Roush Racing Announces Personnel Changes

[NJ Panther]

Roush Racing Announces Personnel Changes

 

Concord, N.C. (April 13, 2006) – In an effort to help strengthen overall racing operations and position the organization for long-term success, Roush Racing announced today that several personnel changes would be made. The crew chief and engineering changes will take effect immediately.

 

Veteran crew chief Jimmy Fennig will oversee Roush Racing’s Busch program in its entirety taking on the job of senior crew chief. Fennig will also assume crew chief duties for the No. 17 Ameriquest/Pennzoil Ford Fusion driven by Matt Kenseth. Fennig brings 36 years of racing experience to Roush’s Busch programs. Fennig has led teams and drivers to victory lane plenty of times and in 2004, that experience culminated in a NEXTEL Cup Championship with the No. 97 team.

 

“Jimmy Fennig will provide unparalleled knowledge, expertise and leadership for all six of our Busch teams both on and off the track,” said owner Jack Roush. “He will also help to mentor our young drivers.”

 

Bob Osborne will assume the crew chief position for the No. 26 Crown Royal/Irwin Industrial Tools team with Jamie McMurray behind the wheel. Osborne has been with Roush Racing since 1998 working as the engineer for the No. 6 Ford piloted by Mark Martin. Osborne then moved to head of engineering before taking over as crew chief of the No. 99 Office Depot Ford in 2004.

 

Wally Brown will take over as crew chief of the No. 99 Office Depot Ford Fusion driven by Carl Edwards. Brown began his career at Roush Racing as the engineer on the No. 6 team then moved into the role of head engineer when Osborne moved to the No. 99 crew chief position.

 

“Bob Osborne and Wally Brown are both very talented engineers and crew chiefs.” Roush continued, “Bob has certainly proven his ability to win and I have no doubt that Wally will do the same.”

 

Jim Ryder will take over as head engineer while Mark Catania moves to head engineer for the Busch and Truck teams. Alex Lenxmeier will assume the engineering role for the No. 26 team under Osborne.

 

Chad Norris is currently serving his four week suspension and will assume set-up duties overseeing all the Busch cars.

 

Roush Racing is a subsidiary of Livonia, Mich., based Roush Entersprises which operates 13 motorsports teams; five in NASCAR Nextel Cup with drivers Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth, Jamie McMurray, Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards, six in the Busch Series with Martin, Kenseth, Biffle, Edwards, Todd Kluever and Danny O'Quinn, and two in the Craftsman Truck Series with Martin, David Ragan and Erik Darnell.