CHARLOTTE, N.C. (July 26, 2011) – For their outstanding efforts on pit road during the second quarter of the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, the No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet over-the-wall team for Kevin Harvick and Richard Childress Racing has earned second-quarter honors in the 2011 Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew Award competition. The team had one win (Charlotte) and four top-10 finishes during that time period.
The Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew Award, which is determined by a vote of each team’s crew chief, is given quarterly to the top-performing pit crew in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The four quarterly winners are eligible for the year-end Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew Award presented during NASCAR Champion’s Week in Las Vegas.
This year, Harvick, crew chief Gil Martin and the No. 29 team have posted three wins, six top-fives and 10 top-ten finishes and currently sit fourth in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points standings heading into this weekend’s Brickyard 400 presented by BigMachineRecords.com at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (1 p.m. ET, ESPN). While Harvick is turning fast laps behind the wheel, his over-the-wall gang has been on their game as well, performing consistent, quick pit stops.
“The pit crew has been a vital part of the success for the 29 team this season,” said Martin. “These guys put so much effort in during their training each week and it shows on race day. They have done a tremendous job on pit road and it’s nice to see their performance recognized by others in the sport.”
The award is part of the NASCAR Prize Money and Decal Program, also referred to as the contingency program, which provides teams prize money and weekly awards based on performance in several categories. Mechanix Wear, the No. 1 glove in racing, is the Official Glove of NASCAR used by nearly all pit crew members for 20 years in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
Created ten years ago, the Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew Award is one of the most sought-after titles for pit crews.
“We work with pit crews every week to jointly develop products that help them do their job better,” said Ted Abdon, director of racing for Mechanix Wear. “We look at the changes in the cars and the pit stops, and create products that make them safer on the job and help them do it more effectively. We’ve worked hard to reward them for being the best in their sport.”
Members of the No. 29 pit crew include: Kyle Turner (front-tire changer), J.D. Holcomb (front-tire carrier), Zach Price (rear-tire changer), Bob Dowens (rear-tire carrier), Eric Wilson (jackman), Mike Morrison (gasman), Mike Scearce (7th Man/Windshield). The team’s pit crew coach is Matt Clark.
“I’m really proud of how the entire No. 29 Budweiser team has come together,” said Clark. “The guys work hard week-in and week-out to provide quality pit stops. We appreciate all that Budweiser and Mechanix Wear do for our sport.”
The No. 29 pit crew will be presented the second-quarter Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew Award during pre-race ceremonies before the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway on August 21.
For a complete description and special award standings of national series awards presented via the NASCAR Prize Money & Decal Program, visit www.nascarmedia.com.
About the NASCAR Prize Money & Decal Program
The NASCAR Prize Money & Decal Program, commonly referred to as the contingency program, is administered by the NASCAR Automotive Group. The program strives to build strong relationships with high-quality, performance-driven brands that are leaders in their respective categories and award money to NASCAR teams via per-race and year-end postings. Competitors become eligible for awards money by displaying partner decals on the front fender of their race vehicles and, in some instances, use of a sponsor’s product. National series contingency sponsors will contribute over $8.4 million to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2011.
