Catchfence

No. 18 team captures Tissot award in Martinsville

By winning the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award in Sunday’s Sprint Cup race at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, Kyle Busch’s No. 18 crew moved into a three-way tie for first place in the Tissot season standings.

With four Sprint Cup races remaining in the 2010 season, the crews for Busch, Jeff Gordon and Jamie McMurray lead the Tissot standings with four wins each. The crews for Matt Kenseth and Clint Bowyer are tied for second with three wins.

In the event there is a tie at the end of the season for the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award championship, the tiebreaker goes to the team whose driver finishes the highest in the Sprint Cup point standings.

Along with $5,000 going to the weekly winning pit crew, the team with the most Tissot Pit Road Precision Award wins at the completion of the 36-race schedule will receive a $105,000 bonus plus Tissot watches for the over-the-wall crew members and driver.

The No. 18 crew’s victory at Martinsville came as a result of Busch’s M&M’s Toyota spending the least amount of time on pit road – 280.163 seconds. The effort helped Busch post a strong fourth-place finish in the TUMS Fast Relief 500.

Busch’s over-the-wall crew consists of: Nick Odell (front-tire changer), Brad Donaghy (front-tire carrier), Jake Seminara (rear-tire changer), Kenny Barber (rear-tire carrier), Jeff Fender (jackman), Tom Lampe (gasman), Jason Hinson (catch can). The team’s pit crew coach is Mike Lepp and the crew chief is Dave Rogers.

“I think that the M&M’s team is the best week in and week out on pit road,” said Busch. “They are fast. They don’t get the credit they deserve. Martinsville isn’t one of my favorite tracks and we didn’t qualify well on Friday, so our pit selection was limited. The guys really had to be on their game because of our pit stall. The guys gave me good stops all day long and helped us keep that track position. I’m really proud of the effort by Dave (Rogers, crew chief) and everyone on the M&M’s team. Those guys win me a lot of races and get me a lot of good finishes. Martinsville was another one of those days.”

2010 Tissot Pit Road Precision Award Standings

Pos  Team No. Pit Crew For        Wins  Prize Money

T1   24       Jeff Gordon         4     $20,000
T1    1       Jamie McMurray      4      20,000
T1   18       Kyle Busch          4      20,000
T4   17       Matt Kenseth        3      15,000
T4   33       Clint Bowyer        3      15,000
T6   56       Martin Truex Jr.    2      10,000
T6   00       David Reutimann     2      10,000
T6   14       Tony Stewart        2      10,000
T9   42       Juan Pablo Montoya  1       5,000
T9   12       Brad Keselowski     1       5,000
T9   88       Dale Earnhardt Jr.  1       5,000
T9   39       Ryan Newman         1       5,000
T9    2       Kurt Busch          1       5,000
T9   26       Boris Said          1       5,000
T9   16       Greg Biffle         1       5,000
T9   29       Kevin Harvick       1       5,000

2010 Tissot Pit Road Precision Award Winners

Daytona, 2/14        Juan Pablo Montoya Team
Fontana, 2/21        Jeff Gordon Team
Las Vegas, 2/28      Martin Truex Jr. Team
Atlanta, 3/7         Martin Truex Jr. Team
Bristol, 3/21        Brad Keselowski Team
Martinsville, 3/29   Clint Bowyer Team
Phoenix, 4/10        Matt Kenseth Team
Texas, 4/19          Dale Earnhardt Jr. Team
Talladega 4/25       David Reutimann Team
Richmond, 5/1        Ryan Newman Team
Darlington, 5/8      Jamie McMurray Team
Dover, 5/16          Matt Kenseth Team
Charlotte, 5/30      Jeff Gordon Team
Pocono, 6/6          Kyle Busch Team
Michigan, 6/13       Kurt Busch Team
Sonoma, 6/20         Boris Said Team
Loudon, 6/27         Jeff Gordon Team
Daytona, 7/3         Jeff Gordon Team
Chicago, 7/10        Jamie McMurray Team
Indianapolis, 7/25   Jamie McMurray Team
Pocono, 8/1          Greg Biffle Team
Watkins Glen, 8/8    Kyle Busch Team
Michigan, 8/15       Tony Stewart Team
Bristol, 8/21        David Reutimann Team
Atlanta, 9/5         Tony Stewart Team
Richmond, 9/11       Matt Kenseth Team
Loudon, 9/19         Clint Bowyer Team
Dover, 9/26          Kyle Busch Team
Kansas, 10/3         Kevin Harvick Team
Fontana, 10/10       Clint Bowyer Team
Charlotte, 10/16     Jamie McMurray Team
Martinsville, 10/24  Kyle Busch's Team

About Tissot

For Tissot, “In touch with your time” is far more than an advertising claim. This phrase expresses the brand’s DNA; its proven dedication to being perfectly in tune with the technology and tastes of each era. Tissot has been growing and developing its tradition of innovation since 1853. From the early days to the present, in its home in Le Locle in the Swiss Jura mountains, Tissot has translated craftsmanship and precision into stylish timepieces now sold in over 150 countries around the world. Special materials, advanced functionality and meticulous design detail join forces to create the luxury of accessibility. Today Tissot is a member of the Swatch Group, the world’s largest watch producer and distributor of Swiss watches, as well as official timekeeper and partner of NASCAR®, International Basketball Federation (FIBA), Australian Football League (AFL), Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), MotoGP and the World Championships of Cycling, Fencing and Ice hockey. The tradition of innovation lives on, keeping closely in touch with the times.

- DMF Communications for Tissot Pit Road Precision Award, Press Release