Crew chief Wolfe leaves Braun Racing, returns to Fitz Motorsports
Paul Wolfe has left Braun Racing to return to Fitz Motorsports as crew chief for Nationwide Series driver Josh Wise. Wolfe will be replaced at Braun by former crew chief Todd Lohse, a Braun spokesperson said Wednesday.
Wolfe originally left Fitz on March 25 to join Braun as Jason Leffler’s crew chief, and Fitz Motorsports sued Braun and Wolfe in North Carolina Superior Court on April 11. Fitz also obtained a temporary restraining order that prevented Wolfe from making the trip to Mexico City for the Nationwide race there April 20.
Wolfe then prevailed in a hearing where Fitz sought a preliminary injunction and began his first race weekend with Braun at Talladega in late April.
Wise, a Michael Waltrip Racing development driver, will be supported by a MWR pit crew while driving Fitz’s No. 22 Dodge, a MWR spokesperson said.
Lohse led Leffler to a victory at O’Reilly Raceway Park and a third-place finish in the point standings last season.
The decision for Wolfe and Braun to split was a “mutual parting,” a Braun spokesperson said.
Leffler is 11th in the Nationwide standings in 2008, with one top-five and six top-10 finishes. Lohse will be his third crew chief of the season, as Wolfe had replaced Stewart Cooper.
Fitz’s No. 22 team is 23rd in the owners standings, as six drivers have been behind the wheel this season. Wise has made eight starts this season, with a best finish of 19th at Dover.
