For their outstanding efforts on pit road, the No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota pit crew for David Reutimann and Michael Waltrip Racing has earned third-quarter honors in the 2010 Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew Award competition.
The Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew Award, is determined by a vote of each team’s crew chief, is given quarterly to the top performing pit crew in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The four quarterly winners are eligible for the year-end Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew Award presented during NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion’s Week in Las Vegas.
The award is part of the NASCAR Prize Money and Decal Program, also referred to as the contingency program, which provide teams prize money and weekly awards based on performance in several categories.
Mechanix Wear, the No. 1 glove in racing, is the Official Glove of NASCAR used by nearly all pit crew members in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
Created nine years ago, the Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew Award is one of the most sought-after titles for pit crews.
“We work with pit crews every week to jointly develop products that help them do their job better,” said Ted Abdon, director of racing for Mechanix Wear. “We look at the changes in the cars and the pit stops, and create products that make them safer on the job and help them do it more effectively. We’ve worked hard to reward them for being the best in their sport.”
This year, Reutimann and the No. 00 team have posted one win, five top fives and six top 10s. While Reutimann is turning fast laps behind the wheel, crew chief Rodney Childers’ crew has been on its game as well, performing consistent, quick pit stops all year.
“The Aaron’s Dream Machine pit crew is a relatively new team this year and sometimes it takes a while for a team to come into its own,” said Reutimann. “But our guys have done a great job all year. I really appreciate all the hard work that those guys put in each week to make sure that we have great stops. It definitely helps on Sundays and I know they play a big part in how we perform on the track each weekend.”
Members of the No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota pit crew include: Ryan Langley (front-tire changer), Chris Hall (front-tire carrier), Lee Cunningham (rear-tire changer), Don Marvel (rear-tire carrier), Tony Cardamone (jackman), Art Harris (gasman), and Jeff Seaberg (catch can). The team’s pit crew coach is Greg Miller.
“The No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine pit crew is a great group of guys that really work well together,” said Greg Miller. “The guys all do a great job of keeping focused both in their workouts and on race day. As a group they put a lot of work into their pit stops and preparation. The hard work that goes on during the week pays off on race day. This is a crew that is only going to get better with time, but it’s nice to know that the rest of the garage appreciates the work that our guys are doing. This is the second Michael Waltrip Racing team to win a Mechanix Wear quarterly award this year and we hope to take home the year-end award as well.”
Official winners of this week’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Prize Money & Decal Program special awards include:
· COORS LIGHT POLE AWARD: Jamie McMurray (185.285 mph, 38.589 secs)
· DIRECTV CREW CHIEF OF THE RACE AWARD: Kenny Francis (crew chief for Kasey Kahne)
· GOODYEAR GATORBACK BELTS FASTEST LAP AWARD: Jamie McMurray (179.699 mph, Lap 2)
· MAHLE CLEVITE ENGINE BUILDER OF THE RACE AWARD: Hendrick Engines (engine builder, Tony Stewart)
· MECHANIX WEAR MOST VALUABLE PIT CREW (3RD QUARTER): No. 00 MWR Team
· MOBIL 1 “COMMAND PERFORMANCE DRIVER OF THE RACE” AWARD: David Reutimann
· MOOG CHASSIS PARTS PROBLEM SOLVER OF THE RACE AWARD: Darian Grubb (crew chief, Tony Stewart)
· O’REILLY AUTO PARTS POSITION IMPROVEMENT AWARD:Denny Hamlin (26 places)
· RAYBESTOS ROOKIE OF THE RACE AWARD: Kevin Conway
· SUNOCO DIAMOND PERFORMANCE AWARD: Tony Stewart
· TISSOT “PIT ROAD PRECISION” AWARD: Clint Bowyer (290.065 secs)
· WIX FILTERS LAP LEADER AWARD: Clint Bowyer (40 Laps)
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