In its continuing effort to build a more competitive race team in NASCAR Busch Series competition, Frank Cicci Racing with Jim Kelly announced today the hiring of a permanent Crew Chief and new Car Chief for the #34 Dollar General Chevrolets driven by Randy LaJoie. Dan Gibbs, hired as a Team Manager four weeks ago at the Mooresville, North Carolina-based team, will now add the title of Crew Chief to his responsibilities while Kurt Binkley will assume the role of Car Chief beginning with this weekend’s race in Milwaukee. The 48-year-old Gibbs had served as the Technical Director at Team Rensi Motorsports for the last four years, overseeing set ups for the race cars driven by Bobby Hamilton, Jr. in the past and more recently with the machines of Jason Keller and Ashton Lewis, Jr. All three of these drivers have been top 10 mainstays while driving for Team Rensi. A native of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Gibbs is a 25-year professional motorsports veteran who has specialized in race car suspension and set-up. Gibbs is married and now makes his home in Mooresville. Gibbs succeeds Wayne Carroll, who served as the interim Crew Chief for the Dollar General Racing Team for three races. The 39-year-old Binkley, who hails from Toledo, OH, is also a suspension specialist who most recently worked in that capacity for the Wood Brothers Racing NASCAR Nextel Cup Series organization. He also has over-the-wall experience in NASCAR competition as a tire changer. Now residing in Troutman, NC, Binkley also worked for four years at NEMCO Motorsports and was involved in the preparation of the Busch Series cars of team owner/driver Joe Nemechek that were prepared for many years under the tutelage of highly successful Crew Chief Brian Pattie. Pattie is now serving in that same capacity at Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates for the team of current Series point’s leader and rookie Reed Sorenson. Binkley also worked for a half dozen years at Roush Racing.(On Track Marketing/Frank Cicci Racing with Jim Kelly)(6-23-2005)
