Kevin ‘Bono’ Manion is the new crew chief for Michael Annett and the #7 Pilot Flying J Chevy at Tommy Baldwin Racing. The 41-year-old Boylston, Mass., native will oversee Annett’s rookie season in the Sprint Cup Series. Manion’s reunion with Baldwin is the result of a two-decade friendship that developed while the two worked on modifieds in the Northeast. Before the pair moved to North Carolina in fall 1995, Baldwin promised Manion that one day he would own a Cup team. As Manion says, the racers’ relationship has ‘come full circle.’ When Martin Truex, Jr. left Earnhardt Ganassi Racing after the 2009 season, Manion was assigned to Jamie McMurray’s team in 2010. Together, Manion and McMurray won the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard 400 as well as the fall race at Charlotte. Despite winning at Talladega Superspeedway in October, Manion was relieved of his post at season’s end.(Fox Sports)(1-22-2014)
UPDATE: Tommy Baldwin Racing has hired veteran Kevin ‘Bono’ Manion as the crew chief for Michael Annett and the # Pilot Flying J Chevry SS. With Manion on board, the team seeks to take the program to the next level as team owner, Tommy Baldwin, will have the ability to focus on business and management aspects of the team rather than as both owner and crew chief. Manion is excited to make his move to TBR, the opportunity to work with Michael in his rookie season and a team that is more hands on.(Rising Star Management)(1-22-2014)
