toyota and Jared Morris/Hendrick Motorsports 34:33
Jeff Heinz/Hendrick Chevrolet and Kevin Moler/Hendrick Motorsports 29:34

Second build:
William Heimel/Rick Hendrick Chevrolet Duluth, Ga., and Jay Wiles/Hendrick Motorsports 28:59
Robert Marock/Honda of Concord and Sam Vernatter/Hendrick Motorsports 28:07

Third build:
Jerry Hilson/Hendrick Lexus and Bruce Stauffer/Hendrick Motorsports 33:25
Bart Peterson/Rick Hendrick Chevrolet Duluth, Ga., and Mike Maiwald/Hendrick Motorsports 26:48

Fourth build:
Scot Hubbard/Lexus of Pleasanton and Tom Karas/Hendrick Motorsports 28:39
Gary Stevens/Colonial Chevrolet and Danny Emerick/Hendrick Motorsports 28:20

Fifth build:
Matt Pennell/Hendrick BMW and Scott Vester/Hendrick Motorsports 25:49
Tanner Andren/Hendrick Porsche and Shane Parsnow/Hendrick Motorsports 31:02

Sixth build:
Allen Gates/Darrell Waltrip Honda Volvo Subaru and Jason Ingle/Hendrick Motorsports 26:15
Brian Skiba/Toyota of Concord and Earl Wheeler/Hendrick Motorsports 30:09

Championship build:
Pennell/Vester 22:57
Gates/Ingle 28:30
(HMS)(10-30-2009)

Pro Motors wins 2009 MAHLE Engine Builder Showdown UPDATE: Darrell Hoffman and Dennis Borem of Pro Motors beat out Mike Kash and Jim Snyder of Roush-Yates for a 3rd straight victory in the 10th MAHLE Engine Builder Showdown Wednesday afternoon. Roush-Yates looked like they were going to win it but they no sooner fired their engine and they had something come lose and gas spilled everywhere. They stopped the competition to clean up the gas and after they restarted it Pro Motors fired their engine up within about 4 seconds. Roush-Yates started their engine but it kept stopping (3 times total). Pro's never stopped. Pro Motor's time was 19.27 and Roush-Yates was 19.44 (they stopped the clock then but again their engine never ran a full minute). Pro Motor's time was the best of the competition. They also announced during the competition that this years winners won't be able to compete in next years competition. The organization itself that can compete but whichever team won those two builders will not be allowed.(5-15-2009)
UPDATE: Dennis Borem and Darrell Hoffman from Pro Motor Engines made history Wednesday, capturing their record third straight MAHLE Engine Builder Showdown in the closest finish in the 10-year history of the competition. In a fierce neck-and-neck battle, the Pro Motor Engines team built a complete Chevrolet R07 race engine and successfully ran it for one minute in an incredible 19 minutes, 27 seconds, edging the Roush Yates Engines team of Mike Kasch and Jim Snyder by a mere 17 seconds (19 minutes, 44 seconds). In what was a rematch of the 2008 final, the Roush Yates team seemed to be on their way to victory, completing the build and firing their engine first. However, while it was running during the mandatory one minute, a fuel line disconnected and the engine became silent. Meanwhile, Pro Motor Engines started their engine just as Roush Yates Engines were having their issue. Roush Yates reconnected the fuel line and re-fired their engine, but it was too late. A total of eight teams competed. Joining Pro Motor Engines and Roush Yates Engines were: Earnhardt-Childress Racing Engines, Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, Penske Racing Engines, Richard Petty Motorsports, and Triad Racing Technologies. As 2009 MAHLE Engine Builder Showdown champions, Borem and Hoffman took home a cash prize for their efforts and will have their name again engraved on the prestigious Randy Dorton Memorial Trophy.(MAHLE Clevite/Pro Sports Management)(5-16-2009)

Wed's 2009 MAHLE Engine Builder Showdown Final Set: Team Roush-Yates Engines will get a chance to redeem themselves in the Final Round of the historic 10th MAHLE Engine Builder Showdown Wednesday afternoon [May 14th]. In what will be a rematch of last year's championship round, Mike Kasch and Jim Snyder will face off against the team they finished runner-up to in 2008 - Dennis Borem and Darrell Hoffman of Pro Motor Engines. In fact, Borem and Hoffman will be going for an unprecedented third consecutive title. The final of the MAHLE Engine Builder Showdown will be held at 5:30pm/et Wednesday as a part of "NASCAR Rev'd Up," a kick off event for NASCAR All-Star race week. It will be held on the side stage between 3rd and Mint Streets in Uptown Charlotte. Former crew chiefs Jeff Hammond and Larry McReynolds will host the final of the MAHLE Engine Builder Showdown, which is a tiered, three-round competition designed to recognize the knowledge, skill and speed of professional engine builders who assemble special performance engines for NASCAR teams.
In Tuesday's second round in which teams had to build a complete Chevrolet R07 race engine in the fastest time and successfully run it for one minute, Pro Motor Engines (21 minutes, 37 seconds) defeated the Richard Petty Motorsports team by a mere four seconds to advance while Roush-Yates (22 minutes, seven seconds) topped the Hendrick Motorsports team by more than one minute.
"The MAHLE Engine Builder Showdown is always an exceptional event to watch," said Bill McKnight, Team Leader - Training for MAHLE Clevite. "And this year it will be interesting to see if the Pro Motor Engine team will win for the third consecutive year, or if Kasch and Snyder will strip them of the title and become the 2009 MAHLE Engine Builder Showdown champion, win the cash prize, and have their names engraved on the Randy Dorton Memorial Trophy."(Pro Sports Management)(5-13-2009)

MAHLE Engine Builder Showdown: The 10th Annual MAHLE Engine Builder Showdown hosted by NASCAR FOX/Speed television analysts Jeff Hammond and Larry McReynolds will be held in Charlotte, N.C. on Wednesday, May 13 at 5:30pm/et. The event will take place during "NASCAR Rev'd Up," a kick-off event for Sprint Cup All-Star Race Week, on the side stage between 3rd and Mint Streets in uptown Charlotte. The MAHLE Engine Builder Showdown is a tiered, three-round competition designed to recognize the knowledge, skills and speed of professional engine builders who assemble special performance engines for NASCAR teams. Former NASCAR crew chiefs Hammond and McReynolds will be right at home calling the action as both have extensive engine building knowledge. For the past nine years, NASCAR's top engine builders have participated to build a Sprint Cup 357-cubic inch Ford racing engine. This year, for the first time since the MAHLE Engine Builder Showdown's inception, engine builders will race against the clock to build a complete Chevy R07 race engine in the fastest time and successfully run it for one minute. The first two elimination rounds will take place at Hendrick Motorsports on Monday and Tuesday, May 11-12. The two fastest teams participate in a face-off at "NASCAR Rev'd Up" Wednesday to win the Showdown's grand prize - the prestigious Randy Dorton Memorial Trophy and a cash award.
Last year, Dennis Borem and Darrell Hoffman of Pro Motor Engines broke the all-time Showdown record for a second year in a row with an engine-build time of 15 minutes and 59 seconds. The two-time winners defeated runners-up Mike Kasch and Jim Snyder of Roush Yates Racing. This year, the 2009 MAHLE Engine Builder Showdown will share the spotlight with "NASCAR Rev'd Up," a kick-off event to NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race Week. The six-hour event beginning on Wednesday, May 13 from 4 - 10 p.m. in uptown Charlotte features driver appearances, NASCAR show cars and interactive displays, and a free admission concert by recording group O.A.R.(MAHLE Clevite PR)(5-7-2009)

