The Crew Chief Club


 

The Crew Chief Club was founded in 1998 by Jimmy Makar, Larry McReynolds, Todd Parrott, Robin Pemberton and entrepreneur Danielle Randall-Bauer with the goal of providing fans with an insider’s look behind shop walls and into the NASCAR garage area.
This was their website.
Content is mostly from the site's archived pages providing a glimpse of what the Crew Chief Club offered its followers.
Enjoy the nostalgic trip back.

ABOUT

In 2000, the original group who formed the Crew Chief Club in 1998, Jimmy Makar, Larry McReynolds, Todd Parrott, Robin Pemberton and entrepreneur Danielle Randall-Bauer, expanded its membership by adding Tommy Baldwin, Jimmy Elledge, Ryan Pemberton and Greg Zipadelli.

Today the Crew Chief Club is a thriving company that prides itself on working with several of the top Crew Chiefs in NASCAR racing. With its headquarters just a half mile from Lowe’s Motor Speedway it’s close to the action at the track as well as many of the race shops.

Together with its marketing partners, Crew Chiefs will be accessible to fans at races and special events, in the media and on the web which prominently spotlights their dedication to their drivers, teams and sport.

These founding members of the Crew Chief Club aim to provide fans with a new way to interact with their favorite race teams.

From signing autographs and speaking with fans at their respective manufacturer's souvenir trailers, to chatting with fans via the Internet, Crew Chief Club members are out to create recognition and fan support for their fellow crew members.

Together with its marketing partners, Crew Chief Club members will be accessible to fans at races and special events, in the media and on the world wide web at www.crewchiefclub.com, prominently displaying their dedication to their drivers, their teams and their sport.

 

 

Origin of the Crew Chief Club

FORT WORTH, Texas, (Apr. 3, 1998) Bobby Labonte scores his third win in four starts at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Dale Earnhardt finally wins the Daytona 500 in his 20th attempt. Dale Jarrett continues his winning ways from last season by finishing first at Darlington. Rusty Wallace leads the NASCAR Winston Cup points standings riding a string of top-five finishes.

Indeed, these drivers are talented athletes, but behind their records and accomplishments lies one pivotal and crucial player - the Crew Chief.

Today's unveiling of the Crew Chief Club is designed to shine the spotlight on the hardest working men in NASCAR, namely Jimmy Makar, Larry McReynolds, Todd Parrott and Robin Pemberton.

These founding members of the Crew Chief Club aim to provide fans with a new way to interact with their favorite race teams. From signing autographs and speaking with fans at their respective manufacturer's souvenir trailers, to chatting with fans via the Internet, Crew Chief Club members are out to create recognition and fan support for their fellow crew members.

"For years fans have been able to recognize drivers through the media, and they can relate quite well to them now," said Makar, Crew Chief for six-time Winston Cup race winner Bobby Labonte. "The Crew Chief Club is a way for fans to get to know us on a more personal level - similar to that of the drivers. They'll find out what we're all about and the role that we play in getting our teams to win races and compete for championships."

Together, Makar, McReynolds, Parrott and Pemberton have led their drivers to 61 wins, 312 top-five finishes, 501 top-10 finishes and 59 poles prior to this Sunday's Texas 500 at the 1.5-mile Texas Motor Speedway. Their stewardship and undying ambition for their respective race teams to succeed have propelled their operations into the upper echelon of the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. This has been accomplished through constant performance on the race track, and many long hours inside the garage and back at the shop.

"It takes a lot of hard work to be a crew chief," said Pemberton, Crew Chief for current NASCAR Winston Cup points leader Rusty Wallace. "But a crew chief isn't a crew chief without his crew. There wouldn't be anyone to chief without his guys.

"Each team has about 50 employees. Your main objective is to get all those guys together to work the long hours and convince them that the rewards will come with victories, poles and points. It's a lot of hours, but we quit counting hours a long time ago."

Those long hours have made NASCAR the most popular form of motorsports in the world, and in conjunction with NASCAR's 50th Anniversary, the

 



 

     
 

Larry McReynolds

Founding Member
FOX Sports Analyst

Larry McReynolds is a two-time Daytona 500 Champion Crew Chief with renowned drivers Davey Allison and Dale Earnhardt.  McReynolds along with legendary driver Darrell Waltrip and veteran race announcer Mike Joy make up the Emmy Award-winning NASCAR on FOX broadcast team.

