Roush Fenway Racing announces Nationwide crew chief changes
By SceneDaily Staff
Tuesday, December 08, 2009
Roush Fenway Racing's Carl Edwards (left) and crew chief Mike Kelley celebrate in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Nationwide Able Body Labor 200 at Phoenix International Raceway in November.
David Griffin
NASCAR Scene
Roush Fenway Racing officials have announced a reorganization of the team’s NASCAR Nationwide Series leadership, including naming three crew chiefs for three of its cars.
Roush Fenway said in a news release that Mike Kelley will remain crew chief for Carl Edwards’ No. 60 team, while Eddie Pardue will become crew chief for rookie Colin Braun’s team and Ben Leslie will be crew chief for rookie Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s team.
Kelley joined Edwards for the final three races of 2009 and scored one victory, two top-five and three top-10 finishes. Edwards will again run for the Nationwide championship in 2010.
Pardue served as crew chief for Roush Fenway’s No. 16 entry that employed multiple drivers last season. The No. 16 team won three races and finished ninth in the owner standings. Braun is moving up from the Camping World Truck Series.
Leslie is a former Roush Fenway crew chief who returns to the team after a stint with Ford and as crew chief for Hall of Fame Racing for most of the 2009 Sprint Cup season. Stenhouse is racing full time in Nationwide in 2010 after a partial schedule this year.
Roush Fenway also said Mike Beam will take over as competition director for the organization’s Nationwide operations. Beam served as Braun’s crew chief in the Truck series in 2009.
“I’m looking to Ben Leslie to provide stability from his 15-plus year NASCAR experience and give guidance to rookie driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and team,” team co-owner Jack Roush said in a news release. “The addition of Beam’s position will provide more leadership capacity to our already successful on-track programs and day-to-day production efficiencies.”
Beam said he is looking forward to his new “responsibilities and challenges.”
“It will be my task to make sure all of Roush Fenway's Nationwide teams are performing at a level to compete for the 2010 championship, as well as either Colin or Ricky winning the rookie of the year title,” Beam said. “We certainly have the drivers, teams and support from the Ford Motor Co. which will make our Nationwide entries capable of continuing Roush Fenway’s success in the series."
A teamspokesperson said Dan Stillman, replaced by Kelley as Edwards' crew chief, will be reassigned within the company.
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