Ricky Rudd was flying this weekend at Infineon Raceway. In his #21 Air Force Taurus, Rudd drove all the way from his twentieth place starting spot into the top-five. Rudd’s biggest move of the race came with thirty-nine laps left in the event, when crew chief Michael “Fatback” McSwain made the gutsy call for his driver not to follow the leaders’ pit strategy and had him remain on the track. Despite being close on fuel, Rudd never sputtered and hung on for a second-place finish. McSwain not only picked up his best finish of the season, but was awarded the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Race award. Rudd was riding in twenty-fourth place when the caution waved on lap sixty-nine. Even though the leaders all came into the pits for four tires and fuel, Rudd stayed out and took over the fourth position. He took advantage of his newfound track position and muscled his way into the lead. With questionable fuel remaining and a set of worn out Goodyears, Rudd held off a hard charging Tony Stewart for several laps, before eventually succumbing to the #20 machine. This was #21 team’s best finish of the 2005 season. The panel of voters; including the San Jose Mercury News, a Wypall Wipers representative and Robbie Reiser; all cast their vote for McSwain as the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Race.
Doug Richert leads the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Year standings with five wins. Alan Gustafson and Robbie Loomis are tied for second place with two wins. Tommy Baldwin, Scott Miller, Bob Osborne, Fatback McSwain and Pete Rondeau are in a tie for third place, each with one win. At the end of the season, the crew chief with the most weekly wins will receive $20,000. Fans can also vote for their choice at wypall.com.(SMC 500)(6-26-2005)
