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closeCrew chief's call the difference as Stewart scores Saturday's win
JIM UTTER
The Charlotte Observer
Saturday, Jun. 28, 2008
Brad Coleman (27) spins after contact with Steve Wallace (66) during the Camping World 200 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, N.H., Saturday, June 28, 2008. Tony Stewart won the race. (AP Photo/Jim Cole)
LOUDON, N.H. - Dave Rogers didn't drive the car, but this win belonged to him.
Tony Stewart used a late two-tire pit stop to take the lead and held off his two Joe Gibbs Racing teammates to win Saturday's Camping World 200, his fifth Nationwide Series win of the season and the eighth victory for JGR's No. 20 Toyota team.
All eight wins have come with Rogers, the team's crew chief who grew up in Marshfield, Vt., about a 2-hour drive from New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
"A wise man said, 'I see so far because I stand on the shoulders of giants.' These guys are awesome," said Rogers. "They're the best in the business and that's why we win races."
Four JGR drivers have won in the No. 20 this season. Stewart has five wins and Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch and upstart Joey Logano have one each.
On the final pit stop, Rogers made a last-second decision to take two tires instead of four, a strategy that most of other lead-lap cars followed.
"I looked up and pit road was a parking lot. Everybody was coming," he said. "I knew if we got back in traffic we could never make it to the front here. We were here to win, not to get a top-five."
Hamlin was second, Busch third, Kevin Harvick fourth and Carl Edwards fifth. Series points leader Clint Bowyer ended up ninth.
Asked if he had faith in Rogers'’ decision to change from a four-tire to two-tire spot, Stewart said, "It's hard not to when you've won five races for him this year.
"It's not me. That's proof of what this program is all about. There have been four of us win in this car. It's not the drivers, we're just the fortunate ones who get to drive these things."
Rogers started at JGR in 1998 and has held several positions within the organization. His most recent stint as crew chief of the No. 20 has been his most successful.
"Dave has come so far as a crew chief since he started with us. He started with our (Cup) team as an engineer," Stewart said. "For him to finally not only reach this status as a crew chief but to be this dominant and win this many races, it's a testimony to his leadership."
Stewart's win ensured the continuation of a remarkable streak at New Hampshire. There have been 22 Nationwide races held at the track now with 22 different winners.