NASCAR WCUP: Crew Chief Club at the NAPA AutoCare 500
1 October 1999
Posted By Terry
Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
Event: NAPA AutoCare 500 When: Sun., Oct. 3 at 1 p.m. EDT on
ESPNWhere: Martinsville (Va.) Speedway (.526-mile oval)
Together, Jimmy Makar, Larry McReynolds, Todd Parrott and Robin Pemberton have led their drivers to 74 wins, 397 top-five finishes, 624 top-10 finishes and 75 poles prior to this Sunday's NAPA AutoCare 500 at Martinsville Speedway.
Robin Pemberton knows what it takes to make a car qualify quickly at Martinsville. As the head wrench for Ted Musgrave back in 1994, the duo set a track qualifying record on September 23 with a 20.117 second lap at an average speed of 94.129 mph.
From 1990 through 1994 Crew Chief Club members owned qualifying at Martinsville's fall event with five straight poles. These poles were provided by Pemberton and Musgrave in 1994, McReynolds and Ernie Irvan in 1993, Pemberton and Kyle Petty in 1992, and Pemberton and Mark Martin in 1991 and 1990.
McReynolds and Irvan also took the checkered flag in the fall Martinsville race in 1993.
Crew Chief Club souvenirs are available on the Chevrolet and Ford merchandise trailers. Fans can also log-on to the Crew Chief Club at their official website, www.crewchiefclub.com.
WHAT KIND OF PIT STRATEGY WILL YOU EMPLOY AT MARTINSVILLE?
Jimmy Makar - Interstate Batteries Pontiac of Bobby Labonte - "It's going to be a track position type race. Most short tracks have gotten that way over the years. Track position is a lot more important than your tires are most of the time in those places. So you won't be pitting every time there's a caution flying. Instead, you'll be staying out on the track until you get some more laps on your tires. And then there will be a period in time where you'll look at taking two tires instead of four - again for track position."
Larry McReynolds - Lowe's Home Improvement Chevrolet of Mike Skinner - "The whole thing about Martinsville that has changed in a number of years is track position. It all starts on Friday with qualifying - making sure you get a good qualifying effort in to get a good pit stall. You've got to have your car working well, and part of that means keeping good track position. Not having to pit new tires every time the caution comes out and being able to stay in front of the pack all day is key."
Todd Parrott - Ford Quality Care Service/Ford Credit Ford of Dale Jarrett - "The first thing I'm going to try to do is assume a good pit position. It's something we haven't done the last few times we've been there and that's a big key to Martinsville - a good pit stall. Once you've got that it's track position that you have to worry about"
Robin Pemberton - Miller Lite Ford of Rusty Wallace - "It's really important to get a good qualifying run in to get a good choice in pits. When it comes to race strategy, that would be to take care of your brakes for the first half or three quarters of the race, try to run in the lead pack and let the chips fall where they may."
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