tool name
closeElledge named the WYPALL Wipers’ Crew Chief of the Race in Talladega
Thursday, May. 01, 2008
ROSWELL, Ga. (April 29, 2008) – Jimmy Elledge, in his first race as crew chief of the No. 42 Juicyfruit Gum/Wrigley Dodge Charger driven by Juan Pablo Montoya, has been named WYPALL Wipers’ “Crew Chief of the Race” in Sunday’s Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Superspeedway.
In an effort to improve the team’s performance this season, Chip Ganassi, owner of the No. 42 team, assigned Elledge to assume crew chief duties for Montoya beginning in Talladega. After starting 26th and even falling as far back as 32nd, Elledge and his team still managed to finish second, earning Montoya his first top-10 finish in 2008. Elledge and Montoya showed instant chemistry it takes to produce impressive results after only one race together in the Sprint Cup series.
“Montoya impressed me a lot this weekend,” said Elledge. “His awareness on the track is unbelievable and his attention to detail in regards to the car was unreal. I’m looking forward to building on our relationship as well as the one I’m building with the No. 42 crew.”
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 Cup 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.”