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NASCAR WCUP: Crew Chief Club at the Frontier at the Glen

12 August 1999

Event: Frontier at The Glen When: Sun., Aug. 15 at 12:30 p.m. EDT on ESPN

Where: Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International (2.45-mile road course)

Together, Jimmy Makar, Larry McReynolds, Todd Parrott and Robin Pemberton have led their drivers to 73 wins, 388 top-five finishes, 612 top-10 finishes and 71 poles prior to this Sunday's Frontier at The Glen at Watkins Glen International.

McReynolds scored his first win as a crew chief at Watkins Glen in 1988 with driver Ricky Rudd and the Kenny Bernstein-owned King Racing operation.

Pemberton notched a win on the road course in 1992 with Kyle Petty.

A win would be an added bonus for Pemberton this weekend as he celebrates his 43rd birthday on Sunday.

All four members of the Crew Chief Club are scheduled to sign autographs on Sat., Aug. 14 an hour and a half after the conclusion of happy hour. Jimmy Makar and Larry McReynolds will be on the Chevrolet merchandise trailer, while Todd Parrott and Robin Pemberton will be on the Ford merchandise trailers. Fans can also log-on to the Crew Chief Club at their official website, www.crewchiefclub.com.

WHAT DO YOU DO TO SET UP YOUR CAR FOR WATKINS GLEN?

Jimmy Makar - Interstate Batteries Pontiac of Bobby Labonte - "We're really pleased with the way our road course program is progressing. Bobby hasn't been driving on road courses until the last couple of years, and lately he's come around quite a bit. Every time we go to a road course it seems like we run just a little bit better and get a little farther toward the front. We had a good run going at Sears Point, but got caught up in an incident, and last year we finished in the top-10 here. We're encouraged by that and we look forward to staying near the front."

Larry McReynolds - Lowe's Home Improvement Chevrolet of Mike Skinner - "Mike Skinner is really a good road racer. He always ran well at road races when he was in the Truck Series and he seems to get better and better on the road courses with his Winston Cup car. We did pretty well in Sears Point this year and I think we'll be okay for the Glen. I'm sure the same old bunch will be tough - Mark Martin and Jeff Gordon - the same old group you've got to contend with each time you go up there. We'll just focus on getting a good, solid qualifying run and get ready to race."

Todd Parrott - Ford Quality Care Service/Ford Credit Ford of Dale Jarrett - "It's real similar to Sears Point. In the last two years at Watkins Glen, we've had a really good car. Dale had a strong run here last year and we feel really good about going back. You turn more to the right than you do to the left, so you've got to have a car that's opposite everywhere else you take it."

Robin Pemberton - Miller Lite Ford of Rusty Wallace - "Watkins Glen is very similar to Sears Point with the exception that it's more of a braking track than Sears Point. You get three good shots at passing under braking, whereas at Sears Point you only get one. That's pretty much the most important part of setting up for the course."

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