Roswell, GA (November 2, 2010) – Gil Martin, crew chief for the No. 29 Realtree Chevrolet driven by Kevin Harvick, has been named the WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief of the Race following Sunday’s AMP Energy Juice 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.
Twice during the event, Harvick suffered cosmetic damage to his machine, but Martin and company made the necessary repairs to help the No. 29 to a runner-up finish behind teammate Clint Bowyer.
The first incident saw Harvick swerve to the apron to miss teammate Jeff Burton’s car (which was spun out by Dale Earnhardt, Jr.). Damage was done to the side-skirts and splitter. Still on the lead lap in 22nd just three laps later, Marcos Ambrose spun directly into the path of Harvick, who plowed into the side of his Ambrose’s car.
More damage was suffered to the nose and right front fender, but just like after the first incident, the Martin-led crew worked on the car continuously (over four pit stops) to make it the best if could be aerodynamically. As a result, Harvick’s battered machine miraculously marched through the pack and wound up second in a photo finish.
“Gil made critical decisions on what repairs had to be done to No. 29,” said WYPALL Wipers crew chief representative Jeff Hammond. “The repairs that were made proved to be efficient as Kevin’s torn up race car remained super competitive. There was a late-race caution with eight laps to go and I give credit to Gil for keeping Kevin on the track, trusting that the repairs that were made with more than 30 laps left would remain in tact. They were able to keep track position instead of going back to the rear of the field.”
WYPALL* Wipers Crew Chief Results
Todd Berrier, Burton and the No. 31 CAT team finished a disappointing 41st after the spin ignited by Earnhardt, Jr. Burton started fifth and was a strong contender all day. His day ended after the altercation with the fourth-turn wall on lap 133 of the 188-lap event.
Frank Kerr, crew chief of the No. 47 Camry driven by Ambrose, rebounded from the spin (which began from a tap from eventual winner Bowyer) and came home 34th after extensive repairs on pit road.
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.
