Ben Leslie has been named interim crew chief for the Roush Fenway Racing #16 Nationwide Series team, a team spokesman has confirmed. He replaces Eddie Pardue. Leslie, who started the year as crew chief for Ricky Stenhouse Jr., had more recently been overseeing the Nationwide program for Roush Fenway. Pardue, a Nationwide Series crew chief for more than four years and an employee at Roush Fenway for seven, is no longer with the organization.(Scene Daily)(5-27-2010)
UPDATE: Roush Fenway crew chief Eddie Pardue was fired last week after his crew’s involvement in a fight at a Daytona strip club. Multiple sources confirmed Nationwide Series veteran Pardue was released once management learned of the incident, which occurred in the middle of a Nationwide Car of Tomorrow test at Daytona. Sources say the crew for his #16 Roush Fenway Ford went to the club one night during the test, where a physical altercation with several patrons ensued. No charges were filed, but once word spread of the fight an undisclosed number of crewmen were fired, along with Pardue despite him not being in attendance at the club. One source suggested Roush was making an example with his dismissal in the wake of a miserable season during which their Cup and Nationwide teams have gone winless. Pardue had been a Roush employee for seven years and a Nationwide crew chief for the past four.(Frontstretch)(6-5-2010)
UPDATE 2: Rick Viers will be the new crew chief for the #16 Nationwide Series car, effective immediately. Roush sources say that the veteran crew chief will add stability to the #16 program, which currently has a rotating set of drivers. Viers was most recently with Baker Curb Racing, working primarily with Greg Biffle who is a part of Roush’s Cup program. Viers was also a crew chief for Red Bull Racing at the Sprint Cup level, but enjoyed his most success with Richard Childress Racing’s Nationwide program.(FoxSports)(6-11-2010)