 

 

 
     
     
     
 

Jimmy Makar

Founding Member
Senior VP of Racing Operations
Joe Gibbs Racing

Jimmy Makar is a former Crew Chief with Joe Gibbs Racing and driver Bobby Labonte.  Makar has a prestigious Daytona 500 win, a Championship in 2000 and 18 NASCAR Cup Series victories on his resume. His highly successful 11-year relationship with the Gibbs organization has earmarked Makar as one of the brightest Crew Chiefs in the NASCAR garage. 

 
     
     
     
 

 

Ryan Pemberton

Ryan Pemberton

Member
Red Bull Racing
Driver: Brian Vickers

Ryan Pemberton is the Crew Chief for Red Bull Racing's #83 Toyota driven by Brian Vickers. The 2009 season marks his 13th year as a Cup Crew Chief. In 2007 his driver Mark Martin narrowly missed a Daytona 500 victory as Kevin Harvick beat him to the line by a .20 second margin, the closest finish in history at the iconic Superspeedway.

 

Ryan Pemberton  
     
     
     
 

Tommy Baldwin

Member
Tommy Baldwin Racing
Driver: Michael McDowell

Tommy Baldwin is the owner and Crew Chief for Tommy Baldwin Racing. Tommy Baldwin Racing fields the #36 Toyota driven by Scott Riggs. Baldwin, a three-time Cup winner, has been a Crew Chief in the series since 1997. The highlight of his career came in 2002 when he and driver Ward Burton won the prestigious Daytona 500.

 

 

 
     
     
     
 

 

Todd Berrier

Client
Richard Childress Racing
Driver: Casey Mears

Todd Berrier is the Crew Chief for Richard Childress Racing’s #07 Jack Daniels Chevrolet driven by Casey Mears. In 2007 Berrier led his #29 team to victory in the Daytona 500.

Todd Berrier  
     
     
     
 

Greg Zipadelli

Member
Joe Gibbs Racing
Driver: Joey Lagano

Greg Zipadelli is a two-time Cup Champion and Crew Chief for Joe Gibbs Racing’s #20 Home Depot Toyota. “Zippy” achieved great success with driver Tony, “Smoke”, Stewart. The duo shared the longest Crew Chief-Driver relationship in NASCAR beginning in 1999 and ending at the end of 2008. Fast-Forward to 2009, Zipadelli has new challenges ahead with young driver and Rookie sensation Joey Logano behind the wheel.

 

 
     
     
     
 

Jimmy Elledge

Member
Red Bull Racing
Driver: Scott Speed

Jimmy Elledge is the Crew Chief for Red bull Racing’s #82 Toyota driven by Scott Speed. In 2001, Elledge went to Victory Lane in Talladega as Crew Chief  for Andy Petree Racing  with the late Bobby Hamilton behind the wheel.

 
     
     
     
 

Kevin Manion

Client
Earnhardt Ganassi Racing
Driver: Martin Truex Jr.

Kevin “Bono” Manion, is the Crew Chief for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing's #1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet driven by Martin Truex  Jr. Bono helped guide Truex Jr. and the #1 team to a berth in the Chase for the Cup in 2007 as well as its first victory at Dover’s Monster Mile in June.

 
     
     
     
 

Richard "Slugger" Labbe

Client
 

 
     

 



 

Congratulations to Kevin Manion, Jamie McMurray and the No. 1 team on winning the 2010 Daytona 500.

McMurray Daytona Win
(Photo Credits: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images)

Jamie McMurray Wins The 52nd Running Of The Daytona 500

Earnhardt Ganassi PR

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 14, 2010) - Jamie McMurray held off Dale Earnhardt Jr. during a second attempt at a green-white-checkered flag finish to win the 52nd running of the Daytona 500 for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates in the No. 1 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Chevrolet. The win came in McMurray’s first race back with owners Chip Ganassi and Felix Sabates, making Ganassi the only team owner besides Roger Penske to win the Daytona 500, the Indy 500 and the Rolex 24 At Daytona.

