Leffler will have new crew chief in 2008
By Lee Montgomery
Friday, December 07, 2007
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - Jason Leffler finished third in the Busch Series points standings, but his team leadership will change for 2008.
Stewart Cooper, who left Brewco Motorsports to join Braun Racing, will be Leffler's crew chief next season, with former crew chief Todd Lohse becoming
the team's competition director. Lohse had served in both capacities.
"He always has been [both]," Leffler said Thursday at ESPN Club prior to tonight's series awards banquet. "But as the company's grown, as we've added the other car and other people, it's been harder for him to take care of everything."
Lohse guided Leffler to his first Busch Series victory as the No. 38 team won at O'Reilly Raceway Park in July. Cooper joined the team late in the
season.
"Todd will still be there to bounce ideas off of," Leffler said. "It just relieves Todd quite a bit. I think [Cooper] will do great. Todd hired him. Him and Trent Owens [crew chief for Braun's No. 10 team] are already getting along really well. He's an organizer, a younger guy. He's hungry to win races. All in all, it's going to be a great mix."
