The cost of gas may be at an all-time high, but for Jeremy Mayfield and the #19 team, fuel is priceless. After running outside the top-10 for the majority of the GFS Marketplace 400, crew chief Slugger Labbe called Mayfield into the pits on lap 148 to top off his fuel cell. The move sent Mayfield to the back of the pack, but when all of the leaders ducked into the pits on the ensuing green flag for a final gas and go, Mayfield inherited the lead and never looked back. The #19 Dodge Dealers Dodge assumed the top spot on lap 195 and held on to take the checkered flag. Labbe’s fuel mileage gamble not only brought him a victory, but also won him the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Race award.
“History says this place from lap 150 on goes green,” said Labbe. “We took a chance on history and we took a chance on what we did at the test. We ran 52 laps here at the test straight and then ran out of gas coming to 53. We knew we had the car to do it and the engine that could do it and the carburetor that could do it, and Jeremy is really good on saving fuel. We were cautiously nervous. We knew we could make it. It was going to be close of course. Jeremy thought he ran out a couple of times. We did a victory lap, did some burnouts and finally ran out of gas. It’s a gamble. Maybe I should go to Vegas tomorrow.”
The panel of voters; including Tony Eury Sr., a Wypall Wipers representative and Maureen Fulton of the Toledo Blade; collectivelyvoted for Labbe as the crew chief who did the best job. Doug Richert leads the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Year standings with five wins. Alan Gustafson, Bob Osborne, Greg Zipadelli and Robbie Loomis are tied for second place with two wins. Tommy Baldwin, Scott Miller, Fatback McSwain, Steve Hmiel, Jimmy Fennig, Greg Erwin, Slugger Labbe 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)(8-22-2005)