Turex Pole
(Photo Credits: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images)

Sunday’s race was long, lasting over six hours, with two red flag delays lasting two and a half hours to repair a pothole in the asphalt between turns one and two and two attempts at a green-white-checkered flag finish. McMurray spun his tires on the restart on Lap 207 but got a push down the front stretch and through the first turn from third-place finisher Greg Biffle. Securing the top spot from Kevin Harvick on the backstretch, McMurray led the final two laps.

The win delivered Chevrolet its 21st victory in the Daytona 500, a record among manufacturers.

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Life goes on: It was so thrilling to watch Jamie McMurray win the Daytona 500. I have a a photo album with tons of pictures from that day. I just recently was showing a friend the album and she commented on my hair style and how I looked so put-together after a day of watching the race. I didn't let on that I was wearing one of the latest Raquel Welch wigs styles that I had bought for the 2009 New Years Eve celebration weekend I had attended at Mar a Lago in West Palm Beach. I am always amazed how many of the Raquel Welch wigs look perfect for both formal occasions as well as for more casual events. The wig I wore to the Daytona race I was pretty sure was the same I had worn on New Years Eve! I went back and took a look a one of the pictures taken of my husband and me at the Mar a Lago New Year Eve's celebration. Yes, sir, the same wig, Embrace, with an open cap and synthetic friendly hair which was probably why it looked so great. The amazingly versatile, Tru2Life Heat-Friendly synthetic hair that Embrace is made with can be curled, blow dried, or flat ironed to create a new look in minutes. And once the hair fibers have cooled, the style is locked in. Embrace is such a popular style that it is still part of the Raquel Welch Signature Collection ten years later. Obviously I still like that mid length look. My latest Raquel Welch wig is Editors Pick Elite. It also is made with synthetic heat friendly hair, but the cap construction features a 100% hand tied monofilament top, a 1 1/2" deep lace front, and a 100% Hand-Tied base. The Monofilament top not only creates the appearance of a natural scalp and hair growth at the top of the wig cap, but also allows multi-directional styling with hair parting options. Most mono tops with lace front have wefted sides and back, but the Editors Pick Elite version has that hand tied sides and back making it exceptionally comfortable. In 2009 I usually chose rich reddish colors such as RL33/35, Deepest Ruby, a dark auburn blended evenly with ruby red or RL32/31, Cinnabar, a rich chestnut with warm undertones. But over the years I have slowly moved towards light red shades such as RL29/25 Golden Russet which has blonde highlights or RL30/27, Rusty Auburn. I haven't made the jump to grey colored wigs yet, although it's all the rage right now for both younger and older women. But I digress.

This particular Daytona was also memorable because car owner Chip Ganassi accomplished a feat that has never been done before in motorsports – winning both the Daytona 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race and the Indianapolis 500 IZOD Indy Car Series race in the same year. As my racing car enthusiast husband would say, "Pretty impressive!" And in case you don't know, Iin addition to these Indianapolis 500 and Daytona 500 victories, Ganassi’s team also became the first to win three consecutive overall titles in the Rolex 24 At Daytona GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series event between 2006-08. Yes I know my race car trivia.

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TOP 12 CREW CHIEFS TO APPEAR ON SPECIAL “NASCAR PERFORMANCE LIVE” RADIO BROADCAST

Top NASCAR Crew Chiefs to Break Down The 2009 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship at NASCAR Technical Institute

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Sept. 15, 2009) – On Wed., Sept. 16, the top twelve NASCAR crew chiefs in the hunt for the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship will take part in the annual Top 12 “NASCAR Performance Live”radio show broadcast originating in front of a live audience at the NASCAR Technical Institute in Mooresville, N.C., 7 to 8 p.m.

Hosted by Larry McReynolds and Steve Post, the one-hour radio broadcast will air nationally on Motor Racing Network (MRN) affiliates across the country beginning at 7 p.m. ET and on Sirius NASCAR Radio at 10 p.m. ET.

The program will be an all-access pit pass to a behind-the-scenes look at the technology and teamwork it takes to compete for championships. Audience members, which will include students from NASCAR Tech, will have the opportunity to interact with the men behind The Chase drivers and get the latest insight into each team’s strategy heading into the final ten weeks of the season.

