Roush Transporter Drivers Make the Best of Thanksgiving in New Hampshire

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. - Although all of the NASCAR Winston Cup teams will have to leave home on Thanksgiving Day to head to New Hampshire for the season finale, the transporter drivers on the No. 6 Viagra (sildenafil citrate) racing team are making the best of it. The team's co-driver, Jeff Gonynor, offered to drive the transporter to New Hampshire so that Tom McCrimmon, the team's lead driver could stay home with his family for Thanksgiving and fly with the team to New Hampshire on Thursday evening.

The plan worked out well for both drivers since they both will be able to spend Thanksgiving with family. Gonynor, a native of Fitchsburg, Mass., will arrive in New Hampshire early Wednesday with the team transporter and spend Thanksgiving with his daugher, son-in-law and granddaughter in Leominster, Mass., which is about 80 miles from Loudon, N.H. McCrimmon will be able to stay home with his wife and three children until the team plane leaves Charlotte at 5 p.m. on Thursday. It will be the first time McCrimmon has ever flown to a Winston Cup race.

"I had two reasons for offering to take the transporter up there on my own," Gonynor said. "I wanted to give Tom a break since he's driven to every race and six tests this year, and by doing this I could see my daughter and her family. I knew I wasn't going to be able to spend Thanksgiving with my wife in North Carolina either way, so we are going to make the best of a bad situation. This is a chance for me to go home for a few days."

"It's a good deal for both of us," McCrimmon said. "I'm really excited to fly on Jack's plane (the Roush 727). I have heard all about it from other crew members, but I never get to see it. It's also nice to be able to have Thanksgiving dinner at home with my wife and kids before I fly to New Hampshire. We're normally home for Thanksgiving, but this year is a little messed-up for everyone. I'm thankful for having such a nice co-driver."

Roush Racing is a subsidiary of Roush Industries and operates eight teams; four in NASCAR Winston Cup with drivers Mark Martin, Jeff Burton, Matt Kenseth and Kurt Busch; two in the Busch Series with Burton and Greg Biffle; and two in Craftsman Truck with Jon Wood and Kyle Busch.