NASCAR WCUP: Crew Chief Club at the Exide NASCAR Select Batteries 400
8 September 1999
Event: Exide NASCAR Select Batteries 400When: Sat., Sept. 11 at 7:30 p.m. EDT on ESPN
Where: Richmond (Va.) International Raceway (.750-mile oval)
Together, Jimmy Makar, Larry McReynolds, Todd Parrott and Robin Pemberton have led their drivers to 74 wins, 392 top-five finishes, 618 top-10 finishes and 72 poles prior to this Saturday's Exide NASCAR Select Batteries 400 at Richmond International Raceway.
Pemberton and driver Rusty Wallace are the defending Bud Pole winners of this event. Wallace toured the .750-mile oval in 21.535 seconds at an average speed of 125.377 mph on September 10, 1998. With this time, Pemberton and Wallace earned the qualifying record for this event.
The Crew Chief Club has seen their drivers to three victories in this event. Parrott led Dale Jarrett to the checkered flag in 1997, McReynolds chiefed Ernie Irvan to victory in 1996, and Pemberton coached Wallace to a win in 1995.
In addition to last year's pole position, Pemberton has also led Ted Musgrave to the top starting spot in 1994. Makar also holds the distinction of leading a driver to the pole back in 1991 with Wallace.
All four members of the Crew Chief Club will be signing autographs on Sat., Sept. 11 from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Makar and McReynolds will be on the Chevrolet souvenir trailer, while Parrott and Pemberton will be on the Ford souvenir trailer. Crew Chief Club souvenirs are also available on both trailers. Fans can also log-on to the Crew Chief Club at their official website, www.crewchiefclub.com.
DID YOU LEARN ANYTHING AT RICHMOND IN MAY THAT YOU"LL APPLY FOR THIS WEEKEND'S RACE?
Jimmy Makar - Interstate Batteries Pontiac of Bobby Labonte - "We made some changes chassis-wise to our setup in the last race here and tried some new things that seemed to be quite a bit better than what we've had at Richmond over the past several years. Our flat track/short track program has gotten better as of late. We're taking a lot of what we've learned at all of those types of tracks back to Richmond with us. We're pretty excited about getting back there."
Larry McReynolds - Lowe's Home Improvement Chevrolet of Mike Skinner - "I've always had lots of success at Richmond throughout my years as a crew chief. We won a couple of races there with Ernie Irvan and Davey Allison. I think some of the things that we've learned this year and the things that I continue to learn about Mike, will help us compile information and come up with a pretty good package to run with. Richmond is a unique race track with two very different ends. The driver has to be prepared for what can happen as he comes out of each corner because what happens at one end is usually different than what happens at the other."
Todd Parrott - Ford Quality Care Service/Ford Credit Ford of Dale Jarrett - "Absolutely. We won that race so we're pretty prepared to go back there with the same package. Our biggest concern will probably be tire management. But both Dale and I like Richmond and we're looking forward to getting back there."
Robin Pemberton - Miller Lite Ford of Rusty Wallace - "There's probably a few small things that we'll make changes to. You just try to run a better race strategy. There were some things that we were doing that were really good for the long run, but to do that we gave a little bit up on the short run."
HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THE WINSTON CUP RUMOR MILL?
Jimmy Makar: "Well, I just don't listen to it. I don't read the papers and I don't listen to all the stuff that goes around. Most of our guys do read things and listen to what the media is saying, which can lead to different levels of stress. So you have to talk to them and tell them to stay focused. If the rumors don't pertain to us, I try to keep the guys from even thinking about it or worrying about it. I always try to make sure my guys know most of everything that's going on with the race team that they need to know. That way, my guys have the correct information and the rumors are just rumors."
Larry McReynolds: "I've been a crew chief for close to 20 years and my skin's pretty thick - it's probably thicker than my bones. It has to be in this business. The thing you got to do and the thing that you tell your team is, 'Look, we know what's going on.' You've got to live within yourself. You know what's going on, you know what you're doing and you know what you've been told. You've just got to be content with that."
Todd Parrott: "I try not to pay attention to any of the rumors. I don't even get involved with them. None of 'em involve me so I try to stay out of them."
Robin Pemberton: "I just try to stay focused on what I'm doing with my ears closed to the outside. My answer to any rumor is that I'll believe it when it happens. I don't let myself or my team get caught up in it."
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