IRWIN Rough to Finish Award #18 Team: In a season marked by disappointment and heartache, Bobby Labonte’ s second-place finish in Sunday’s UAW-GM 500 was the lift that the #18 Interstate Batteries team needed. After wrecking two cars two weeks ago in Kansas City, the Jimmy Makar led crew worked tirelessly to prepare one of the team’s older cars for this weekend’ s race and their hard work paid off, helping to earn Makar this week’s IRWIN “Rough to the Finish” award. Labonte’ s second-place finish was his best finish since he won the Virginia 500 at Martinsville earlier this season. Labonte also led three times for a total of 53 laps during the event, marking the first laps Labonte has led since the Coca-Cola Racing Family 600 in May. In addition, this was his ninth top-five and 13th top-10 in 20 career starts at Lowe’s. “This is an old race car with a new setup and it worked pretty good for us tonight,” explained Makar. “I know Bobby still would have liked to win, but this is one of our better racetracks and we like coming here, so second place isn’ t bad. This whole crew deserves all the credit for tonight’ s effort.” 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. In addition to the crew chief award, Irwin is also sponsoring the weekly nationally syndicated radio show, “Fast Talk with Benny Parsons”, throughout the upcoming year.(Golin Harris PR)(10-16-2002)