Tissot Pit Road Precision Award

Bowyer’s Crew Captures Tissot Pit Road Award in Phoenix: Clint Bowyer’s #33 crew captured the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award in Sunday’s (Nov. 15) NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Phoenix International Raceway. It was the third Tissot win of the season for Bowyer’s crew and the second straight win for a Richard Childress Racing (RCR) team. Last week’s Tissot winner was the RCR teammate of the #33 – the #29 crew for Kevin Harvick. Bowyer’s #33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet spent the least amount of time on pit road – 170.217 seconds -- during the Checkers O’Reilly Auto Parts 500. The quick stops lifted Bowyer to a seventh-place finish. Bowyer's over-the-wall crew, which earned $5,000 for the win, consists of: Jason Pulver (front-tire changer), Austin Craven (front-tire carrier), Dustin Niecaise (rear-tire changer), Matt Kreuter (rear-tire carrier), Nick Terry (jackman), Bryan Smith (gasman), Chad Haney (catch can) and Scott Brewer (eighth man). The team's crew chief is Shane Wilson. With one Sprint Cup race remaining – Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway – the crews for Greg Biffle and Jeff Gordon are the only teams in contention to capture the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award season championship. Biffle’s crew leads the competition with six wins while Gordon’s team is second with five wins. If there’s a tie, the team which finishes the highest in the Sprint Cup driver point standings will be awarded the Tissot season title. The season-champion crew will receive $100,000 plus Tissot watches for the crew and driver.(Tissot)(11-18-2009)

2009 Tissot Pit Road Precision Award Standings:
Pos, Team#, Pit Crew For, Wins - Prize Money
1 16 Greg Biffle 6 30,000
2 24 Jeff Gordon 5 25,000
3 48 Jimmie Johnson 4 20,000
4 33 Clint Bowyer 3 15,000
T5 14 Tony Stewart 2 10,000
T5 39 Ryan Newman 2 10,000
T5 99 Carl Edwards 2 10,000
T8 42 Juan Pablo Montoya 1 5,000
T8 11 Denny Hamlin 1 5,000
T8 9 Kasey Kahne 1 5,000
T8 00 David Reutimann 1 5,000
T8 20 Joey Logano 1 5,000
T8 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 1 5,000
T8 26 Jamie McMurray 1 5,000
T8 1 Martin Truex Jr. 1 5,000
T8 44 AJ Allmendinger 1 5,000
T8 43 Reed Sorenson 1 5,000
T8 29 Kevin Harvick 1 5,000

2009 Tissot Pit Road Precision Award Winners
Daytona, 2/15, Reed Sorenson #43 Team
Fontana, 2/22, Tony Stewart #14 Team
Las Vegas, 3/1, Greg Biffle #16 Team
Atlanta 3/8, Clint Bowyer #33 Team
Bristol, 3/22, Jimmie Johnson #48 Team
Martinsville, 3/29, Jeff Gordon #24 Team
Fort Worth, 4/5, Jeff Gordon #24 Team (2)
Phoenix, 4/18, Ryan Newman #39 Team
Talladega, 4/26, Dale Earnhardt Jr. #88 Team
Richmond, 5/2, Jeff Gordon #24 Team (3)
Darlington, 5/9, Martin Truex Jr. #1 Team
Charlotte, 5/25, David Reutimann #00 Team
Dover, 5/31, Greg Biffle #16 Team (2)
Pocono, 6/7, Carl Edwards #99 Team
Michigan, 6/14, Greg Biffle #16 Team (3)
Sonoma, 6/21, Juan Pablo Montoya #42 Team
New Hampshire, 6/28, Jimmie Johnson #48 Team (2)
Daytona, 7/4, Tony Stewart #14 Team (2)
Chicagoland, 7/11, Denny Hamlin #11 Team
Indianapolis, 7/26, Greg Biffle #16 Team (4)
Pocono, 8/3, Kasey Kahne #9 Team
Watkins Glen, 8/11, Jimmie Johnson #48 Team (3)
Michigan, 8/16, Joey Logano #20 Team
Bristol, 8/22, Greg Biffle #16 Team (5)
Atlanta, 9/6, A.J. Allmendinger #44 Team
Richmond, 9/12, Jamie McMurray #26 Team
New Hampshire, 9/20, Ryan Newman #39 Team
Dover, 9/27, Clint Bowyer #33 Team
Kansas, 10/4, Greg Biffle #16 Team (6)
Fontana, 10/11, Jeff Gordon #24 Team (4)
Charlotte, 10/17, Jeff Gordon #24 Team (5)
Martinsville, 10/25, Jimmy Johnson #48 Team (4)
Talladega, 11/1, Carl Edwards #99 Team (2)
Texas, 11/8, Kevin Harvick #29 Team
Phoenix, 11/15, Clint Bowyer #33 Team
(11-18-2009)

Harvick’s Crew Wins Tissot Pit Road Award in Texas: Kevin Harvick’s crew claimed the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award in Sunday’s (Nov. 8) NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth. It was the first Tissot win of the season for Harvick’s #29 crew, which became the 18th different winner of the 2009 pit road competition. Harvick’s Chevy Impala SS spent the least amount of time on pit road (221.751 seconds) during the Dickies 500. The winning effort by the #29 crew helped Harvick post a fifth-place finish in Texas. Harvick’s over-the-wall crew, which earned $5,000 for the Tissot win, consists of: DJ Richardson (front-tire changer), Erik Pringle (front-tire carrier), Jonathon Billy (rear-tire changer), Mike Hodges (rear-tire carrier), Corey Wimbish (jackman), Mike Morrison (gasman) and Cruz Gonzales (catch can). The team’s crew chief is Gil Martin. With two races remaining in the 2009 season, three teams are in contention to capture the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award season championship which carries a $100,000 bonus plus Tissot watches for the crew and driver. #16-Greg Biffle’s crew leads the competition with six wins, followed by five wins for #24-Jeff Gordon’s crew and four wins for Jimmie Johnson’s crew. If there’s a tie in the Tissot competition after the final race at Homestead-Miami Speedway (Nov. 22), the team which finishes the highest in the Sprint Cup driver point standings will be awarded the Tissot season title.(Tissot)(11-10-2009)

