Tony Stewart’s pit crew captured the Checkers / Rally’s Double Drive-Thru Challenge competition in Monday’s rain-delayed NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The Checkers/Rally’s Double Drive-Thru Challenge is in its second season of rewarding pit crews, the unsung heroes in the Nextel Cup Series. The program awards $10,500 per week to the top pit crew. In addition, the pit crew with the most wins will be awarded a $105,000 bonus at the completion of the 36-race schedule. Stewart’s #20 Home Depot Chevrolet spent the least amount of time on pit road (322.141 seconds) during Monday’s 500-mile race. The winning performance by the #20 crew lifted Stewart to a fifth-place finish. Stewart’s over-the-wall crew consists of: Jason Lee (jackman), Tom Dean (front-tire carrier), Ira-Jo Hussey (front-tire changer), Jody Fortson (rear-tire carrier), Todd Foster (rear-tire changer), Jeff Patterson (gasman), Brian Larson (catch can) and Scott Geerts (windshield). The team’s crew chief is Greg Zipadelli and the pit stop coordinator is Paul Alepa. The #20 crew, part of the Joe Gibbs Racing stable, snapped a three-race win streak by Hendrick Motorsports teams. The first two Checkers/Rally’s Double Drive-Thru Challenge wins of the season went to Jimmie Johnson’s #48 crew. The round-three winner was the #5 crew for Kyle Busch. Daytona (2/19) Jimmie Johnson Team; California (2/26) Jimmie Johnson Team; Las Vegas (3/12) Kyle Busch Team; Atlanta (3/20) Tony Stewart Team.(DMF Communications PR), more at checkers.com.(3-22-2006)
