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Chad Knaus Named NASCAR Sprint Cup Crew Chief of the Race in Phoenix
Chad Knaus, crew chief for the No. 48 Lowes Chevy driven by Jimmie Johnson, has been named the WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief of the Race following Sunday's Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500.
The focus and determination, along with the positive coaching from Knaus, equipped the No. 48 team with the right tools to dominate and leading 238 of the 312-lap event, taking their seventh win of the season.
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The first 116 laps were caution free as Johnson battled with last week's winner, Kurt Busch for the lead, eventually claiming the first position on lap 57.
Knaus called his driver in for the first time of the day on lap 74 for a wedge adjustment and four fresh tires. Although he returned to the track in third it didn't take him long to regain the lead on lap 90 where he stayed for most of the race.
Johnson headed for the pits once more on lap 117 during the race's first caution of the day. "Once [Chad] called for the second set of tires, we were set," said Johnson.
"The team did a great job today," said Knaus. "Fantastic preparation on the car, I could not be more proud of the entire team's efforts all weekend."
"Chad displayed a championship performance," said Jeff Hammond, WYPALL Wipers spokesperson and SPEED/FOX television analyst. "The Knaus-led team is nothing short of phenomenal."
WYPALL* Wipers Crew Chief Results
Phoenix proved to be more challenging than what Bob Osborne, crew chief for the No. 99 Aflac Ford and driver Carl Edwards are typically used to. The team struggled to gain track position and the Osborne-led crew made several track adjustments to improve the handling only to finish in the 16th position. Since being named the crew chief for Jeff Burton and the No. 31 CAT team, Todd Berrier has led his team to two top-five and three consecutive top-10 finishes after coming home a close second in Phoenix after starting from the 36th position.
WYPALL* Wipers Crew Chief Team
Osborne, Berrier, and Hammond, along with representatives from the WYPALL Wipers brand, all serve as the panel for the WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief Challenge and vote for the weekly crew chief winners. In addition to the $1,000 check, the winning crew chief will receive signage to announce the win on their pit box the following week. The crew chief with the most weekly wins will be honored as the WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief of the Year and will be presented a $20,000 check this Sunday at Homestead Miami Speedway.
The presentation will take place live on NASCAR Raceday on SPEED, Sunday, beginning at 11:30am EST.
Former winners of the WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief Challenge include Tony Eury, Sr. (Dale Earnhardt, Jr.), Robbie Reiser (Matt Kenseth), Doug Richert (Greg Biffle), Mike Ford (Denny Hamlin) and Knaus (Jimmie Johnson).
PaddockTalk Perspective
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