Edwards’ Team Captures Tissot Pit Road Award in Talladega: Carl Edwards’ crew won the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award in Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway. It was the second Tissot win of the season for the #99 crew and the ninth win for a Roush Fenway Racing team. Edwards’ Ford Fusion spent the least amount of time on pit road (191.014 seconds) during the AMP Energy 500 at the Alabama 2.66-mile oval. Edwards’ over-the-wall crew, which earned $5,000 for the Tissot win, consists of: Greg Donlin (front-tire changer), Jeremy Dyer (front-tire carrier), Brandon Hopkins (rear-tire changer), Jody Fortson (rear-tire carrier), Craig Pope (jackman), Joe Karasinski (gasman) and Norm Lowe (catch can). The team’s crew chief is Bob Osborne. With three races remaining in the 2009 season, three teams are in contention to claim the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award season championship which carries a $100,000 bonus plus Tissot watches for the crew and driver. Greg Biffle’s #16 crew leads the competition with six wins, followed by five wins for Jeff Gordon’s #24 crew and four wins for Jimmie Johnson’s #48 crew. If there’s a tie in the Tissot competition after the final race at Homestead-Miami Speedway (Nov. 22), the team which finishes the highest in the Sprint Cup driver point standings will be awarded the Tissot season title.(Tissot)(11-5-2009)

Johnson's Crew Claims Tissot Pit Road Award in Martinsville: Jimmie Johnson's crew took top honors at Martinsville Speedway, winning the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award in Sunday's Sprint Cup race. It was the fourth Tissot win of the season for the #48 crew, which has played a key role in Johnson's dominating performance in the first six Chase races, including his runner-up finish at Martinsville. Johnson's #48 Lowe's Chevy spent the least amount of time on pit road (329.445 seconds) during the TUMS Fast Relief 500. Johnson's over-the-wall crew consists of: Mike Lingerfelt (front-tire changer), Art Simmons (front-tire carrier), Jon Lucas (rear-tire changer), Andy Brown (rear-tire carrier), Kenneth Purcell (jackman), Rich Gutierrez (gasman), Mike Knauer (catch can) and Ron Malec (eighth man). The team's crew chief is Chad Knaus. Johnson's crew along with the crews of Greg Biffle and Jeff Gordon are in a close competition for the Tissot season title with four races remaining. Biffle's crew leads with six wins, Gordon's crew is second with five wins and Johnson's crew is in third with four wins.(Tissot)(10-28-2009)

Gordon’s Crew Wins Tissot Pit Road Award in Charlotte: Jeff Gordon’s crew won the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award in Saturday night’s Sprint Cup race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Gordon’s #24 crew, which also won the pit road award the previous week in California, has five Tissot season victories and has moved within one win of the lead. The Tissot leader with five races remaining in the 2009 campaign is Greg Biffle’s #16 crew with six pit road wins. Along with the $5,000 prize money for each weekly Tissot win, the crew with the most wins following the 36-race Cup schedule will collect a $100,000 bonus plus Tissot watches for the crew and driver. Gordon’s DuPont/Transformers Chevy Impala SS spent the least amount of time on pit road during the 334-lap, 500-mile race (271.888 seconds). The quick pit stops helped Gordon to a fourth-place finish in the NASCAR Banking 500. Gordon's pit crew consists of: Clay Robinson (front-tire changer), Mike Houston (front tire carrier), Tim Ladyga (rear-tire changer), Jeff Knight (rear-tire carrier), Jeff Cook (jackman), Caleb Hurd (gasman), Jamie Frady (catch can) and Andy Kruep (eighth man). The pit crew coach is Greg Morin.(Tissot)(10-22-2009)

Gordon’s Crew claims Tissot Pit Road Precision Award: Jeff Gordon’s crew took top honors in Sunday’s Sprint Cup race at Auto Club Speedway, claiming the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award, which pays $5,000 each week to the winning team. It was the fourth Tissot win of the season for the #24 crew, which moved into sole possession of second place in the pit road standings. With six races remaining, Greg Biffle’s crew leads the Tissot standings with six wins. The crew with the most wins following the 36-race Cup schedule will collect a $100,000 bonus plus Tissot watches for the crew and driver. Gordon’s DuPont Chevy spent the least amount of time on pit road at Auto Club Speedway (295.170 seconds). The outstanding effort lifted Gordon to a second-place finish in the Pepsi 500. Gordon's pit crew consists of: Clay Robinson (front-tire changer), Mike Houston (front tire carrier), Tim Ladyga (rear-tire changer), Jeff Knight (rear-tire carrier), Jeff Cook (jackman), Caleb Hurd (gasman), Jamie Frady (catch can) and Andy Kruep (eighth man). The pit crew coach is Greg Morin.(Tissot)(10-13-2009)

Biffle's Team Claims Tissot Pit Road Award in Kansas: Greg Biffle's crew won the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award in Sunday's Sprint Cup race at Kansas Speedway. It was the sixth win of the season for Biffle's #16 crew, which leads in the Tissot standings. The crews for Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson are tied for second with three wins each. The #16 crew earned $5,000 for the Kansas Tissot pit road win, lifting its season total to $30,000 in prize money. The team with the most Tissot Pit Road Precision Award wins at the completion of the 36-race Sprint Cup schedule will receive a $100,000 bonus plus Tissot watches for the crew and driver. Biffle's 3M Ford Fusion spent the least amount of time on pit road in Kansas (215.890 seconds). The quick pit stops helped Biffle to a third-place finish in the Price Chopper 400 at the 1.5-mile oval. The #16 over-the-wall crew consists of: Todd Zeigler (front-tire changer), Colin Pasi (front-tire carrier), Kyle Power (rear-tire changer), Kevin McDowell (rear-tire carrier), Rodney Fetters (jackman), Billy Manchester (gasman), Ryan Dextraze (catch can) and Chris Elliott (windshield). The team's pit crew coach is Andy Ward.(Tissot)(10-7-2009)

Bowyer’s Team Claims Tissot Pit Road Award in Dover: Clint Bowyer’s crew took top honors at Dover International Speedway, winning the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award in Sunday’s AAA 400 Sprint Cup race. The #33 crew, out of the Richard Childress Racing stable, picked up its second Tissot win of the season and became the sixth multiple winner of the pit road competition. The first Tissot win for Bowyer’s crew was at Atlanta in March. Bowyer’s BB&T Chevy Impala SS spent the least amount of time on pit road in Dover – 257.194 seconds – during the 400-lap race at the Monster Mile. Bowyer's over-the-wall crew consists of: Jason Pulver (front-tire changer), Austin Craven (front-tire carrier), Dustin Niecaise (rear-tire changer), Matt Kreuter (rear-tire carrier), Nick Terry (jackman), Bryan Smith (gasman), Chad Haney (catch can) and Scott Brewer (eighth man). The team's crew chief is Shane Wilson. The #33 crew, which is in a tie for fourth place in the Tissot standings, will receive $5,000 for winning the pit crew competition in Dover. Greg Biffle’s crew leads the Tissot standings with five wins. The team with the most Tissot Pit Road Precision Award wins at the completion of the 36-race Sprint Cup schedule will receive a $100,000 bonus plus Tissot watches for the crew and driver.(Tissot)(10-2-2009)

