NO. 48 TEAM EARNS 2008 MECHANIX WEAR MOST VALUABLE PIT CREW HONORS

 

Team Claims Year-End Award For Third Time

 

VALENCIA, Calif., (December 1, 2008) – A key component of the No 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet team’s championship formula is the performance of the over-the-wall crew.  In the 10-race Chase for the Sprint Cup, Jimmie Johnson’s performance on the track was matched with near perfection on pit road by the pit crew.  The result was a third consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship for Johnson and the Hendrick Motorsports team which equaled the 30-year record established by Cale Yarborough (1976-1978).  For their effort on pit road, the No. 48 crew has earned the Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew Award for the third time and second consecutive year.  No other team has won the honor more than once in the seven-year history of the award.

 

The Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew Award is given

quarterly during the season with those four winners eligible for the year-end Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew Award and a check for $100,000.  The quarterly and year-end recipients are determined by a vote of NASCAR Sprint Cup crew chiefs.  The presentation will be made at the 2008 NASCAR National Motorsports Press Association Myers Brothers Media Luncheon at Cipriani in New York City on Thursday (Dec. 4).

 

 “It takes an entire team to be successful in this sport and my over-the-wall guys are awesome,” said Johnson.  “I know each time I come down pit road that they’re going to do their jobs and help me win the race.  They definitely deserve to be the pit crew of the year and I’m proud to have them on this Lowe’s team.”

 

The No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports team, led by crew chief Chad Knaus, swept fourth-quarter honors last year en route to its second year-end award and $100,000 bonus.  The team also won in 2004.

 

“This crew is unbelievable,” said Knaus.  “They’re some of the best on pit road.  They step up in tough situations and always pull through when we need them most.  I’m proud of each of them and think it’s great that Mechanix Wear is recognizing their hard work.”

 

Previous Winners  (Season)
Year	Crew	Team
2002	No. 40	Ganassi Racing
2003	No. 17	Roush Racing
2004	No. 48	Hendrick Motorsports
2005	No. 20	Joe Gibbs Racing
2006	No. 31	Richard Childress Racing
2007	No. 48	Hendrick Motorsports

In the 10 races that made up the Chase, the 48 team had only two finishes (15^th at Texas and Homestead-Miami) outside the top 10.  Johnson had three wins and a pair of seconds and finished the season with seven trips to victory lane, 15 top-five and 22 top-10 finishes.

 

“The Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew Award was created to recognize the men and women who pride themselves on working together for a common goal,” said Ted Abdon, Mechanix Wear director of racing.  “The No. 48 over-the-wall crew demonstrated once again its commitment to excellence.  Working together as a cohesive unit, the stops were quick.  The execution was precise.  The results were impressive.  The dedication to detail once again earned the 48 crew the respect of their peers.

“The Lowe’s over-the-wall pit crew embodies what it means to be a team.  We are proud to present this award to them for their hard work and dedication throughout the Championship season."

NO. 48 LOWE’S CHEVROLET TEAM
Name	Position
Greg Morin	Pit Crew Coach
Kenneth Purcell	Jackman
Mike Lingerfelt	Front-Tire Changer
Art Simmons	Front-Tire Carrier
Jeremy West	Rear-Tire Changer
Ron Malec	Rear-Tire Carrier
Rick Gutierrez	Gas man
Mike Knauer	Catch Can
Chad Knaus	Crew Chief

Greg Morin is the pit crew coach.  “I think it’s great that Mechanix Wear has chosen to recognize this crew,” said Morin.  “They have worked very hard this year to perform at the level they do during each pit stop.  These guys have put in a lot of hours conditioning in the gym and training at pit practice, not to mention the hours they put in on the shop floor.  To start the season as a new group, work as hard as they have and achieve the results they’ve achieved is amazing.  I’m very proud of this program and of these guys. They certainly deserve all the recognition they get.”

 

The first-quarter winner was the No. 18 M&M’s over-the-wall

crew from Joe Gibbs Racing while the No. 9 Budweiser Dodge team from Gillett Evernham Motorsports prevailed in the second quarter.  Third-quarter honors went to the No. 99 crew from Roush Fenway Racing.  The No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet team emerged the fourth-quarter winner. 

 

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 in homes, garages and workshops and used by emergency, military and professional tradesman as well as do-it-yourselfers.