Roswell, GA (September 28, 2011) – Darian Grubb, crew chief for the No. 14 Office Depot/Mobile 1 Chevrolet driven by Tony Stewart, has been named the WYPALL* Wipers Crew Chief of the Race for a second consecutive week following Sunday’s Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Grubb calculated the fuel mileage of Stewart’s car to perfection for the second consecutive week with the same result – a victory. While running second with two laps to go, leader Clint Bowyer’s fuel cell ran dry and Stewart slipped by to take the win. Other top runners also had to pit late for a splash of gasoline.
“We may not have been the best car at the end,” said Stewart, who started 20th in the 43-car field. “Clint (Bowyer) was just a tick better than us. I definitely did not know he was in a situation to worry about fuel. So the good thing is Darian told us we were two, three laps to the good. I got to run hard all the way to the end.”
“Today’s win was redemption for Grubb & team,” said WYPALL Wipers crew chief representative and FOX/Speed analyst Jeff Hammond. “They ran out of fuel late in the New Hampshire race a year ago while leading with one lap left – but not this weekend. Darian helped keep their streak alive (second win in-a-row) and has kept them on fire.”
This win moved Stewart to the leader in the championship standings with just eight races to go.
WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief Results
Steve Addington, Kurt Busch and the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil team finished a disappointing 22nd after dealing with an ill-handling car all afternoon and getting a bad start to the day as they were late taking the car through final inspection before the race.
“It was a frustrating day,” said Busch of his team’s worst finish since crashing out of the Michigan race on August 21. “Our Shell Pennzoil Dodge was certainly a handful. The front tires felt like they were on skids and the car was plowing through the corners. We were late going through inspection and that set the tone for our day. We were able to stay out and lead some laps under green and Steve Addington and the guys kept making changes and got our Dodge better by the end of the race. I just wish we could have started the race with the car that good.”
Paul Wolfe and the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge of Brad Keselowski finished a strong second after mastering the fuel mileage game in the final laps. Starting 16th, Keselowski battled with an ill-handling car as well. But strategy by Wolfe allowed Keselowski to race his way into the fifth position on lap 200. To ensure they would stay inside the fuel window to the end of the race on one more pit stop, Wolfe kept his driver on the track until the last stop of the day on lap 231. Keselowski worked his way up into the top five, eventually finishing second.
“I feel really good about this one,” said Keselowski. “We struggled a little bit this weekend, but we executed and that’s what these races are about. We’ve got some work to do on these short-track races, but we got some mile-and-a-half’s coming up where we’ve been really, really good. I’m proud just to get through what looked to be a rough weekend with an awesome finish. I’m proud of my Miller Lite Dodge team, getting the right adjustments in the car all race and doing all those things that it takes. It’s been a good roll.”
WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief Voting Team
Addington and Wolfe, along with Hammond and Sirius 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 Sirius NASCAR Radio Channel 128 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.