Newman's Team Grabs Tissot Pit Road Award in New Hampshire: Ryan Newman's crew won the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award in Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. It was the second Tissot win of the season for the #39 team, which became the fifth multiple winner of the weekly competition. The first Tissot win for Newman's U.S. Army/Haas Automation team came at the April race in Phoenix. Newman's Chevy spent the least amount of time on pit road in New Hampshire - 137.708 seconds - during the 300-lap race at the 1.058-mile oval. The workmanlike effort on pit road helped Chase driver Newman to a seventh-place finish. The #39 over-the-wall crew at New Hampshire consisted of: Scott Brzozowski (front tire changer), Josh Mick (front-tire carrier), Andrew Turner (jackman), Daniel Rankin (rear-tire changer), Jason Fowler (rear-tire carrier), Michael Moore (gas man), Andy Rueger (catch can) and Jay Guarneri (windshield, 8th man). The team's pit crew coach is Joe Piette. The pit crew win, which pays $5,000, lifted the #39 team into a tie for fourth place in the Tissot standings with its Stewart-Haas Racing teammate - the #14 crew for Tony Stewart. Greg Biffle's crew leads the competition with five wins. The team with the most Tissot Pit Road Precision Award wins at the completion of the 36-race Sprint Cup schedule will receive a $100,000 bonus plus Tissot watches for the crew and driver.(Tissot)(9-23-2009)

McMurray’s Team Claims Tissot Pit Road Award in Richmond: Jamie McMurray’s crew claimed its first Tissot Pit Road Precision Award by taking top honors in Saturday night’s Sprint Cup race at Richmond International Raceway. The Tissot weekly competition, which recognizes the unsung heroes of the sport, has had 17 different winners in the first 26 races of the season. McMurray’s #26 Crown Royal Ford spent the least amount of time on pit road – 270.639 seconds – during the 400-lap race at the .75-mile short track. The team will collect $5,000 from Tissot for the pit crew win. The #26 over-the-wall crew at Richmond consisted of: Kevin Novak (front tire changer), Brian Huitt (front-tire carrier), Sean Meckelson (jackman), Chris Tompkins (rear-tire changer), Ben Surface (rear-tire carrier), Les Huntley (gas man) and Ben Holm (catch can). The team's pit crew coach is Jesse Posey. #16-Greg Biffle’s crew continues to lead the Tissot standings with five wins. The crews for #24-Jeff Gordon and #48-Jimmie Johnson are tied for second with three wins each. The team with the most Tissot Pit Road Precision Award wins at the completion of the 36-race Sprint Cup schedule will receive a $100,000 bonus plus Tissot watches for the crew and driver.(Tissot)(9-16-2009)

Allmendinger’s Team Wins Tissot Pit Road Award in Atlanta: AJ Allmendinger’s team won the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award in Sunday night’s Sprint Cup race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. It was the first Tissot win of the season for the #44 Richard Petty Motorsports team, which became the 16th different winner of the pit crew competition in the first 25 races of 2009. Allmendinger’s #44 Dodge Charger spent the least amount of time on pit road – 378.165 seconds -- during the 325-lap race at the 1.54-mile track. The team will collect $5,000 from Tissot for the pit crew win. The #44 over-the-wall crew at Atlanta consisted of: Bryan Jacobson (front tire changer), Brett Morrell (front-tire carrier), Ed Watkins (jackman), Tony Lunders (rear-tire changer), Joel Coronel (rear-tire carrier), Chris Moore (gas man) and James Antonozzi (2nd gas man). The team's crew chief is Mike Shiplett and the pit crew coach is Brett Cumming. #16-Greg Biffle’s crew continues to lead the Tissot standings with five wins. The crews for #24-Jeff Gordon and #48-Jimmie Johnson are tied for second with three wins each. The team with the most Tissot Pit Road Precision Award wins at the completion of the 36-race Sprint Cup schedule will receive a $100,000 bonus plus Tissot watches for the crew and driver.(Tissot)(9-9-2009)

Biffle’s Team Wins Tissot Pit Road Award in Bristol: Greg Biffle's team won the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award in Saturday night's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Bristol Motor Speedway. It was the fifth victory of the season for the #16 crew, which remains in first place in the Tissot standings. The crews for Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson are tied for second with three wins each. Biffle's #16 Ford spent the least amount of time on pit road - 214.601 seconds -- during the 500-lap race at the world's fastest half-mile oval. The quick pit stops helped Biffle to a fourth-place finish in the Sharpie 500.(Tissot)(8-25-2009)

Logano’s Team Wins Tissot Pit Road Award in Michigan: Joey Logano’s #20 crew claimed the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award in Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Michigan International Speedway. It was the first Tissot win of the season for the Joe Gibbs Racing crew and the 15th different team to capture the pit road weekly competition. Logano’s #20 Toyota Camry spent the least amount of time on pit road – 204.366 seconds -- during the 200-lap, 400-mile race. The effort lifted the rookie driver to a seventh place finish and his fifth top-10 of the season. Logano’s over-the-wall crew consists of: Ira Jo Hussey (front-tire changer), Thomas Dean (front-tire carrier), Aaron Smith (rear-tire changer), Eric Groen (rear-tire carrier), Jason Tate (jackman), Jeff Clark (gasman), Brian Larson (catch can). The team’s crew chief is Greg Zipadelli and the pit crew coach is Mike Lepp. Logano’s crew will collect $5,000 for the pit road win. The team with the most Tissot Pit Road Precision Award wins at the completion of the 36-race Sprint Cup schedule will receive a $100,000 bonus plus Tissot watches for the crew and driver. After the 23rd of 36 races Greg Biffle’s #16 crew leads the Tissot standings with four wins. Jeff Gordon’s and Jimmie Johnson’s crews are tied for second with three wins each.(Tissot)(8-18-2009)

Johnson’s Team Captures Tissot Pit Road Award at Watkins Glen: Jimmie Johnson’s pit crew won the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award in Monday’s rain-delayed Sprint Cup road race at Watkins Glen. It was the third Tissot win of the season for the #48 Hendrick Motorsports pit crew, which moved into a tie for second place with Jeff Gordon’s #24 crew, also from the Hendrick Motorsports stable. Greg Biffle’s #16 crew leads the Tissot standings with four victories. Johnson’s Lowe’s Impala SS spent the least amount of time on pit road – 86.746 seconds -- during the 90-lap race at the 2.45-mile road circuit. Johnson’s over-the-wall crew consists of: Mike Lingerfelt (front-tire changer), Art Simmons (front-tire carrier), Jeremy West (rear-tire changer), Andy Brown (rear-tire carrier), Kenneth Purcell (jackman), Rich Gutierrez (gasman), Mike Knauer (catch can) and Ron Malec (eighth man). The team’s crew chief is Chad Knaus and the pit crew coach is Greg Morin. Johnson’s crew will collect $5,000 for the pit road win. The team with the most Tissot Pit Road Precision Award wins at the completion of the 36-race Sprint Cup schedule will receive a $100,000 bonus plus Tissot watches for the crew and driver.(Tissot)(8-12-2009)

