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[/media-credit]CHARLOTTE, N.C. (August 21, 2011) – The pit crew of the No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet of Kevin Harvick and Richard Childress Racing has earned second-quarter honors in the 2011 Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew Award competition, taking home the $5,000 quarterly prize – a reward that could buy several rounds of Budweisers to celebrate.
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 Champion’s Week in Las Vegas – and the $100,000 grand prize.
This year celebrates the 10th annual Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew Championship – the only authentic competition voted on by crew chiefs – as well as the safety innovator’s 20th year in the sport. Mechanix Wear, the #1 glove in racing, is the Official Glove of NASCARR used by nearly all pit crew members in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
“Pit road is very competitive and when you hear people talk about this being a team sport, it really is because everybody is important,” said Harvick. “The guys on pit road are vital to the success of any driver and team, because if they struggle on pit road, you’ll never win a race. The No. 29 Budweiser team has done a great job week in and week out on pit road and it’s great to see them get credit for their hard work.”
So far, Harvick and the No. 29 team have three wins, six top-fives and 11 top-10s. As Harvick continues to perform well on the track, Gil Martin, crew chief on the No. 29 Chevy, continues to maintain that same level of performance by keeping the pit crew at the top of its game.
“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.”
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.
“A quick grip and a strong hand is crucial to any pit stop in any of the NASCAR racing series,” said Ted Abdon, Director of Racing for Mechanix Wear. “The right kind of glove not only aids with this but works as a tool to keep the pit crews safer and more efficient. We continue to strive to produce the best product available to ensure they can continue to be the best.”
About Mechanix Wear
Mechanix Wear, the #1 glove in racing, is the motorsports industry’s first and foremost company dedicated to providing gloves to help you work faster, safer and cleaner. From the introduction of the Original glove in 1991, Mechanix Wear has continually defined the state of high quality performance work gloves by adding products specifically designed to enhance comfort and resist extreme wear, temperatures and impact. Mechanix Wear gloves can be found in toolboxes everywhere and are used for hundreds of applications from motorsports and automotive work to construction and DIY home improvement; military, tactical and government applications; industrial and safety jobs; and emergency services and law enforcement applications.
