Junior Get New Crew Chief

[gator8_24]

Tony Eury Jr. out as Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s crew chief, Lance McGrew named replacement
By Bob Pockrass - Associate EditorThursday, May 28, 2009 Hendrick Motorsports has replaced Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s crew chief Tony Eury Jr.
LaDon George
NASCAR Scene
Tony Eury Jr. is being replaced by Lance McGrew as the interim crew chief for Hendrick Motorsports driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., the team announced Thursday morning. Eury Jr. will move to a new role in the team's research and development department.

McGrew will begin working with the team next week at Pocono, while team manager Brian Whitesell will guide the team this weekend at Dover.

"Our performance hasn't been where it should be," said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. "It's impossible to pin that on any one factor, but a change is the right decision at this point. We have a plan in place, and we're going to move forward with it."

Eury Jr. had been the crew chief for his cousin since September 2005, first at Dale Earnhardt Inc. and since the start of the 2008 season at Hendrick Motorsports. Eury Jr. had been Earnhardt Jr.'s crew chief for 120 races, and they have had two victories together.

The pair showed promise last year with a strong start to the year but finished 12th in points after being among the 12 drivers to make the Chase For The Sprint Cup. This season has been a year of struggles, as Earnhardt Jr. is 19th in the standings, 203 points out of 12th, the final spot in the Chase field.

Earnhardt Jr. has just one top-five and three top-10s in 12 races.

Eury Jr. and Earnhardt Jr. have worked together on the Cup level since Earnhardt Jr. moved to the series full time in 2000. Eury Jr. was Earnhardt Jr.'s car chief for 15 victories before becoming crew chief for Michael Waltrip in 2005. He then became Earnhardt Jr.'s crew chief in fall 2005 at New Hampshire. He remained with Earnhardt Jr. until the final 10 races of the 2007 season, when he left to get a head start at Hendrick Motorsports.

"I have mixed feelings, and that's just natural," Eury Jr. said. "But I enjoy working at Hendrick Motorsports, and this is where I want to be. I'll do whatever I can to help all of our teams and try to be a part of another championship. I think a new challenge will be good."

The Earnhardt Jr.-Eury Jr. pairing combined for one victory, one pole, 19 top-10 finishes and 11 top-fives in 48 races.

"Tony and I talked through this last night," Hendrick said. "I want him here, he wants to be here, and he's going to be a big contributor to our future success. I have an unbelievable amount of respect for the job he's done and for the caliber of person that he is."

As a crew chief, McGrew has posted victories in all three of NASCAR's national touring series. He has won races with drivers Brian Vickers, Jeff Gordon, Ricky Hendrick, Kyle Busch, Mark Martin and most recently Tony Stewart. McGrew, 41, earned the 2003 championship in what is now the NASCAR Nationwide Series with Vickers and won the October 2006 Cup race at Talladega. He most recently has been the crew chief for Brad Keselowski when he has raced for Hendrick Motorsports in Sprint Cup.

Whitesell and Rex Stump, Hendrick Motorsports' lead chassis engineer, have been assigned to support McGrew on a full-time basis. Whitesell, who won two of seven races as Gordon's interim crew chief in 1999, will join McGrew and team engineer Tom Stewart will be on the No. 88 pit box to assist with race strategy.

"We're going to put our full resources toward improving the situation and winning races," Hendrick said. "It's going to be a collective effort that includes all of our drivers, all of our crew chiefs and all of our engineers. Everyone in our company will be involved on some level."

scene daily

[swamp]

Tony Eury Jr. out as Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s crew chief, Lance McGrew named replacement
By Bob Pockrass - Associate EditorThursday, May 28, 2009 Hendrick Motorsports has replaced Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s crew chief Tony Eury Jr.
LaDon George
NASCAR Scene
Tony Eury Jr. is being replaced by Lance McGrew as the interim crew chief for Hendrick Motorsports driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., the team announced Thursday morning. Eury Jr. will move to a new role in the team's research and development department.

McGrew will begin working with the team next week at Pocono, while team manager Brian Whitesell will guide the team this weekend at Dover.