Kahne’s Crew Wins Tissot Pit Road Award at Pocono: Kasey Kahne’s pit crew captured the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award in Monday’s rain-delayed Pennsylvania 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Pocono Raceway. It was the first Tissot win of the season for the #9 Richard Petty Motorsports crew, which became the 14th different winner of the weekly competition. Kahne’s Dodge Charger spent the least amount of time on pit road – 222.986 seconds -- during the 200-lap, 500-mile race. The quick work by the #9 crew helped Kahne post a fifth-place finish. The #9 over-the-wall crew consists of: John Royer (front-tire changer), Shawn Ward (front-tire carrier), Jim Carbon (rear-tire changer), Kevin Duncan (rear-tire carrier), Eric Wilson (jackman), Mark “Tank” Probus (gasman), Rick Pennington (catch can) and John Oehler (windshield). The team's crew chief is Kenny Francis and the pit crew coach is Brett Cumming. Kahne’s crew will collect $5,000 for the pit road win. The team with the most Tissot Pit Road Precision Award wins at the completion of the 36-race Sprint Cup schedule will receive a $100,000 bonus plus Tissot watches for the crew and driver. Greg Biffle’s #16 crew leads the Tissot competition with four wins while Jeff Gordon’s crew is second with three wins.(Tissot)(8-5-2009)

Biffle’s Pit Crew Grabs Tissot Win at Indy: Greg Biffle’s #16 team won the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award during the Sprint Cup race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was the fourth victory of the season for the #16 pit crew, which took over sole possession of first place in the Tissot standings, breaking a three-win tie with Jeff Gordon’s #24 crew. Biffle’s #16 3M Ford Fusion spent the least amount of time on pit road during the Indy race – 191.906 seconds. The pit crew effort helped Biffle to a strong fourth-place finish. The #16 over-the-wall crew at Indy consisted of: Todd Zeigler (front-tire changer), Colin Pasi (front-tire carrier), Kyle Power (rear-tire changer), Kevin McDowell (rear-tire carrier), Rodney Fetters (jackman), Billy Manchester (gasman), Shane Wood (catch can) and Chris Elliott (windshield). The team's crew chief is Greg Erwin and the pit crew coach is Andy Ward. Biffle’s crew will collect $5,000 for the pit road win. The team with the most Tissot Pit Road Precision Award wins at the completion of the 36-race Sprint Cup schedule will receive a $100,000 bonus plus Tissot watches for the crew and driver.(Tissot)(7-29-2009)

Hamlin’s Team Wins Tissot Pit Crew Award in Chicagoland: Denny Hamlin’s crew took top honors in the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award during Saturday night’s Sprint Cup race at Chicagoland Speedway. Hamlin’s #11 crew became the 13th Tissot winner in the 19 Cup races contested in 2009. The pit crew win was the result of Hamlin’s FedEx Toyota Camry spending the least amount of time on pit road – 194.055 seconds. The quick work helped Hamlin and the Joe Gibbs Racing team to a fifth-place finish in the 267-lap, 400-mile race. Hamlin’s over-the-wall crew consists of: Jonathan Sherman (front-tire changer), Brandon Pegram (front-tire carrier), Mike Hicks (rear-tire changer), Heath Cherry (rear-tire carrier), Nate Bolling (jackman), Scott Wood (gasman), John Eicher (catch can) and Bobby “Spike” Christenson (windshield). The team’s crew chief is Mike Ford and the pit crew coach is Paul Alepa. The athletic director for Joe Gibbs Racing is Michael Lepp. The #11 team will collect $5,000 for the pit road win. The team with the most Tissot Pit Road Precision Award wins at the completion of the 36-race Sprint Cup schedule will receive a $100,000 bonus plus Tissot watches for the crew and driver. The crews for Jeff Gordon and Greg Biffle lead in the Tissot standings with three wins each. Tony Stewart’s and Jimmie Johnson’s crews are tied for third with two wins each.(Tissot)(7-15-2009)

Stewart’s Team Captures Tissot Pit Crew Award in Daytona: Tony Stewart's crew won the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award in Saturday night's Sprint Cup race at Daytona International Speedway. The fast pit stops by the #14 crew helped Stewart win the 160-lap, 400-mile race. Stewart's Chevy spent the least amount of time on pit road - 238.890 seconds. The #14 over-the-wall crew consists of: Jeff "Gooch" Patterson (gasman), Scott Radel (catch can), Rick Pigeon (jackman), Kelly Kellis (front tire changer), Todd Drakulich (front tire carrier), Daniel Smith (rear tire changer) and Mike "Shrek" Morneau (rear tire carrier). The team's crew chief is Darian Grubb and the pit crew coach is Joe Piette Jr. At the halfway point of the season (18 races completed), the crews for Jeff Gordon and Greg Biffle lead in the Tissot standings with three wins each. Stewart's and Jimmie Johnson's crews are tied for third with two wins each. The #14 team will collect $5,000 for the pit road win. The team with the most Tissot Pit Road Precision Award wins at the completion of the 36-race Sprint Cup schedule will receive a $100,000 bonus plus Tissot watches for the crew and driver.(Tissot)(7-7-2009)

Johnson’s Team Captures Tissot Pit Crew Award in New Hampshire: Jimmie Johnson’s crew grabbed the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award in Sunday’s Sprint Cup race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. It was the second Tissot victory of the season for the #48 crew, which also won at Bristol in March. The win lifted Johnson’s crew to sole possession of third place in the Tissot standings. The crews for Jeff Gordon and Greg Biffle lead the weekly competition with three wins each. The #48 Lowe’s Chevy spent the least amount of time on pit road – 136.490 seconds -- during the New Hampshire rain-shortened event. The pit crew effort helped Johnson to a top-10 finish (ninth). Johnson’s over-the-wall crew consists of: Mike Lingerfelt (front-tire changer), Art Simmons (front-tire carrier), Jeremy West (rear-tire changer), Andy Brown (rear-tire carrier), Kenneth Purcell (jackman), Rich Gutierrez (gasman), Mike Knauer (catch can) and Ron Malec (eighth man). The team’s pit crew coach is Greg Morin. The #48 crew will collect $5,000 for the pit road win. The team with the most Tissot Pit Road Precision Award wins at the completion of the 36-race Sprint Cup schedule will receive a $100,000 bonus plus Tissot watches for the crew and driver.(Tissot)(6-30-2009)

Montoya’s Team Wins Tissot Pit Crew Award in Sonoma: Juan Pablo Montoya’s crew won the Tissot Pit Crew Precision Award in Sunday’s (June 21) NASCAR Sprint Cup road race at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma. Montoya’s #42 crew is the 12th Cup team to garner the Tissot award as the season approaches the halfway mark. The fast work by the #42 crew during the Toyota / Save Mart 350k helped Montoya to a solid sixth-place finish at the 1.99-mile road circuit. Montoya’s Chevrolet Impala SS spent 107.846 seconds on pit road. Montoya’s over-the-wall crew consists of: Trevor Lysne (front-tire changer), Eric Bilyeu (front-tire carrier), Chris McMullen (rear-tire changer), Chip Goode (rear-tire carrier), TJ Ford (jackman), Mike Bodick (gasman) and Heath Silver (catch can). The payout for winning the weekly Tissot Pit Road Precision Award is $5,000. The crew with the most Tissot wins at the completion of the 36-race schedule will receive a $100,000 bonus plus Tissot watches for the crew and driver. After 16 Cup races, the crews of Jeff Gordon and Greg Biffle are tied for first in the Tissot standings with three wins each. There are 10 teams tied for third with one win each.(Tissot)(6-24-2009)

