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Park's New Pit Crew Includes Three All-Pros

5 January 1998

     
     
        Mooresville, N.C. -- (Fri. Jan 2, 1998) Steve Park expects the #1 
     Pennzoil Monte Carlo to pass cars on the track during the 1998 Winston 
     Cup season, and Friday's announcement by Dale Earnhardt Inc. Team 
     Manager Ty Norris should help Park also gain positions during pit 
     stops. 
     
        Norris announced the crew members who will service the Pennzoil 
     Monte Carlo during pit stops in 1998. The roster includes: rear tire 
     changer Chad Knause, jackman Walter Smith and front tire carrier Gary 
     Smith. 
     
        Knause will serve as the DEI team's car chief and the Smith 
     brothers, who own two Nautilus centers in the Charlotte area, will 
     supervise the pit stops practices as well as the team's physical 
     conditioning. The trio earned All-Pro pit crew honors during their 
     careers at Hendrick Motorsports. Knause worked for Jeff Gordon's 
     two-time Winston Cup championship team since its inception in 1993 and 
     the Smiths have worked for Hendrick since 1987 including Terry 
     Labonte's 1996 championship team.
     
        The Pennzoil pit crew also includes front tire changer Travis 
     Block, gas man Troy Cole, catch can man Charles Dickey and rear tire 
     carrier Kevin Manion. Block played a key role in the quick pit stops 
     by Kyle Petty last year. Manion, Block and Dickey will also work in 
     the DEI shop as mechanics. Cole is the team's truck driver.
     
        Norris said selecting a quality pit crew is critical in any team's 
     performance and often an overlooked factor in races. 
     
        "We have excellent people building our engines and working on our 
     cars. There is no way in the world we are going to work that hard to 
     gain two or three tenths of a second on the track and then and lose it 
     in the pits," Norris said. 
     
        "With the experience we have on this Pennzoil crew, if we are not 
     the quickest crew in the pits then I expect us to be at least one of 
     the best out there. Our goal was to establish a top notch pit crew and 
     I think we have more than exceeded our expectation."
     
        The Pennzoil team is already practicing pit stops and begins an 
     extensive month of testing prior to the Daytona 500 on Feb. 15. 
     Pre-season test sessions for Park include:
     
                        Jan. 12, 13 & 14        Daytona
     
                        Jan.  20, 21 & 22       Talladega
     
                        Jan.  26, 27 & 28       Rockingham
     
        For More Information Contact:  Drew Brown, Pennzoil Racing, (704) 
     895-3651
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