"Our performance hasn't been where it should be," said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. "It's impossible to pin that on any one factor, but a change is the right decision at this point. We have a plan in place, and we're going to move forward with it."

Eury Jr. had been the crew chief for his cousin since September 2005, first at Dale Earnhardt Inc. and since the start of the 2008 season at Hendrick Motorsports. Eury Jr. had been Earnhardt Jr.'s crew chief for 120 races, and they have had two victories together.

The pair showed promise last year with a strong start to the year but finished 12th in points after being among the 12 drivers to make the Chase For The Sprint Cup. This season has been a year of struggles, as Earnhardt Jr. is 19th in the standings, 203 points out of 12th, the final spot in the Chase field.

Earnhardt Jr. has just one top-five and three top-10s in 12 races.

Eury Jr. and Earnhardt Jr. have worked together on the Cup level since Earnhardt Jr. moved to the series full time in 2000. Eury Jr. was Earnhardt Jr.'s car chief for 15 victories before becoming crew chief for Michael Waltrip in 2005. He then became Earnhardt Jr.'s crew chief in fall 2005 at New Hampshire. He remained with Earnhardt Jr. until the final 10 races of the 2007 season, when he left to get a head start at Hendrick Motorsports.

"I have mixed feelings, and that's just natural," Eury Jr. said. "But I enjoy working at Hendrick Motorsports, and this is where I want to be. I'll do whatever I can to help all of our teams and try to be a part of another championship. I think a new challenge will be good."

The Earnhardt Jr.-Eury Jr. pairing combined for one victory, one pole, 19 top-10 finishes and 11 top-fives in 48 races.

"Tony and I talked through this last night," Hendrick said. "I want him here, he wants to be here, and he's going to be a big contributor to our future success. I have an unbelievable amount of respect for the job he's done and for the caliber of person that he is."

As a crew chief, McGrew has posted victories in all three of NASCAR's national touring series. He has won races with drivers Brian Vickers, Jeff Gordon, Ricky Hendrick, Kyle Busch, Mark Martin and most recently Tony Stewart. McGrew, 41, earned the 2003 championship in what is now the NASCAR Nationwide Series with Vickers and won the October 2006 Cup race at Talladega. He most recently has been the crew chief for Brad Keselowski when he has raced for Hendrick Motorsports in Sprint Cup.

Whitesell and Rex Stump, Hendrick Motorsports' lead chassis engineer, have been assigned to support McGrew on a full-time basis. Whitesell, who won two of seven races as Gordon's interim crew chief in 1999, will join McGrew and team engineer Tom Stewart will be on the No. 88 pit box to assist with race strategy.

"We're going to put our full resources toward improving the situation and winning races," Hendrick said. "It's going to be a collective effort that includes all of our drivers, all of our crew chiefs and all of our engineers. Everyone in our company will be involved on some level."

scene daily

you gotta find pit roll b 4 you need a new pit boss 

[Homer]

They need a new driver

[gator8_24]

well, we will find out if it's the driver  or the crew in a few weeks. In 2 weeks the new CC starts this weekend is a  sub.  BTW missing the pit box is old news as has been better and let's give equal time to others who miss the pit lane! Plus Kyle isn't really the bst driver, he hasn't been doing to well himself, just has a child's hissy fit.

[Homer]

well, we will find out if it's the driver  or the crew in a few weeks. In 2 weeks the new CC starts this weekend is a  sub.  BTW missing the pit box is old news as has been better and let's give equal time to others who miss the pit lane! Plus Kyle isn't really the bst driver, he hasn't been doing to well himself, just has a child's hissy fit.

Isn't it about time you removed your mouth from Junior's tailpipe? 

[swamp]

Isn't it about time you removed your mouth from Junior's tailpipe? 

[gator8_24]

Isn't it about time you removed your mouth from Junior's tailpipe? 

I already told you I wasn't following him because I didn't like looking at the tail pipes ahead. But Jr's tailpipes      That sounded kinda kinky Homer!

[swamp]

I already told you I wasn't following him because I didn't like looking at the tail pipes ahead. But Jr's tailpipes      That sounded kinda kinky Homer!