Biffle's Team Captures Tissot Pit Crew Award in Michigan: For the third time this season, Greg Biffle's #16 crew took top honors in the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award by winning the weekly competition in Sunday's LifeLock 400 Sprint Cup race at Michigan. The win not only paid Biffle's crew $5,000, but it also lifted the #16 team to a tie for first in the Tissot standings. Jeff Gordon's #24 crew also has three wins. The crew with the most Tissot wins at the completion of the 36-race schedule will receive a $100,000 bonus plus Tissot watches for the crew and driver.(Tissot)(6-17-2009)

Correction - Edwards Team Wins Tissot Pit Crew Award in Pocono: The Tissot Pit Road Precision Award winner in the Pocono 500 Sprint Cup Series race was Carl Edwards' #99 team, not Jimmie Johnson's #48 team, which was previously reported due to an anomaly with a NASCAR scoring loop on pit road. It was the first Tissot win of the 2009 season for the #99 crew, which helped Edwards to a runner-up finish in the 200-lap, 500-mile race at Pocono Raceway. Edwards' Ford Fusion spent the least amount of time on pit road -- 222.264 seconds. Edwards' over-the-wall crew consists of: Greg Donlin (front-tire changer), Jeremy Dyer (front-tire carrier), Brandon Hopkins (rear-tire changer), Jody Fortson (rear-tire carrier), Tracy Duncan (jackman), Joe Karasinski (gasman) and Norm Lowe (catch can). The team's crew chief is Bob Osborne and the pit crew coach is Jesse Posey. The #99 team will receive $5,000 for the pit road win. The team with the most Tissot Pit Road Precision Award victories at the completion of the 36-race schedule will earn a $100,000 bonus plus Tissot watches for the crew and driver. Jeff Gordon's #24 crew leads in the Tissot standings with three wins. Greg Biffle's crew is second with two wins. Nine teams are tied for third with one win.(Tissot)(6-9/10-2009)

Biffle’s Team Grabs Tissot Pit Crew Award in Dover: Greg Biffle’s #16 crew captured the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award in Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Dover International Speedway. It was the second Tissot win of the season for Biffle’s crew, which also won the award at the March Cup race in Las Vegas. By claiming its second pit road win of the season, the #16 crew takes over sole possession of second place in the Tissot standings. Jeff Gordon’s #24 crew leads with three victories while eight teams are tied for third with one win. Biffle’s crew won the award in Dover as a result of the team’s #16 Ford Fusion spending the least amount of time on pit road – 320.935 seconds. The quick work by the crew helped lift Biffle to a third place finish in the 400-mile race. The #16 over-the-wall crew consists of: Todd Zeigler (front-tire changer), Colin Pasi (front-tire carrier), Kyle Power (rear-tire changer), Kevin McDowell (rear-tire carrier), Rodney Fetters (jackman), Billy Manchester(gasman), Ryan Dextraze (catch can) and Chris Elliott (windshield). The team's crew chief is Greg Erwin and the pit crew coach is Andy Ward. The #16 team will receive $5,000 for the pit road win. The team with the most Tissot Pit Road Precision Award victories at the completion of the 36-race schedule will earn a $100,000 bonus plus Tissot watches for the crew and driver.(Tissot)(6-3-2009)

Reutimann’s Team Claims Tissot Pit Crew Award at LMS: David Reutimann’s #00 team won the Tissot Pit Crew Precision Award in Monday’s rain-delayed Coca-Cola 600 Sprint Cup race in Charlotte, NC. It was a double win for the Michael Waltrip Racing team with Reutimann scoring his first career Cup victory. Reutimann’s crew became the 10th different winner of the Tissot competition in the 12 Cup races contested in 2009. Reutimann’s pit crew consists of: Cory Quick (front-tire changer), Josh Houghton (front-tire carrier), Shannon Myers (rear-tire changer), Dwayne Moore (rear-tire carrier), Brian Chase (jackman), Danny Harrington (gasman) and Keith Koppenhal (catch can). The pit crew coach is Greg Miller and the strength coach is Kevin Sharpe. The #00 team will receive $5,000 for the pit road win. The team with the most Tissot Pit Road Precision Award victories at the completion of the 36-race schedule will earn a $100,000 bonus plus Tissot watches for the crew and driver. Jeff Gordon’s #24 crew leads in the Tissot standings after 12 races with three victories. There are nine teams tied with one win.(Tissot)(5-28-2009)

Truex’s Team Wins Tissot Pit Crew Award in Darlington: Martin Truex Jr.’s crew won the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award in Saturday night’s Sprint Cup race at Darlington Raceway. Truex’s crew, out of the Earnhardt Ganassi Racing stable, became the season’s ninth different winner of the Tissot pit road competition. The win came as a result of Truex’s Chevy spending the least amount of time on pit road – 411.199 seconds. The #1 pit crew’s performance lifted Truex to a sixth-place finish at Darlington's daunting 1.366-mile track. Truex’s pit crew consists of: Dennis Terry (front-tire changer), Shannon Keys (front tire carrier), Coleman Dollarhide (rear-tire changer), Mark Kennerly (rear-tire carrier), Jeff Kerr (jackman), Preston Cordell (gasman) and Eric “Pee Wee” Hoyle (catch can). The pit crew coach is Walt Smith. Truex’s crew will receive $5,000 for the pit road win. The team with the most Tissot Pit Road Precision Award victories at the completion of the 36-race schedule will earn a $100,000 bonus plus Tissot watches for the crew and driver. Jeff Gordon’s #24 crew leads in the Tissot standings after 11 races with three victories. There are eight teams tied with one win.(Tissot)(5-12-2009)

Jeff Gordon’s Team Wins Tissot Pit Crew Award in Richmond: Jeff Gordon’s #24 crew claimed the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award in Saturday night’s (May 2) Sprint Cup race at Richmond. It was the third win in the last five races for the #24 crew, which has a solid lead in the season-long Tissot pit road competition. After 10 of 36 Sprint Cup races, Gordon’s team has three pit crew wins while seven other teams each have one. The pit crew win at the .75-mile Richmond track was a result of Gordon’s DuPont Chevy Impala SS spending the least amount of time on pit road – 279.607 seconds. The quick effort helped lift Gordon to an eighth-place finish and a return to first place in the Sprint Cup driver point standings. Gordon's pit crew consists of: Clay Robinson (front-tire changer), Mike Houston (front tire carrier), Tim Ladyga (rear-tire changer), Jeff Knight (rear-tire carrier), Jeff Cook (jackman), Caleb Hurd (gasman), Jamie Frady (catch can) and Andy Kruep (eighth man). The pit crew coach is Greg Morin. Gordon’s crew will receive $5,000 for the Richmond pit road win. The team with the most Tissot Pit Road Precision Award victories at the completion of the 36-race schedule will earn a $100,000 bonus plus Tissot watches for the crew and driver.(Tissot PR)(5-6-2009)

