Hendrick Motorsports to compete in Pit Crew Challenge

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (May 14, 2009) -- Pit crew members train and practice all week long for the handful of stops they’ll make during a race. Tonight, all four Hendrick Motorsports teams will have a chance to showcase their speed, agility and precision with 20 other NASCAR Sprint Cup Series pit crews in the Sprint Pit Crew Challenge. The competition starts at 7 p.m., ET at Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte and will air later tonight on SPEED at 9 p.m. The finishing order of the competition will determine pit box selection for Saturday’s Sprint All-Star Race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Gasman Caleb Hurd and catch can Jamie Frady, both on the No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet team, return as defending individual champions for Hendrick Motorsports. The No. 5 Kellogg’s/CARQUEST team, which includes 2006 individual champion Kyle Turner, is especially excited to contend since tweaking its pit crew in the offseason. “I think the guys -- each individual -- deserves a lot of credit because we really shook up what they thought was how a pit crew department should be,” said Alan Gustafson, crew chief of the No. 5 Chevrolet. “We pushed them really hard, and they've all responded. They're all team players and have worked really hard.” Representing Hendrick Motorsports for each team: No. 5 Kellogg’s/CARQUEST team •J.D. Holcomb – front-tire carrier •Kyle Turner – front-tire changer •Dion Williams – rear-tire carrier •Josh Kirk – rear-tire changer •Jason Hunt – jackman •Brad Pickens – gasman •Travis Gordon – catch can No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard team •Ben Fischbeck – front-tire carrier •Kip Wolfmeier – front-tire changer •Matt Myers – rear-tire carrier •Greg Burkhart – rear-tire changer •Mark Jacobs – jackman •Chris Fasulka – gasman •Jason Dalrymple – catch can No. 48 Lowe’s team •Art Simmons – front-tire carrier •Mike Lingerfelt – front-tire changer •Andy Brown – rear-tire carrier •Jeremy West – rear-tire changer •Kenneth Purcell – jackman •Rich Gutierrez – gasman •Mike Knauer – catch can No. 24 DuPont team •Mike Houston – front-tire carrier •Clay Robinson – front-tire changer •Jeff Knight – rear-tire carrier •Mike Atwell – rear-tire changer •Jeff Cook – jackman •Caleb Hurd – gasman •Jamie Frady – catch can