[gator8_24]

http://www.scenedaily.com/news/articles/sprintcupseries/Rick_Hendrick_refuses_to_point_fingers_in_Dale_Earnhardt_Jr-Tony_Eury_Jr_split.html

[gator8_24]

Sour Grapes Busch!

Sour Grapes? Kyle Busch takes dig at Dale Jr.: #18-Kyle Busch said it point-blank: "It's never Junior; it's always the crew chief." Busch fired that opening volley of driver reaction Friday morning to Hendrick Motorsports' dismissal of Tony Eury Jr. as #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s crew chief on Thursday. Asked about Eury's replacement, Lance McGrew, with whom Busch worked in the Nationwide Series at Hendrick in 2004, Busch expressed pity for McGrew. "He's got his hands full, I guess, having to deal with what's going on," Busch said. "And if Junior doesn't run well, then he [McGrew] is going to be the 'problem' again." Still, Busch said he understood the move to bolster the driver who replaced him at Hendrick last season, both because of Earnhardt's star power and Busch's salary issues. "You've got to make the most popular driver in the sport competitive, so you gotta do what you gotta do, I guess," Busch said.(ESPN)(5-29-2009) Comment here

[Homer]

Sour Grapes Busch!

Sour Grapes? Kyle Busch takes dig at Dale Jr.: #18-Kyle Busch said it point-blank: "It's never Junior; it's always the crew chief." Busch fired that opening volley of driver reaction Friday morning to Hendrick Motorsports' dismissal of Tony Eury Jr. as #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s crew chief on Thursday. Asked about Eury's replacement, Lance McGrew, with whom Busch worked in the Nationwide Series at Hendrick in 2004, Busch expressed pity for McGrew. "He's got his hands full, I guess, having to deal with what's going on," Busch said. "And if Junior doesn't run well, then he [McGrew] is going to be the 'problem' again." Still, Busch said he understood the move to bolster the driver who replaced him at Hendrick last season, both because of Earnhardt's star power and Busch's salary issues. "You've got to make the most popular driver in the sport competitive, so you gotta do what you gotta do, I guess," Busch said.(ESPN)(5-29-2009) Comment here

He's right. I've been saying all along it's the driver. 

[gator8_24]

He's right. I've been saying all along it's the driver. 

Kyle B is jealous that the son of Dale SR is more popular than himself( who might be a better driver).  Kyle can hardly wait to rub crap in Jr's face.  He's been saying that junk for several years on the racing forums.  I'm just tired of KB not changing and growing up and showing his ego thinking he's the second coming of Dale Sr.

[swamp]

Kyle B is jealous that the son of Dale SR is more popular than himself( who might be a better driver).  Kyle can hardly wait to rub crap in Jr's face.  He's been saying that junk for several years on the racing forums.  I'm just tired of KB not changing and growing up and showing his ego thinking he's the second coming of Dale Sr.

i watched the race today and seen jr doing what he does best  staying out of his car and it wins 

[gator8_24]

i watched the race today and seen jr doing what he does best  staying out of his car and it wins 

That car belongs to JRmotorsports and Ric Hendrick so there! The car that won is raced every week by Brad.

[swamp]

That car belongs to JRmotorsports and Ric Hendrick so there! The car that won is raced every week by Brad.

it could win everyweek if jr get out of the car 

[gator8_24]

it could win everyweek if jr get out of the car 

Swamp I've said it before , Junior does not race that car!  Brad drives that care everyweek. Jr is co owner with rick Hendrick So give up the jabs at Jr and that Nationwide  car. than ks

[swamp]

Swamp I've said it before , Junior does not race that car!  Brad drives that care everyweek. Jr is co owner with rick Hendrick So give up the jabs at Jr and that Nationwide  car. than ks

  just testing you 

[Homer]

Swamp I've said it before , Junior does not race that car!  Brad drives that care everyweek. Jr is co owner with rick Hendrick So give up the jabs at Jr and that Nationwide  car. than ks

Junior shouldn't drive his car either 

[swamp]

Junior shouldn't drive his car either 
[/ ]

[gator8_24]

Hey Swamp, why no reply to Homer's comment?  Ya skeered?