#88 Team Grabs Tissot Pit Crew Win in Talladega: It’s the 4th Pit Road Win for Hendrick Motorsports Team in Last 5 Races Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s #88 pit crew won the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award in Sunday’s Sprint Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway. It was the fourth pit road win in the last five races for a Hendrick Motorsports team. The other recent Hendrick winning teams were: Jimmie Johnson’s crew (at Bristol) and Jeff Gordon’s crew (at Martinsville and Texas). The quick work on pit road by the #88 crew in Talladega helped Earnhardt Jr. to a second-place finish at the 2.66-mile oval. The team’s Chevy Impala SS spent the least amount of time on pit road – 255.440 seconds. Earnhardt’s pit crew consists of: Kip Wolfmeier (front-tire changer), Ben Fischbeck (front-tire carrier), Greg Burkhart (rear-tire changer), Matt Myers (rear-tire carrier), Mark Jacobs (jackman), Chris Fasulka (gasman), Jason Dalrymple (catch can). The team’s pit crew coach is Mark Mauldin. The #88 team will receive $5,000 for winning the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award. After nine of 36 Sprint Cup races Gordon’s #24 crew leads in the Tissot standings and the chase for the $100,000 season bonus which will go to the team with the most pit road wins. Along with prize money, members of the season pit crew championship crew and driver will receive a Tissot watch.(Tissot PR)(5-1-2009)

Newman’s Team Captures Tissot Pit Road Win in Phoenix: Ryan Newman’s team claimed the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award in Saturday night’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Phoenix International Raceway. The #39 team out of the Stewart-Haas Racing stable became the season’s sixth winner of the pit road competition. The Tissot pit road win was awarded to Newman’s crew as a result of the team’s #39 Chevy Impala SS spending the least amount of time on pit road – 234.393 seconds – during the 312-lap event at the one-mile oval. Newman’s pit crew consists of: Adam Davis (front-tire changer), Josh Mick (front-tire carrier), Brandon Blake (rear-tire changer), James Houk (rear-tire carrier), Andrew Turner (jackman), Michael Moore (gasman), Andy Rueger (catch can) and Jay Guarneri (eighth man). For winning the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award, the #39 team will receive $5,000. The team with the most pit road wins at the completion of the 36-race schedule will earn a $100,000 bonus plus Tissot watches for the driver and over-the-wall crew members.(Tissot PR)(4-22-2009)

Gordon's Crew Scores Back-to-Back Tissot Pit Road Wins: It was a double victory for the #24 team Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway in Forth Worth. Along with driver Jeff Gordon winning the 500-mile NASCAR Sprint Cup race, the #24 over-the-wall crew won the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award. Gordon's crew also won the pit road competition the previous week in Martinsville. The #24 crew claimed the Tissot win in Texas due to Gordon's DuPont/National Guard Chevy spending the least amount of time on pit road -- 217.453 seconds. Gordon's pit crew consists of: Clay Robinson (front-tire changer), Mike Houston (front tire carrier), Tim Ladyga (rear-tire changer), Jeff Knight (rear-tire carrier), Jeff Cook (jackman), Caleb Hurd (gasman), Jamie Frady (catch can) and Andy Kruep (eighth man). The pit crew coach is Greg Morin. For winning the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award, the #24 team will receive $5,000. The team with the most pit road wins at the completion of the 36-race schedule will earn a $100,000 bonus plus Tissot watches for the driver and over-the-wall crew members.(Tissot PR)(4-8-2009)

Jeff Gordon's Crew Grabs Tissot Pit Road Win in Martinsville: The pit crew for Sprint Cup points leader Jeff Gordon won the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award in Sunday's NASCAR race at Martinsville Speedway. The #24 crew took top honors in the Tissot weekly competition as a result of Gordon's DuPont Chevy Impala SS spending the least amount of time on pit road -- 233.463 seconds. The pit road performance was a factor in Gordon's strong fourth-place finish in the Goody's Fast Pain Relief 500 at the historic half-mile flat track. Gordon's pit crew consists of: Clay Robinson (front-tire changer), Mike Houston (front tire carrier), Tim Ladyga (rear-tire changer), Jeff Knight (rear-tire carrier), Jeff Cook (jackman), Caleb Hurd (gasman), Jamie Frady (catch can) and Andy Kruep (eighth man). The pit crew coach is Greg Morin. For winning the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award, the #24 team will receive $5,000. The team with the most pit road wins at the completion of the 36-race schedule will earn a $100,000 bonus plus Tissot watches for the driver and over-the-wall crew members.(Tissot/DMF Communications PR)(4-1-2009)

Johnson’s #48 Crew Claims Tissot Pit Road Win in Bristol: Jimmie Johnson’s #48 team took top honors by winning the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award in Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Bristol Motor Speedway. The weekly competition, which recognizes the over-the-wall pit crews, has had different winners in each of the first five Cup races of 2009. Johnson’s over-the-wall crew consists of: Mike Lingerfelt (front-tire changer), Art Simmons (front-tire carrier), Jeremy West (rear-tire changer), Andy Brown (rear-tire carrier), Kenneth Purcell (jackman), Rich Gutierrez (gasman), Mike Knauer (catch can) and Ron Malec (eighth man). The team’s pit crew coach is Greg Morin. For winning the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award, the #48 team will receive $5,000. The team with the most pit road wins at the completion of the 36-race schedule will earn a $100,000 bonus plus Tissot watches for the driver and over-the-wall crew members.(DMF Communications/Tissot PR)3-24-2009)

Bowyer's Crew Claims Tissot Pit Road Win in Atlanta: The #33 crew for Clint Bowyer won the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award in Sunday's Sprint Cup race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, becoming the fourth different team in as many races to capture top honors for pit road achievement. Bowyer's crew captured the Tissot pit road win as a result of the team's #33 BB&T Chevy Impala SS spending the least amount of time on pit road (364.400 seconds) during the Kobalt Tools 500. The quick pit stops helped lift Bowyer to a sixth-place finish as the Richard Childress Racing driver remained second in the driver point standings. Bowyer's over-the-wall crew consists of: Clint Pittman (front-tire changer), Shane Stevenson (front-tire carrier), Daniel Rankin (rear-tire changer), Michael Hodges (rear-tire carrier), Bill Ferguson Jr. (jackman), Bryan Smith (gasman), Chad Haney (catch can) and Scott Brewer (eighth man). The team's crew chief is Shane Wilson, pit crew coach is Matt Clark and the strength/conditioning coach is Ray Wright. For winning the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award, the #33 team will receive $5,000. The team with the most pit road wins at the completion of the 36-race schedule will earn a $100,000 bonus plus Tissot watches for the driver and over-the-wall crew members. (DMF Communications/Tissot PR)(3-11-2009)