‘“NASCAR Performance Live’ is about the great professionals who prepare the cars for competition and the incredible work and strategy that goes into winning races and the ultimate: a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship,” said Odis Lloyd, managing director, NASCAR Automotive Group.  “This year’s broadcast will celebrate the crew chiefs involved in this highly competitive season and those that put the machines under our great drivers, and allow listeners to get to know and appreciate the people behind the scenes who keep their teams performing at the highest levels at the racetrack.”

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series crew chiefs – Alan Gustafson, Darian Grubb, Chad Knaus, Mike Ford, Kenny Francis, Steve Letarte, Pat Tryson, Ryan Pemberton, Bob Osborne, Tony Gibson, Brian Pattie, and Greg Erwin – with teams currently in the title hunt are scheduled to appear at NASCAR Tech to represent their teams on the Sept. 16 show.

The event is open to fans and admission is free.

A media property of NASCAR Automotive Group, “NASCAR Performance Live” can be heard weekly on Sirius NASCAR Radio and approximately 130 Motor Racing Network (MRN) affiliates nationwide. The program’s talk show format features a rotating line-up of NASCAR crew chiefs giving fans insight into the technical aspects and team side of racing.  SPEED reporter Ray Dunlap joins each program with a relevant “Car Care Know-How” Tip of the Week featuring NASCAR automotive partners. “NASCAR Performance Live” sponsors include O’Reilly Auto Parts, Mahle, Raybestos and WIX.

About NASCAR Automotive Group
The NASCAR Automotive Group, based in the Charlotte, NC NASCAR Plaza office, supports sponsorship and licensing partnerships of companies in the automotive category and the contingency special awards program.  Under the NASCAR Performance brand, automotive partners build brand awareness and sales of their products and services via an integrated marketing program.  The program includes: The NASCAR Technical Institute – a branch of Universal Technical Institute Inc. (UTI) that trains automotive technicians for the workforce; the NASCAR Performance Network – a nationwide network of quality automotive repair shops and parts stores; NASCAR Angels - a reality based TV show that repairs the cars of deserving people; a weekly TV show on SPEED called “NASCAR Performance”; a national radio show called “NASCAR Performance LIVE” on MRN and SIRIUS NASCAR Radio; and print and online media programs with the BABCOX family of automotive magazines, NASCAR Scene andNASCAR.COM.

 

 

O'Relly Auto Parts VIP Event

October 15 -16, 2008
Charlotte, NC

The Crew Chief Club, LLC., working with Standard Motor Products, hosted a VIP experience for  O’Reilly Auto Parts Regional Managers October 15-16th 2008 in Charlotte, NC.  The top O’Reilly Regional Managers with the highest percentage of sales increase for BWD Select Wire Sets won the trip to NASCAR’s Hub city. The lucky winners were treated to dinner with Greg Zipadelli, Crew Chief for Joe Gibbs Racing’s  #20 Home Depot Toyota, as well as legendary retired Crew Chief and current Fox Sports Analyst, Larry McReynolds.

During their visit, the guests were given personal, guided tours through the amazing race shops at both Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing. The guests each had some time behind the wheel on their own at the Jeff Gordon Racing School where they took part in the Winners Circle Driving Program. They each ran three 28-lap segments and between each segment the drivers were coached individually by their personal Crew Chief, Zipadelli, on what they could do to improve lap speeds.

 

 

National Pit Crew Championship 2005

Pit Crew ChampionshipTyson Partners with the Crew Chief Club To Sponsor the 2005 National Pit Crew Championship

CONCORD, NC (October 16, 2004) – Tyson Foods, Inc. will proudly "power" the pit crews behind stock car drivers with the creation of the 2005 "National Pit Crew Championship Powered by Tyson™." Additionally, Tyson will sponsor the 2005 "National Motorsports Team of the Year," culminating in a year-end awards ceremony that recognizes pit crews and teams and awards up to a half million dollars.

30 Cup and 10 Busch teams have been invited to participate in the 2005 "National Pit Crew Championship Powered by Tyson™." Pit crews will compete against each other for the fastest pit stop at the event. The competition will take place at the Pit Instruction and Training (PIT) facility in Mooresville, North Carolina on May 9, 2005. The event will air on the SPEED Channel.

The 2005 "National Motorsports Team of the Year Powered by Tyson™" is a season long contest with voting and rankings to determine the 2005 National Motorsports Team. The winning team will be chosen by Cup Crew Chiefs and other motorsports personalities, with additional votes coming from fans and Tyson team members.

