Roswell, GA (August 24, 2011) – Chad Knaus, crew chief for the No. 48 Lowes’ Chevrolet driven by reigning champion Jimmie Johnson, has been named the WYPALL* Wipers Crew Chief of the Race following the Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday afternoon.
With Johnson on pit road on lap 168, the caution flag came out. The Knaus led-team pulled off a lightening fast pit stop and was able to get back onto the track without penalty. He then stole the lead from teammate Jeff Gordon when yellow-flag pit stops began. Johnson led on the restart and held the point for the next 18 laps. He stayed in the top the remainder of the race, and ultimately came home second behind Kyle Busch.
“Chad & team didn’t necessarily have the best car all day but he sure made the right calls when it counted the most,” said WYPALL Wipers crew chief representative and FOX/Speed analyst Jeff Hammond.
WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief Results
Steve Addington, Kurt Busch and the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil team finished a disappointing 34th for a second week in a row due to being involved in an accident at the end of the race.
“We blew a right front tire with three laps to go — running just outside the top 10 and making a strong run during the final laps to get us a top-10 finish,” said Busch. “The impact wound up rupturing the radiator, so that was it for us today.
Paul Wolfe and the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge of Keselowski finished third after fighting a tight-handling car most of the day. Quick pit work and strategy put Keselowski in position to advance from sixth to third late in the race.
“It was a good run for the Miller Lite Dodge,” said Keselowski. “The guys did a great job working on the car today. We executed well all day. Paul made some great calls on the pit box and we were able to bring home a third-place finish. It’s a great run for us here in Michigan, a solid day. I’m proud of my team. We gained some points and had another solid run.”
WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief Voting Team
Addington and Wolfe, along with Hammond and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio’s Claire B. Lang, serve as the panel for the WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief Challenge and vote for the weekly crew chief winners.
Each weekly WYPALL Crew Chief Challenge winner will be a guest on Lang’s “Dialed In” program on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90) at 8 p.m. EST on Wednesdays throughout the season.
The crew chief with the most weekly top wins will be honored as the WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief of the Year and will be presented a $10,000 check during the weekend of the WYPALL 200 Presented by Kimberly-Clark Professional Nationwide Series race at Phoenix International Raceway on Saturday, November 12, 2011.
About WYPALL Wipers:
Since 2004, Kimberly-Clark Professional’s WYPALL Wipers brand has been affiliated with some of racing’s top teams. Offering heavy-duty to versatile light-duty towels, WYPALL Wipers provides race teams with a number of products providing 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 remainder of the 2011 season and spotlight the men behind the machines. For more information, log onto www.wypall.com.
About Penske Racing
Penske Racing is one of the most successful teams in the history of professional sports. Competing in a variety of disciplines, cars owned and prepared by Penske Racing have produced 332 major race wins, 396 pole positions and 23 National Championships. The team has also earned 15 Indianapolis 500 victories. For more information about Penske Racing, please visit www.penskeracing.com.
