Nemechek’s 01 Crew Takes Top Honors at Homestead

Nov. 22, 2006 - The pit crew for newly-crowned Nextel Cup champion Jimmie Johnson claimed the season-long Checkers®/Rally’s® Double Drive-Thru Challenge competition.

Though Johnson’s No. 48 Lowe’s crew was tied with Tony Stewart’s crew with five wins each, the tiebreaker went to Johnson’s crew for having the highest finish in the driver point standings.

For winning the season pit crew championship, Johnson’s team will collect a $105,000 bonus from Checkers/Rally’s. The presentation will be made Nov. 30 in New York City at the NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Awards Luncheon.

By winning the Checkers/Rally’s weekly competition five times and earning $10,500 for each victory, the total prize money earned in 2006 by Johnson’s pit crew was $157,500.

Johnson’s over-the-wall crew consists of: Chris Anderson (jackman), Art Simmons (front-tire carrier), Mike Trower (front-tire changer), Ron Malec (rear-tire carrier), Tim Ladyga (rear-tire changer), Rich Gutierrez (gasman), Mike Knauer (catch can) and Sean Kerlin (eighth-man). The team’s pit crew coach is Matt Clark and the crew chief is Chad Knaus.

“I’d like to congratulate Jimmie Johnson’s crew for winning the Checkers/Rally’s Double Drive-Thru Challenge championship as well as the NASCAR Nextel Cup championship,” said Rich Turer, Vice President of Marketing, Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Inc. “It was a competitive season among the pit crews with 15 different teams winning the weekly competition. Checkers/Rally’s is excited to bring the spotlight to the crew members, who play an integral role in the success of each team.”

Joe Nemechek’s U.S. Army pit crew took top honors in Sunday’s season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. It was the second Checkers/Rally’s Double Drive-Thru Challenge win for the 01 team.

“It was another outstanding effort by the Army crew at Homestead,” said Nemechek. “The 01 crew has been Army Strong the entire season and I am thrilled that they have been recognized again by Checkers/Rally’s for winning the pit crew award.”

Nemechek’s over-the-wall crew, which spent 298.990 seconds on pit road, includes: Scott King (jackman), John Boyd (front-tire carrier), Charlie Brock (front-tire changer), Dwayne Moore (rear-tire carrier), Dave Woodhead (rear-tire changer), Danny Harrington (gasman), Mark Bieberich (catch can) and J.D. Hilton (windshield). The team’s crew chief is Ryan Pemberton and the pit crew coach is Lance Munksgard.

Final Checkers/Rally’s Double Drive-Thru Challenge Nextel Cup Standings
Pos Car No.Pit Crew Wins Prize Money
x1 48 Jimmie Johnson Team 5 157,500*
2 20 Tony Stewart Team 5 52,500
3 5 Kyle Busch Team 4 42,000
T4 07 Clint Bowyer Team 3 31,500
T4 29 Kevin Harvick Team 3 31,500
T6 38 David Gilliland Team 2 21,000
T6 24 Jeff Gordon Team 2 21,000
T6 31 Jeff Burton Team 2 21,000
T6 2 Kurt Busch Team 2 21,000
T6 25 Brian Vickers Team 2 21,000
T6 01 Joe Nemechek Team 2 21,000
T12 11 Denny Hamlin Team 1 10,500
T12 21 Ken Schrader Team 1 10,500
T12 14 Sterling Marlin Team 1 10,500
T12 66 Jeff Green Team 1 10,500
x- won in tiebreaker – highest finishing team in driver point standings

Note: To date, Checkers/Rally’s has paid out $483,000 in NEXTEL Cup Series prize money during this season.

2006 Nextel Cup Winners
Checkers/Rally’s Double Drive-Thru Challenge
Daytona (2/19) Jimmie Johnson Team
California (2/26) Jimmie Johnson Team
Las Vegas (3/12) Kyle Busch Team
Atlanta (3/20) Tony Stewart Team
Bristol (3/26) Tony Stewart Team
Martinsville (4/2) Elliott Sadler Team
Texas (4/9) Denny Hamlin Team
Phoenix (4/23) Clint Bowyer Team
Talladega (5/1) Elliott Sadler Team
Richmond (5/6) Kevin Harvick Team
Darlington (5/13) Kyle Busch Team
Charlotte (5/28) Jimmie Johnson Team
Dover (6/4) Jeff Burton Team
Pocono (6/11) Kurt Busch Team
Michigan (6/18) Brian Vickers Team
Infineon (6/25) Jimmie Johnson Team
Daytona (7/1) Tony Stewart Team
Chicago (7/9) Kevin Harvick Team
New Hamp. (7/16) Kyle Busch Team
Pocono (7/23) Jeff Gordon Team
Indianapolis (8/6) Kyle Busch Team
Watkins Glen (8/13) Clint Bowyer Team
Michigan (8/20) Joe Nemechek Team
Bristol (8/26) Jeff Gordon Team
California (9/3) Clint Bowyer Team
Richmond (9/9) Ken Schrader Team
New Hamp. (9/17) Jeff Burton Team
Dover (9/24) Kurt Busch Team
Kansas (10/1) Tony Stewart Team
Talladega (10/8) Brian Vickers Team
Charlotte (10/14) Sterling Marlin Team
Martinsville (10/22) Jeff Green Team
Atlanta (10/29) Jimmie Johnson Team
Texas (11/5) Tony Stewart Team
Phoenix (11/12) Kevin Harvick Team
Homestead (11/19) Joe Nemechek Team

Busch Series Results
Ending the season with another strong performance, Johnny Sauter’s No. 00 over-the-wall crew earned its 11th win of the year in the Busch Series Checkers/Rally’s Double Drive-Thru Challenge at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The crew, which clinched the Busch Series pit crew challenge championship following Charlotte (Oct. 13), spent 129.874 seconds on pit road. They were awarded a $20,000 champions bonus.

Craftsman Truck Series Results – Reutimann’s team wins season pit crew championship
David Reutimann’s No. 17 pit crew secured the Truck Series Checkers/Rally’s Double Drive-Thru Challenge title by earning the honor four times this season. The crews of Jack Sprague, Ron Hornaday, Johnny Benson, and Mike Skinner finished the season tied for second with three wins each. Reutimann’s team will be awarded a $20,000 champions bonus.

Matt Crafton’s No. 88 over-the-wall crew picked up its first win of the season in the Truck Series pit crew competition by spending the least amount of time on pit road (291.438 seconds) in Friday’s event (Nov. 17) at Homestead-Miami Speedway.