Tony Furr Steps Down as Crew Chief of Hendrick Motorsports No. 25 Chevy

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (April 17, 2002) -- Tony Furr today stepped down as crew chief of the No. 25 Hendrick Motorsports (HMS) team to pursue other opportunities in NASCAR Winston Cup Series competition, HMS general manager Jeff Turner announced. Furr, crew chief of the No. 25 team since the beginning of the 1998 season, will be replaced on an interim basis by Director of Competition Ken Howes, who oversees all aspects of competition for HMS’ four Winston Cup and two Busch Grand National teams. Howes, who has been with HMS since 1985, served crew chief of the No. 25 Team for four years beginning in 1992. “There comes a time when you have to make a change and that time has come,” said Furr, who has more than a decade in NASCAR competition. “I’ve enjoyed my years with Hendrick Motorsports and I regret leaving, but the decision was mutual after we sat down and evaluated the direction we were headed. It’s just time to move on.” “No one has worked harder than Tony to bring the No. 25 Team to the level of performance we owe to our sponsors and fans,” said HMS president John Hendrick. “At times he’s had some of the best cars fielded by our organization. He’s a talented crew chief and I have no doubt he will be successful.”