Martinsville: Pit Crew Challenge winner

Earnhardt's No. 8 Team Captures Pit Crew Challenge Victory in Martinsville

Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s over-the-wall crew grabbed the Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge victory in Sunday's Nextel Cup event at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.

This is the No. 8 crew's first win of the season in the weekly pit crew competition, which recognizes the team spending the least amount of time on pit road at each Nextel Cup event. Earnhardt's Budweiser Chevrolet spent 281.110 seconds on pit lane during the Goody's Cool Orange 500.

"I've got a great bunch of guys and they're as good as they get on pit lane," said Earnhardt. "Everyone at DEI worked really hard to build us some great new cars, and the crew on Sunday was at their best. I lost the lead on the track, and they got it back for me on pit lane."

Earnhardt added, "It's a great feeling to have that kind of confidence in your guys. It seemed like that was the easiest way for me to pass people. Come in to pit lane in fourth place, and leave in second."

Each week, Checkers/Rally's awards the winning team with a cash prize of $11,000. An additional $111,150 will be presented to the pit crew with the most Double Drive-Thru Challenge wins at the completion of the 36-race Nextel Cup schedule.

The No. 8 pit crew includes: Brian "Hootie" Chase (jackman), Shawn Ward (front-tire carrier), D.J. Copp (front-tire changer), Erik Wakeland (rear-tire carrier), Greg Burkhart (rear-tire changer), Jeff Clark (gasman), Craig Lund (catch can) and Jay Guarneri (windshield). The team's crew chief is Tony Eury Jr. and the pit crew coordinator is Walt Smith.

To win the Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge, teams are required to finish on the lead lap while spending the least amount of time on pit road. Checkers/Rally's is in its third season as title sponsor for the pit crew challenge.

2007 Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge Winners -- Nextel Cup Series

* Daytona (2/18) - Mark Martin Team
* California (2/25) - Mark Martin Team
* Las Vegas (3/11) - Mark Martin Team
* Atlanta (3/18) - Jimmie Johnson Team
* Bristol (3/25) - Denny Hamlin Team
* Martinsville (4/1) - Dale Earnhardt Jr.

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Truck Series Result -- Martinsville Speedway

The No. 23 over-the-wall team of Johnny Benson picked up its first Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge win of the season by spending just 52.926 seconds on pit road during the March 31 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event at Martinsville Speedway. Benson's truck team was the 2006 Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge champion.

-credit: checkers/rallys