Roswell, Ga. (September 14, 2010) – Shane Wilson, crew chief for the No. 33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet and driver Clint Bowyer, has been named the WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief of the Race following Saturday night’s Air Guard 400 at Richmond International Raceway.
Wilson helped his team clinched the covered 12th and final spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup Series title. After an impressive fourh-place qualifying effort, Bowyer ran solid throughout the race and came home sixth, finishing ahead of the drivers who were close enough to take that 12th spot away. Now, Bowyer has the opportunity to vie for the championship in the 10-race Chase.
Entering the race in 12th, Wilson and company decided to go all out to win the race, not just finish high enough to retain his position in the standings. They accomplished that with a lightening fast car, quick pit stops and good calls from Wilson atop the box. He led 33 laps and never ran outside of the top-six for the entire 400-lap event.
“I can’t say enough about Shane and the entire No. 33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet team,” said Bowyer. “They never give up and have dug deep these last few races to get us where we needed to be.”
“From the beginning of the weekend, Shane and the boys came prepared,” said WYPALL Wipers crew chief representative Jeff Hammond. “Coming in under a lot of pressure, they unloaded well and stayed on top all weekend long. Keeping in the top-5 all night, they won the biggest battle of them all – getting that last spot in the Chase.”
WYPALL* Wipers Crew Chief Results
Jeff Burton and the No. 31 Caterpillar Chevy led by Todd Berrier came into Saturday’s race with a determination to win. Having already secured a spot in the Chase, they felt prepared.
Starting from the 25th position, Burton worked his way up into the top 10 for the majority of the race and finally setting for a 13th finishing spot going into next week’s race at New Hampshire.
Marcos Ambrose and the No. 47 Kroger Toyota Camry, led by Frank Kerr took off from the 13th position and finished a remarkable 5th place!
Following two good practice sessions and a good qualifying effort, Ambrose felt ready to attack Richmond. Despite fighting some handling conditions, the Kerr-led team never let him down in the pits.
“I’m just really proud of my guys,” Ambrose said. “It was a lot of fun out there. The No. 47 Kroger Toyota kept getting better and it was the best it had been near the end of the race.”
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.
