Elliott’s Pit Crew Grabs Fifth Win of Season

Bill Elliott’s No. 9 pit crew notched its fifth victory in the McDonald’s Drive-Thru Pit Championship fueled by POWERade by edging Elliott Sadler’s team in Sunday’s MBNA America 400 at Dover (Del.) International Speedway.

Bill Elliott

The No. 9 pit crew became the second team to capture five McDonald’s/POWERade wins and season prize money of $100,000 ($20,000 for each win). The crew for Dale Earnhardt Jr. also has five victories.

The four other first-place finishes for Elliott’s crew were at: Bristol (March), Talladega (April), New Hampshire (July) and Darlington (August).

Elliott’s No. 9 Evernham Motorsports Dodge spent the least amount of time on pit road for participating teams during the Dover race – 197.400 seconds. Sadler’s No. 38 M&Ms Ford was a close second with a total pit road time of 197.728. Third was Jeff Burton’s Citgo Ford at 230.933.

“The guys certainly earned it this week,” said Elliott. “They were on their game. We gained several positions on pit road, not just once but throughout the day. I am proud of them.”

Elliott’s over-the-wall crew consists of: Todd Colburn (jackman), Nick Bailey (front tire carrier), Jim Pohlman (front tire changer), Eric Wakeland (rear tire carrier), Joe Kruschek (rear tire changer), Rodney Rhodes (gasman) and Steve Lawrence (catch can). The team’s crew chief is Mike Ford and the pit crew coach is Greg Miller.

Waltrip’s Team Continues To Lead
Though Michael Waltrip’s No. 15 Chevrolet had an early exit in the Dover race, the team hardly lost any ground in the McDonald’s Drive-Thru Pit Championship fueled by POWERade point standings. The team’s closest challenger – the No. 8 Budweiser Chevrolet team for Dale Earnhardt Jr. – also posted a DNF. Waltrip’s pit crew has a 32-point lead over Earnhardt’s crew. Kurt Busch’s team is third – 42 points behind. The season pit crew champion will earn a $200,000 bonus.

How it Works
During each 2003 NASCAR Winston Cup points event, the participating team whose car spends the least amount of aggregate time off the race track will be named the weekly winner of the McDonald’s Drive-Thru Pit Championship fueled by POWERADE, provided the team’s driver takes the green flag at the beginning of the event and the checkered flag at the conclusion of the event. A timing line at the entrance and exit of pit road triggers the car’s transponder and records the total time spent off the race track.

The point distribution per race is: 43 for first place, descending in increments of one.

The McDonald’s Drive-Thru Pit Championship fueled by POWERADE is the largest monetary contingency program in NASCAR history.

Top 10 Pit Crews For Participating Teams In Sunday’s (Sept. 21) MBNA America 400 at Dover International Speedway

Time Car #
1. Bill Elliott Team 197.400 seconds 9
2. Elliott Sadler Team 197.728 “ 38
3. Jeff Burton Team 230.933 “ 99
4. Robby Gordon Team 240.638 “ 31
5. Tony Stewart Team 244.501 “ 20
6. Jamie McMurray Team 247.664 “ 42
7. Jimmy Spencer Team 252.668 “ 7
8. Jeff Green Team 265.780 “ 43
9. Dale Jarrett Team 270.627 “ 88
10. Ricky Rudd Team 277.058 “ 21

2003 Winners of The McDonald’s Drive-Thru Pit Championship fueled by POWERade:

Daytona (2/16) Michael Waltrip Team
Rockingham (2/23) Dave Blaney Team
Las Vegas (3/2) Dale Earnhardt Jr. Team
Atlanta (3/9) Dale Earnhardt Jr. Team
Darlington (3/16) Jeff Green Team (RCR)
Bristol (3/23) Bill Elliott Team
Texas (3/30) Robby Gordon Team
Talladega (4/6) Bill Elliott Team
Martinsville (4/13) Bobby Labonte Team
California (4/27) Bobby Labonte Team
Richmond (5/3) Jeff Burton Team
Charlotte (5/25) Dale Jarrett Team
Dover (6/1) Michael Waltrip Team
Pocono (6/8) Todd Bodine Team
Michigan (6/15) Sterling Marlin Team
Sonoma (6/22) Robby Gordon Team
Daytona (7/5) Jeff Burton Team
Chicago (7/13) Michael Waltrip Team
New Hampshire (7/20) Bill Elliott Team
Pocono (7/27) Dale Earnhardt Jr. Team
Indianapolis (8/3) Kurt Busch Team
Watkins Glen (8/10) Elliott Sadler Team
Michigan (8/17) Greg Biffle Team
Bristol (8/23) Kurt Busch Team
Darlington (8/31) Bill Elliott Team
Richmond (9/6) Dale Earnhardt Jr. Team
N. Hampshire (9/14) Dale Earnhardt Jr. Team
Dover (9/21) Bill Elliott Team

Point Standings For NASCAR Winston Cup Teams Participating In The McDonald’s Drive-Thru Pit Championship fueled by POWERADE:

(following Dover 9/21/03; pit crew wins in parentheses)

Pos. Car # Pit Crew of Points Prize Money
1 15 Michael Waltrip Team (3) 988 60,000
2 8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Team (5) 956 100,000
3 97 Kurt Busch Team (2) 946 40,000
4 18 Bobby Labonte Team (2) 921 40,000
5 31 Robby Gordon Team (2) 918 40,000
6 40 Sterling Marlin Team (1) 885 20,000
T7 9 Bill Elliott Team (5) 883 100,000
T7 38 Elliott Sadler Team (1) 883 20,000
9 42 Jamie McMurray Team 873
10 16 Greg Biffle Team (1) 869 20,000
T11 20 Tony Stewart Team 839
T11 77 Dave Blaney Team (1) 839 20,000
13 99 Jeff Burton (2) 837 40,000
14 1 John Andretti Team 826
15 88 Dale Jarrett Team (1) 821 20,000
16 30 Steve Park Team (1) 820 20,000
17 21 Ricky Rudd Team 819
18 7 Jimmy Spencer Team 789
19 54 Todd Bodine Team (1) 785 20,000
20 41 Casey Mears Team 774
21 01 Mike Skinner Team 769
22 74 Tony Raines Team 733
23 45 Kyle Petty Team 724
24 0 Jason Leffler Team 720
25 43 (Petty Racing) 663
26 49 Ken Schrader Team 662
27 14 Larry Foyt Team 306
28 09 Mike Wallace Team 161
29 11 Brett Bodine Team 144
30 02 Hermie Sadler Team 139
31 37 Derrick Cope Team 94
32 57 Kevin Lepage Team 76
33 150 A.J. Foyt Racing 64
T34 66 Hideo Fukuyama Team 46
T34 33 (Andy Petree car owner) 46

*joined program at fifth race of season – Darlington, 3/16