Biffle's Crew Wins Tissot Pit Road Award in Vegas: Greg Biffle's #16 team claimed the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award at Sunday's Shelby 427 Sprint Cup event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Biffle's Ford Fusion spent the least amount of time on pit road -- 252.400 seconds -- during the 285-lap, 427-mile race. The speedy #16 pit crew has helped lift Biffle to fourth place in the driver point standings. The #16 over-the-wall crew consists of: Todd Zeigler (front-tire changer), Colin Pasi (front-tire carrier), Kyle Power (rear-tire changer), Kevin McDowell (rear-tire carrier), Rodney Fetters (jackman), Billy Manchester (gasman), Ryan Dextraze (catch can) and Chris Elliott (windshield). The team's crew chief is Greg Erwin and the pit crew coach is Andy Ward. For winning the weekly Tissot Pit Road Precision Award, the #16 team will receive $5,000. The payout for the season-championship pit road team will be $100,000 and a Tissot watch for the driver and members of the over-the-wall crew.(DMF Communications/Tissot PR)(3-3-2009)

Stewart's Crew Grabs Tissot Pit Road Win in California: The #14 crew for Tony Stewart took top honors Sunday, winning the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award at the Auto Club 500 Sprint Cup race in Fontana, CA. Stewart's Old Spice/Office Depot Chevy spent the least amount of time on pit road (260.940 seconds) during the 250 lap, 500-mile race at Auto Club Speedway. The winning pit road performance helped Stewart to an eighth-place finish in the second race of the season. The #14 over-the-wall crew consists of: Jeff "Gooch" Patterson (gasman), Scott Radel (catch can), Mike Casto (jackman), Kelly Kellis (front tire changer), Todd Drakulich (front tire carrier), Daniel Smith (rear tire changer), Mike Morneau (rear tire carrier) and Troy Welty (windshield). The team's crew chief is Darian Grubb and the pit crew trainer is Joe Piette. The Tissot Pit Road Precision Award pays $5,000 for each Cup race to the winning pit road team. In addition, the team with the most pit road event wins will be awarded a $100,000 bonus at the completion of the 36-race schedule by Tissot, the official watch and timekeeper of NASCAR.(DMF Communications/Tissot PR)(2-24-2009)

Sorenson's Team Captures Pit Road Award in Daytona 500: Reed Sorenson's #43 team captured the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award in Sunday's (Feb. 15) Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. The Tissot Pit Road Precision Award, which is given to the NASCAR Sprint Cup team that spends the least amount of time on pit road and finishes on the lead lap, is in its first season of rewarding pit crews, the unsung heroes of the sport. The program awards $5,000 for each Cup race to the top pit road team. In addition, the team with the most pit road event wins will be awarded a $100,000 bonus at the completion of the 36-race schedule by Tissot, the official watch and timekeeper of NASCAR. The winning performance by the #43 Richard Petty Motorsports Team team lifted Sorenson and his Dodge Charger to a ninth-place finish in the 500. "Our McDonald's pit crew was just awesome in the Daytona 500," said Sorenson. "They gave us great stops all night long and put us in position to compete in the top-five at the end of the race. It was a great first outing for us as a team and I know they are happy to be recognized by Tissot for the precision of their work." Sorenson's over-the-wall crew consists of: Bryan Jacobson (front tire changer), Brett Morrell (front-tire carrier), Ed Watkins (jackman), Tony Lunders (rear-tire changer), Joel Coronel (rear-tire carrier), Chris Moore (gas man) and Jeff Seaburg (catch can). The team's crew chief is Mike Shiplett and the pit crew coach is Brett Cumming. Tissot has been an official partner of NASCAR since 2006 and is the official timekeeper for a number of other sports, including the MotoGP World Championship, the Ice Hockey World Championship, the Cycling World Championship and the Fencing World Championship.(DMF Communications PR)(2-17-2009)

mechanix Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew Award

2009 Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew Award

#42 Target Crew best in the pits 3rd Qtr: Juan Pablo Montoya's #42 Target Chevy pit crew has proven that they have the speed, power and performance to help their driver earn a spot in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup and to run at the front of the field. The team is now in third place in the Chase standings with six races to go, and has earned two poles, six top-fives and 16 top-10 finishes so far this year. That's why the #42 Target team won the Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew Award for the third quarter - the only authentic competition voted on by crew chiefs. It is the first time the #42 team has won the award. The Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew Award is given quarterly throughout the NASCAR Sprint Cup season, and the winning pit crew is determined by a vote of each team's crew chief. The four quarterly winners are eligible for the year-end Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew Award and a check for $100,000 is awarded at the 2009 NASCAR banquet and awards ceremony.(Victory Management Group)(10-20-2009)

#48 Team wins most valuable pit crew honors: A key component of the #48 Lowe’s Chevrolet team’s championship formula is the performance of the over-the-wall crew. In the 10-race Chase for the Sprint Cup, Jimmie Johnson’s performance on the track was matched with near perfection on pit road by the pit crew. The result was a third consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship for Johnson and the Hendrick Motorsports team which equaled the 30-year record established by Cale Yarborough (1976-1978). For their effort on pit road, the #48 crew has earned the Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew Award for the third time and second consecutive year.
The #48 Hendrick Motorsports team, led by crew chief Chad Knaus, swept fourth-quarter honors last year en route to its second year-end award and $100,000 bonus. The team also won in 2004. In the 10 races that made up the Chase, the 48 team had only two finishes (15th at Texas and Homestead-Miami) outside the top 10. Johnson had three wins and a pair of seconds and finished the season with seven trips to victory lane, 15 top-five and 22 top-10 finishes.
The #48 Lowe's Chevy team: Greg Morin - Pit Crew Coach; Kenneth Purcell - Jackman; Mike Lingerfelt - Front-Tire Changer; Art Simmons - Front-Tire Carrier; Jeremy West - Rear-Tire Changer; Ron Malec - Rear-Tire Carrier; Rick Gutierrez - Gas man; Mike Knauer - Catch Can; Chad Knaus - Crew Chief. The first-quarter winner was the #18 M&M’s over-the-wall crew from Joe Gibbs Racing while the #9 Budweiser Dodge team from Gillett Evernham Motorsports prevailed in the second quarter. Third-quarter honors went to the #99 crew from Roush Fenway Racing. The #48 Lowe’s Chevrolet team emerged the fourth-quarter winner.(Mechanix Wear/C4 Explosive Communications PR)(12-4-2008)

2009 Pilot Truck Driver Challenge

Joe Gibbs Racing Team Members Sweep Bristol: Congrats goes to Peter Jellen, member of the #18 Joe Gibbs racing team for winning first place at the Pilot Truck Driver Challenge 3rd chicane event of the year at Bristol, TN. Tom McCrimmon #20 team finishes second and co driver Bob Hannigan of the #18 team finished third.(Pilot Truck Driver Challenge)(8-25-2009)

What is the Pilot Truck Driver Challenge?: The Pilot Truck Driver Challenge is a friendly competition among the NASCAR Sprint Cup truck drivers. The program is an initiative of Pilot Travel Centers designed to promote truck driving safety. The program involves maneuvering through chicane courses, taking safety quizzes and doing DOT checks on the drivers and their equipment. In participating in this Challenge the truck drivers have the opportunity to win cash and prizes totaling up to $80,000. More info at PilotTruckChallenge.com.

2008 Winner:
Bob Decker - 2008 Pilot Truck Driver Challenge Champion - Roush Fenway Racing, #99 Team.