Pat Tryson, crew chief for the #2 Penske Miller Lite Dodge driven by Kurt Busch in the Sprint Cup Series, was named the Wypall Wipers “Crew Chief of the Race" for Sunday’s Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Tryson will receive a $1,000 check as a result of his leadership and strategic thinking during the race. Despite facing tough obstacles throughout the race, Tryson and his team rebounded to finish second in the “Great American Race," helping propel teammate Ryan Newman to victory. Due to electrical problems in the qualifying race last Thursday, Busch was forced to use a “Champion’s Provisional" to line up 43rd on the starting grid on Sunday. After experiencing a handful of challenges, the Tryson-led team bounced back from tight handling conditions, a speeding penalty and a serious overheating condition to finish runner up. The 2008 Wypall Wipers Crew Chief Challenge is a season-long contest that will determine the best crew chiefs in the Sprint Cup garage. Following each Cup race, a panel will vote to determine which crew chief demonstrated the most outstanding strategy and leadership during the race. It isn’t necessarily the crew chief that goes to victory lane, but the crew chief that made the biggest difference to his team.
Representatives from Wypall Wipers, together with FOX/Speed television analyst Jeff Hammond, and three of NASCAR’s top crew chiefs who represent Wypall, including Todd Berrier of the Richard Childress Racing #29 Shell Pennzoil Chevy team, Bob Osborne of the Roush Fenway Racing #99 Office Depot Ford team, and Kenny Francis of the Gillett Evernham Motorsports #9 Budweiser Dodge team, make up the panel of judges.
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 top wins will be honored as the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Year and will be presented a $20,000 check at the season finale in Homestead, FL. The Wypall Wipers Chief Challenge will continue throughout the remainder of the 2008 season and spotlight the men behind the machines.