Roswell, Ga. (October 12, 2010) – Scott Miller, interim crew chief for the No. 33 Hartford Chevy and driver Clint Bowyer, has been named the WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief of the Race following Sunday’s Pepsi Max 400 at Auto Club Speedway.
Coming into Kansas, Bowyer and team were a bit distraught following the past couple of weeks where they have been under deep scrutiny. While crew chief Shane Wilson is on a four-race suspension, Richard Childress appointed former crew chief and existing Director of Competition for Richard Childress Racing, Scott Miller to the job.
Miller came with the desire to turn this team around. Although Bowyer remains 12th in the points’ standings, Miller made a critical call towards the end of the race that put them in a position to win.
Leading for 27 laps, Bowyer seemed to be on his way to victory, but the caution flag flew on lap 184, and Miller summoned his driver to pit road for four fresh tires and fuel. Bowyer returned to the track in third, while others chose to only take two tires. But with fresh rubber, Bowyer was able to slingshot past Jimmie Johnson to take home the 2nd place finish behind winner Tony Stewart.
“Scott called a pretty impressive race after not being in the crew chief’s seat for over a year,” said WYPALL Wipers crew chief representative Jeff Hammond. “To come in and take over the No. 33 team and finish 2nd is remarkable. Despite all of the controversy and stress, he managed to make good calls throughout the weekend and during the race.”
WYPALL* Wipers Crew Chief Results
Jeff Burton and the No. 31 Caterpillar Chevy led by Todd Berrier finished 23rd after wrestling with loose-handling conditions, racing between 17th and 28th spots for the better half of the race.
Unfortunately most of the adjustments made in the pits didn’t improve the No. 31 machine resulting in a below par finish.
Marcos Ambrose and the No. 47 Little Debbie Toyota Camry, led by Frank Kerr, finished a disappointing 33rd position after enduring grip issues along with high oil and water temperatures.
“It just was not our day,” said Ambrose, who completed 193 of 200 and started the race from the 26th position. “We spun out a few times during the race. It was a tough day for us. Fortunately, we were able to soldier on to finish the race.”
WYPALL* Wipers Crew Chief Team
Berrier, Kerr and Hammond, along with representatives from the WYPALL Wipers brand, serve as the panel for the WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief Challenge and vote for the weekly crew chief winners. In addition to the $500 check, the winning crew chief will receive signage to announce the win on their pit box the following week. The crew chief with the most weekly wins will be honored as the WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief of the Year and will be presented a $20,000 check at season’s end.
Former winners of the WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief Challenge include Tony Eury, Sr. (Dale Earnhardt, Jr.), Robbie Reiser (Matt Kenseth), Doug Richert (Greg Biffle), Mike Ford (Denny Hamlin) and Chad Knaus (Johnson).
About WYPALL Wipers
WYPALL is a brand of Kimberly-Clark Professional. Since 2004, WYPALL Wipers has been affiliated with some of racing’s top teams. Offering heavy-duty to versatile light-duty towels, WYPALL Wipers provide race teams with a number of products that demonstrate strength and durability. Defeating the toughest of challenges, from absorbing tough grease and oil to wiping down windshields without leaving residue behind, WYPALL Wipers continue to offer performance and versatility.
The WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief Challenge will continue throughout the 2010 season and spotlight the men behind the machines. For more information, log onto www.wypall.com.
