Jeff Hammond returned to the Darrell Waltrip Motorsports team Tuesday as the new team manager for the No. 17 Western Auto Parts America Chevrolet Monte Carlo. Hammond first worked with Waltrip in 1982 and won 12 races, seven poles and the NASCAR Winston Cup championship that season. Hammond and Waltrip won the title together again in 1985, and Waltrip won the Daytona 500 in 1989 with Hammond calling the shots. "There's a chemistry between some drivers and, in this case, team managers that allows them to get the most out of the car by getting the most out of the driver," Waltrip said. "Jeff and I have that bond. During the week, Jeff will help prepare the care and work on race strategies. On race day, he will be the one talking to me over the radio and making calls from the pits. He has a great ability to translate what I'm saying about the car to the crew. I know that one person can't make you win or lose races, but just look at the numbers. Our goal is to add to those numbers." Eddie Yount, 35, has been added as a fabricator for the No, 17 team. A Claremont, N.C., native, Young spent the past six years with the Precision Products Racing team, assisting in its Winston Cup efforts as head fabricator.
