IRWIN Rough to Finish Award: Last Sunday was a roller-coaster ride for ALLTEL Racing. #12-Ryan Newman sat on the pole for the Tropicana 400 at Chicagoland Speedway, led the first 56 laps, fell back, regained the lead, cut a tire and rallied back late in the race to finish fifth.. Quite a day for the ALLTEL Racing team – a day that earned crew chief Matt Borland this week’s “Irwin Rough to the Finish” Award. After running strong all day and leading the race with 28 laps to go, disaster struck the ALLTEL team in the form of a flat tire. In some cases, this would have ended a race team’s chances for a strong finish. But thanks to a great pit stop, Newman was able to stay on the lead lap and fight back to a top-five finish, passing several cars in the closing laps. Each week throughout the 2002 NASCAR Winston Cup season, IRWIN, makers of professional power tool accessories like Marathon Plus saw blades and Speedbor flat bits, is partnering with Performance Racing Network to honor the crew chief who had the toughest day in the pits, but still managed to help his team to a strong finish. The IRWIN Rough to the Finish Award includes an assortment of tools for the crew chief and a $250 check donated to the Ellerbe, NC Educational Fund in the racing team’s name.. The year-end winner of the crew chief points standings will win a $5,000 check donated to the Fund.. Race fans wanting to make a contribution to the Fund may do so by sending it to the Ellerbe, NC Educational Fund, PO Box 443, Ellerbe, NC 28338.(Golin Harris PR)(7-18-2002) (7-17-2002)
