Johnny Sauter’s over-the-wall crew earned its first Checkers®/Rally’s® Double Drive-Thru Challenge win of the season by taking top honors in Sunday’s Nextel Cup race at Talladega (Ala. ) Superspeedway.
The victory makes Sauter’s No. 70 team the 14th crew to win the weekly competition this year.
“The Team Yellow pit crew has been rock-solid all season and this week they finally got the recognition they deserve by winning the Checkers/Rally’s Double Drive-Thru Challenge, ” said Sauter. “This is pretty much the same Team Yellow crew that won the overall challenge for our Busch Series team last season and they were performing at the Cup level then - so it’s no surprise that they’re getting their due in the Cup series as well. The pit road performance has been a key component of our success this season and I’m really happy to see them receive this award. “
Checkers/Rally’s will award Sauter’s Haas CNC Racing crew with an $11,000 check for winning the weekly competition. An additional $111,150 prize will be presented to the over-the-wall crew with the most wins at the completion of the 36-race Nextel Cup schedule.
“Everyone on the Team Yellow crew works really hard and they deserve it, ” said pit crew coach Wayne Holden. “They’ve been having quality pits stops all year and were probably the fastest a lot of weeks. This week they were in a position to capitalize with a solid race run as well. “
The No. 70 crew consists of: Mike Casto (jackman), Paul Chodora (front-tire carrier), Kelly Kellis (front-tire changer), Mike Morneau (rear-tire carrier), Daniel Smith (rear-tire changer), Derrick Jennings (gasman) and Todd Walters (catch can). The team’s crew chief is Robert “Bootie” Barker.
Mark Martin’s No. 01 crew and Jeff Gordon’s No. 24 crew are currently tied for the lead in the season-long competition with four wins each.
To win, teams are required to finish on the lead lap while spending the least amount of time on pit road. Checkers/Rally’s is in its third season as title sponsor for the Pit Crew Challenge.
2007 Checkers/Rally’s Double Drive-Thru Challenge Winners – Nextel Cup Series
Pos Car No. Pit Crew Wins Prize Money
T1 01 Mark Martin 4 44,000
T1 24 Jeff Gordon 4 44,000
T3 11 Denny Hamlin 3 33,000
T3 8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 3 33,000
T5 29 Kevin Harvick 2 22,000
T5 12 Ryan Newman 2 22,000
T5 48 Jimmie Johnson 2 22,000
T5 2 Kurt Busch 2 22,000
T5 5 Kyle Busch 2 22,000
T5 25 Casey Mears 2 22,000
T11 41 Reed Sorenson 1 11,000
T11 1 Martin Truex 1 11,000
T11 07 Clint Bowyer 1 11,000
T11 70 Johnny Sauter 1 11,000
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