(By Greg Engle)
Posted: Friday,October 30th, 2009
(By Greg Engle, CupScene.com Editor)
Lance McGrew has been named the full-time crew chief of the No. 88 Chevrolets driven by Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick made the announcement in a press release Friday. The 41-year-old McGrew assumed the role May 28 on an interim basis.
“I have total faith in Lance and what he’s capable of accomplishing with Dale Jr.,” Hendrick said. “There was a lot of pressure with how he came into this deal, and the way he’s handled it has been extremely impressive. Lance is confident in himself and in his decisions, and all the outside distractions aren’t going to faze him. He’s a strong-willed guy who will keep his eye on the ball and not settle.”
DOVER, DE - MAY 30: Crew chief Lance McGrew stands in the garage with Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet, during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Autism Speaks 400 at Dover International Speedway on May 30, 2009 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR)
McGrew will complete the final four races of the 2009 schedule, beginning with this weekend’s AMP Energy 500 at Talladega, Ala., and return in 2010; the 11th full-time Sprint Cup season for Earnhardt.
“Lance has been part of the solution, not the problem,” said Earnhardt. “He’s tough, which is what I need, and we’ve really clicked in a short period of time. The communication has gotten better every practice and every race, and I know that’s going to keep improving. Having this decision behind us is really important, and now we can focus on the future instead of the past.”
As a crew chief, McGrew earned the 2003 Nationwide Series championship with driver Brian Vickers and has posted victories in all three of NASCAR’s national touring series. In addition to Vickers, he has won races with drivers Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon, Ricky Hendrick, Mark Martin and Tony Stewart.
“The communication between Dale Jr. and I continues to improve every single week,” said McGrew. “Both of us are 110-percent committed to the success of this team, and we’re going to do everything necessary to get the job done for Hendrick Motorsports, our sponsors and Dale’s fans.”
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