ROSWELL, Ga. (June 10,
2008) – Kevin Hamlin, crew
chief of the No. 83 Red Bull
Toyota driven by Brian
Vickers, has been named the
WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief of
the Race following Sunday’s
Pocono 500 at Pocono
Raceway.
After starting 15th,
Vickers led 18 laps and
paced the field until
eventual race winner Kasey
Kahne passed him on fresher
tires with 15 laps to go.
Following a caution on
lap 178, Hamlin instructed
Vickers to stay out rather
than come in for tires. And
although the Red Bull team
did not visit victory lane,
Hamlin’s quick thinking and
strategy awarded them a
successful runner-up
position, the team’s best
career finish ever.
“I have to give Kevin and
the entire Red Bull team
credit – they went back and
completely changed our setup
for today and gave me a
great race car,” commented
Vickers after the race.
“Kevin made the right call
to stay out for track
position and it was a great
finish for us.”
The 2008 WYPALL Wipers
Crew Chief Challenge is a
season-long contest that
will determine the best crew
chiefs in the NASCAR Sprint
Cup garage. Following each
race, a panel will vote to
determine which crew chief
demonstrated the most
outstanding strategy and
leadership during the race.
It isn’t necessarily the
crew chief that goes to
Victory Lane, but the crew
chief that makes the biggest
difference for his team.
Representatives from
WYPALL Wipers, together with
FOX/SPEED television analyst
Jeff Hammond, and three of
NASCAR’s top crew chiefs who
represent WYPALL, including
Todd Berrier of Richard
Childress Racing’s No. 29
Shell-Pennzoil Chevy team,
Bob Osborne of Roush Fenway
Racing’s No. 99 Office Depot
Ford team, and Kenny Francis
of Gillett Evernham
Motorsports’ No. 9 Budweiser
Dodge team, make up the
panel of judges.
In addition to the $1,000
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 top wins will be
honored as the WYPALL Wipers
Crew Chief of the Year and
will be presented a $20,000
check at the season finale
in Homestead, Fla.
“The WYPALL Wipers Crew
Chief Challenge spotlights
the crew chief’s efforts to
get his team in Victory
Lane,” said Tom Merrill,
Category Manager for WYPALL
Wipers. “WYPALL Wipers and
crew chiefs are a natural
fit. Crew chiefs only want
to use reliable products on
their cars and engines.
That’s why they choose
WYPALL Wipers. Our products
are used to wipe up the
toughest, most stubborn
messes, and we want to focus
on the men who put WYPALL
Wipers to use each week.
That’s why we continue to
show our appreciation to the
crew chiefs.”
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 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 2008 season
and spotlight the men behind
the machines. For more
information, log onto
www.wypall.com.