SPEED reporter Ray Dunlap posted on his Twitter Sunday night that Johnny Sauters crew chief Joe Shear, Jr. has resigned as crew chief on the #98 Toyota. No word from the team on a replacement for Wednesdays race at Eldora Speedway. Shear recently served a four-race suspension, returning for one race in Iowa. During that time, Jesse Saunders and Dan LeMasters worked together to call the shots for the ThorSport Racing team.(7-21-2013) UPDATE: Crew chief Joe Shear, Jr., has left the ThorSport Racing Camping World Truck Series team, just one race after serving a four-event suspension for illegal fuel cell modifications discovered at Kansas Speedway in April. Shear resigned his position Friday, just five days before the series first-ever dirt track race at Eldora Speedway. He and driver Johnny Sauter ranked fifth in the Truck Series championship standings, just 52 points behind ThorSport Racing teammate Matt Crafton. Sauter was docked 25 points for the fuel cell violation at Kansas, knocking him from the series lead. ‘Joe has been my crew chief for a long time and my friend for even longer’ said Sauter today. ‘I guess there were some disagreements over the direction of the team, and he felt like it was time for him to move on.” Sauter declined to comment on specifics of the split, but sources close to the team say difficulty hiring qualified personnel to work at ThorSports Sandusky, Ohio shop, debates over the correct technological path for the team and an inability to address issues with their over-the-wall pit crew all played a role in Shears departure. Truck chiefs Jesse Saunders and Dan LeMasters, who replaced Shear during his suspension, are expected to oversee the team this week at Eldora, with no word yet on a permanent replacement. Calls placed to ThorSport Racing for comment today were not immediately returned.( Godfather Motorsports )
