Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Martin Truex Jr. and new crew chief Cole Pearn ready for Sprint Unlimited

Martin Truex Jr. is part of "Field' bet at 10/1 in Sprint Unlimited 
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 11, 2015) -€“ Cole Pearn’s current status in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series couldn’€t be better. The 32-year-old Canadian native was named crew chief for Martin Truex Jr.’s No. 78 Furniture Row/Denver Mattress Chevrolet following the 2014 campaign.

A former race engineer for Furniture Row Racing, Pearn will make his official crew chief debut Saturday night (Feb. 14) in the non-points Sprint Unlimited, a 75-lap race at the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway. It will be the first major event of Speedweeks, which will culminate with NASCAR’€™s crown jewel — the Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 22.

Truex qualified for the Sprint Unlimited –€“ previously known as the Budweiser Shootout — as a result of being a former Daytona 500 pole winner (2009).

“€œI am really looking forward to having Cole as my crew chief,”€ said Truex, who will be making his fourth career appearance in the Sprint Unlimited. “€œHe is heavy in the brain department and I am heavy with the right foot. I guess you could say that’s a pretty solid driver/crew chief combination.€”

Truex added, “€œThat was good news when NASCAR changed the qualifying requirements for the Sprint Unlimited. When you’€™re at Daytona you want to race when everybody else is racing, you don’€™t want to be on the sidelines. The Sprint Unlimited is a fun race without the pressure of points. This race always seems to get a little dicey but that’s what we enjoy.”:€

Though the race requires more work and more cars to be transported from the Furniture Row Racing shop in Denver, Colorado to Daytona Beach, Pearn couldn’t be happier to be one of the 25 teams entered for the Sprint Unlimited.

“€œYou want to be a participant, not a spectator,”€ said Pearn. “€œYou kind of feel out of it when you don’€™t qualify for this race. It’€™s a good event to work out the bugs and begin preparations for the 500. We’€™re coming to Daytona well equipped and well prepared.”€

The Sprint Cup teams will return to the track on Sunday for Pole Day qualifying.

Saturday night’s Sprint Unlimited will be aired on FOX, beginning at 8 p.m. ET. FOX will also air Sunday’s Pole Day qualifying at 1 p.m. ET.

Truex’s Career Sprint Unlimited Record
YearStartFinishStatus/LapsLaps LedEarnings
2008921Crash, 47/70031,818
2012119Crash, 54/82725,025
201369Running, 75/75244,525

Sprint Unlimited Totals
RacesWinT5T10PoleLaps LedLaps CompletedAvgStAvgFnDNFMoney
300119176 of 22777.8%5.316.32101,368

Furniture Row Racing Traveling Crew, 2015
No. 78 Over-the-Wall Crew
Front-tire changerDave Collins, Hayden Lake, Idaho
Front-tire carrierCraig Curione, Sanborn, N.Y.
Rear-tire changerKyle Turner, Yorktown, Va.
Rear-tire carrierAdam Mosher, Fort Mill, S.C.
JackmanCarey Wimbish, Granite Falls, N.C.
GasmanBrian Dheel, Akron, Ohio

No. 78 Road Crew
General ManagerJoe Garone, Denver, Colo.
Crew ChiefCole Pearn, London, Ontario, Canada
Car ChiefBlake Harris, Maypearl, Texas
EngineersJeff Curtis, Fairfax Station, Va.Pete Craik, Melbourne, Australia
SpotterClayton Hughes, Thomasville, N.C.
Engine SpecialistCraig Griffiths, Thomasville, N.C.
Engine BuilderEarnhardt-Childress Racing
Shock SpecialistNick Kerlin, Old Fort, Ohio
Tire SpecialistTommy DiBlasi, Annapolis, Md.

Gary Frost, Romeo, Mich.,Austin Frankart, Fort Seneca, Ohio
TransportationChuck Lemay, DeKalb, IL, Chris Burton, Cincinnati, Barry Huston, Bloomingdale, Mich., Roy Miller, Elkridge, Md., Henry Benfield, Statesville, N.C.
- DMF Communications for Furniture Row Racing

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