Hutchens embraces new challenge, new organization
By Bob Pockrass - Associate Editor
Thursday, August 21, 2008
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Bobby Hutchens has a longer drive to work and a new challenge.
After nearly 20 years at Richard Childress Racing in Welcome, N.C., and a quick three-mile commute, he now travels about an hour to Dale Earnhardt Inc. in Mooresville, N.C., where he has become vice president of competition.
Hutchens started at RCR in 1989 as a member of the No. 3 GM Goodwrench team with driver Dale Earnhardt. During his 20-year career at RCR, Hutchens worked his way from team engineer to shop foreman to crew chief and, eventually to vice president of competition. He most recently was general manager of Earnhardt-Childress Racing Engines.
Now he oversees the competition aspects of DEI, which fields four Sprint Cup cars.
“For me, it’s a big proposition,” Hutchens said. “There’s a lot of good people and a lot of good equipment over there. I just hope I can come in and fit in and hopefully mold the thing a little bit.
“We have got a lot of work to do to hopefully make it a little more competitive.”
Hutchens, who graduated from North Carolina State University with a degree in mechanical engineering in 1982, managed and developed all facets of RCR’s research and development program while overseeing RCR’s engineering, engines, engine research and development, manufacturing, chassis research and development and aerodynamics programs. RCR and DEI merged engine
departments last year.
“I knew a little bit [about DEI] because of my involvement in the engine company, but getting down to the nuts and bolts, I didn’t,” Hutchens said. “It’s going to be a couple of weeks here kind of doing an assessment and seeing where myself and the crew chiefs and our engineering group fit in, and I’m going to try to help them out all I can.”
DEI, which likely will be shut out of the 12-driver field in the Chase For The NASCAR Sprint Cup this season, has re-signed drivers Martin Truex Jr. and Aric Almirola for next season. But it still has not confirmed drivers for its two other cars as well as sponsorship for three of the cars.
“[We’ll be] trying to make better cars for them, so their performance on Sundays is better,” Hutchens said. “They’ve had good cars the last couple of weeks, just haven’t had circumstances fall their way. We’d like to get all four of them running in the front, and that’s our goal. Right now, our big push is to get some drivers and sponsors signed within our company and get a little more of a foundation and get a little stronger.”
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