Strader off to hot start as JR Motorsports crew chief
By Lee Montgomery - Associate Editor
Monday, August 04, 2008
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Cam Strader became interim crew chief for JR Motorsports two races ago, and he already has a victory at the helm of the No. 5 Nationwide Series team.
Ron Fellows won the NAPA Auto Parts 200 at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Saturday, perhaps providing a boost to Strader’s chances of remaining crew chief for the team.
“I’d say [his chances are] pretty good,” Fellows said with a laugh after winning the race.
Strader replaced Chad Walter before the Kroger 200 at O’Reilly Raceway Park two weeks ago after Walter resigned from the team. Strader, a former driver, was promoted from his position as car chief.
“When Dale [Earnhardt] Jr. and Tony Eury Sr. and [team manager] Gus [Larkin] approached me about this, it was a big surprise to me that Chad had resigned,” Strader said. “Chad Walter has done so many great things to help me learn the things I need to do, the things I need to prepare for. I’ve got to give him the credit to getting where we are today.”
Fellows, too, credited Walter for helping with the win, as he was crew chief when the team tested with Fellows on a road course recently. That setup was the basis for the winning setup in Montreal.
“This is as much a victory for him as well,” Fellows said.
Landon Cassill drove the No. 5 entry at ORP and said Strader worked well in his first race as crew chief.
“He brought a great, positive attitude to the team,” Cassill said. “Everybody was pumped up. We all like Cam. It wasn’t like hiring a new crew chief, bringing some guy in who’s going to boss us around. Not that that is the alternative, but if we would’ve all voted on who our crew chief would’ve been, it’d have been Cam.”
Being a former driver helps Strader relate to him, Cassill said.
“At one point in practice, he goes, ‘Wait, wait. Talk to me in driver talk,’” Cassill said of ORP sessions.
Driver talk?
“I’m trying to be technical, like I’m talking to Chad, and [Strader] just wants to put him in the car and take him around the track,” Cassill said.
Comments
3 responses to "Strader off to hot start as JR Motorsports crew chief"
Mark Ernst said:
Aug 4, 2008 at 12:47 PMSo far so Good for JR Motorsports.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportLonnie Geffre said:
Aug 4, 2008 at 2:49 PMGood job for JR Motorsports.I think Jr got the right crew chief for the no.5 car.Keep up the good work.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportshirley dorrington said:
Aug 6, 2008 at 6:49 AMright on Ronnie I sure hope this is the start of a happy future for Jr Motorsports.
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