Tyson recently unveiled a $75 million fully integrated, multi-channel marketing communications campaign with the tagline, "Powered by Tyson™". From extensive consumer research, a truth emerged: protein=energy=power. Tyson's new strategy recognizes the company's position as the premiere provider of protein by pointing to the role meat protein plays in the diet.

"The "Powered by Tyson™" theme resonates well with the Crew Chief Club sponsorship as Tyson is powering the people that power NASCAR," said Bob Corscadden, senior vice president and chief marketing officer at Tyson Foods, Inc. "We are thrilled to be a part of one of the most popular and exciting sports in the world ."

"We're very excited to have Tyson sponsor our events which were created to recognize all the pit crews and teams who work so hard every week," said Larry McReynolds, former crew chief and now FOX Sports television analyst. "These guys need all the power they can get to accomplish their goals week in and out, and Tyson helps to provide them with that source of protein power ."

 



 

2004 NEWS

 

Fennig finally - deservedly - wins a title

By: Larry McReynolds
December 2, 2004

If you don't realize that NASCAR racing is a team sport, you didn't watch the 97 team very closely this season, especially the last three or four weeks of the season. Busch and his team overcame adversity, and I'm very happy for crew chief Jimmy Fennig because I was a crew chief for 18 years and never accomplished winning a championship.

Even though I love Jimmie Johnson's crew chief Chad Knaus, Jeff Gordon's crew chief, Robbie Loomis, Mark Martin's crew chief Pat Tryson and Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s car and crew chiefs the Eurys, part of me was pulling for Fennig because I know how long he's been racing, and I know how hard he's worked for it. Fennig is one of those unsung heroes of our sport.

Next Friday, the Nextel Cup Series will gather in New York to honor Kurt Busch. I do believe Busch will make a good champion. He's not Jeff Gordon. He's not Tony Stewart. He's not Bobby Labonte or Dale Jarrett or Matt Kenseth, but none of those guys is like the other. Each is different in his own way with his own personality. I believe Busch will represent our sport well as the 2004 Nextel Cup champion.

We have talked all season about change with Nextel replacing Winston as the series title sponsor. Next week in New York, the top 25 drivers will receive over $24 million in point fund money. To put that in perspective, when R.J. Reynolds and Winston came into our sport 34 years ago as the series sponsor in 1971, the total point fund was $100,000. Champion Richard Petty's share of the point fund money was $40,000. If you don't think our sport has grown, just take a peek at those numbers.

Friday's banquet will close the books on 2004, but I visited Robert Yates Racing on Monday and saw the teams back at work, digging and getting ready for January testing at Daytona, Las Vegas and Fontana. The rule book says you cannot test at a NASCAR-sanctioned track until Jan. 1, but in early December, you had better believe that teams, especially Dodge teams with the new Charger coming on board, will test their 2005 cars at Kentucky Speedway, Greenville-Pickens Speedway or Lakeland, Fla.

 

Recent Releases

 

  • 12/02/04 Biffle let Busch lead early, but showed no mercy late
  • 12/02/04 Three champs, three different ways of winning
  • 12/02/04 NASCAR's Chase sets racing standard
  • 12/02/04 Working as one, Hendrick Motorsports was hard to beat
  • 12/02/04 Truex took title by racing to win each week

Tyson Foods, Inc. Powers Stock Car Racing's Top Pit Crews

Tyson Partners with the Crew Chief Club To Sponsor the 2005 National Pit Crew Championship
CONCORD, NC (October 16, 2004)

Tyson Foods, Inc. will proudly power” the pit crews behind stock car drivers with the creation of the 2005 National Pit Crew Championship Powered by Tyson.”  Additionally, Tyson will sponsor the 2005 National Motorsports Team of the Year,” culminating in a year-end awards ceremony that recognizes pit crews and teams and awards up to a half million dollars.

 

30 Cup and 10 Busch teams have been invited to participate in the 2005 National Pit Crew Championship Powered by Tyson.”  Pit crews will compete against each other for the fastest pit stop at the event. The competition will take place at the Pit Instruction and Training (PIT) facility in Mooresville, North Carolina on May 9, 2005. The event will air on the SPEED Channel.

 

 


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