Pit Crew Challenge
The No. 31 Chevrolet’s seven-member team changed four tires, put in gas and pushed the car — steered by the petite Kim Burton — 40 yards in an event-best 22.115 seconds. They edged Reed Sorenson’s crew to collect $70,000, a record performance in the final round to give owner Richard Childress’ team the title in NASCAR’s Pit Crew Challenge reported the Associated Press.
Burton’s team, which beat Denny Hamlin’s crew in the semifinals, will get to make the first pit-row selection for Saturday’s All-Star race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
In a season where pit-road mishaps have been a recurring theme, Burton’s team had been making changes in an up-and-down season. Terry Spalding, formerly of Michael Waltrip Racing, was brought in for a tryout as a tire and wheel package changer Wednesday after the crew struggled last weekend at Darlington.
Spalding soon was spraying champagne with his new teammates. The rest of the crew included gas man Curt Bowman, catch-can man Andrew Childers, front tire changer Daniel Blizzard, front tire carrier Jon Wallace, rear tire carrier Chris Martin and jackman Adam North.
In its fifth year, NASCAR‘s only sanctioned indoor competition included 24 crews, with the top eight in the Sprint Cup owners standings getting a bye into the second round. Teams faced each other in head-to-head, single-elimination stops.
Earnhardt’s pit woes continued when his team just beat 2008 champion Brian Vickers’ crew to the finish line, but then lost because of a 5-second penalty for spilled gas. Busch’s team was eliminated in the second round also because of a gas penalty, while Vickers’ No. 83 crew knocked out points leader Gordon’s team in round two. The No. 83 team’s repeat title hopes ended in the quarterfinals because of two gas penalties. Stewart’s team beat Sorenson’s car to the finish line in the semifinals, but lost because of a 3-second rear tire penalty.
The steady, mistake-free team was Burton’s crew, with a newcomer changing rims and tires and Kim Burton holding the wheel straight.
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