Pemberton wins Crew Chief of the Race award

Ryan Pemberton, crew chief for the No. 01 Ginn Racing Chevrolet, made a bold but calculated call in the closing stages of the Daytona 500 to give Mark Martin and the U.S. Army team a great shot at a victory. In the final pit stop of the race, Pemberton's decision to take two right side tires only propelled Martin from seventh to first place after the leaders chose to change all four tires. Martin held onto his lead until the final surge to the checkered flag, only to be inched out by eventually winner Kevin Harvick as the pair crossed the finish line. It was Mark Martin’s best finish in the Great American Race. Pemberton's tactical move earned him the WYPALL* Wipers Crew Chief of the Race Award.

"On the last pit stop, I knew I didn't want to get caught up in the junk," said Pemberton at the conclusion of the race. "At that point in the race, you don't want to be back in the pack. We had only been out for twelve laps, so I thought we had enough to finish out." The No. 01 U.S. Army team begun the race 26th on the starting grid and with this finish has set the new look team up for an exciting 2007 season.

A panel of votes that included a local media representative, Tony Eury Jr. and a WYPALL* Wipers representative, all agreed Pemberton's strategic decision was worthy enough for him to win the first award for the 2007 season. "Ryan's decision in that last pit stop would have been a tough call as tires in Daytona are so important," stated Eury Jr. "They were very competitive all day and to come off with the finish they had is credit to Ryan and his crew."

As the WYPALL* Wipers Crew Chief of the Race, Pemberton received $1,000. At the end of the season, the crew chief with the most weekly wins will receive $20,000 and be crowned WYPALL* Wipers Crew Chief of the Year.