Knaus Named WYPALL* Wipers Crew Chief of the Year.

Roswell, GA (November 14, 2008) – Crew chief Chad Knaus, who made countless, crucial, bold and successful calls throughout the season for his No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship points leader Jimmie Johnson, was named the 2008 WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief of the Year during a press conference today at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

With his team’s dominance in last weekend’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race in Phoenix, Knaus secured his fifth “WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief of the race” honor during the season. It bolted him ahead of Steve Addington (No. 18 M&M’s Toyota & driver Kyle Busch) and Bob Osborne (No. 99 Office Depot Ford & driver Carl Edwards). Each had four wins entering the final race of the competition at Phoenix International Raceway.

Knaus and his team have a 141-point lead over Edwards and needs to finish 36th or better in Sunday’s season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway to capture their third consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship.

The 2008 WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief Challenge was a season-long contest, sponsored by Kimberly-Clark Professional, which determined the best crew chiefs in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series garage. Following each Cup race, a panel voted to determine which crew chief demonstrated the most outstanding strategy and leadership during the race. It wasn’t necessarily the crew chief that went to victory lane, but the crew chief that made the biggest difference to his team.

Representatives from WYPALL Wipers, together with FOX/Speed television analyst Jeff Hammond and three of NASCAR’s top crew chiefs who represent the WYPALL brand, made up the panel of judges. The Crew Chiefs included Osborne, Todd Berrier of the Richard Childress Racing No. 29 Shell Pennzoil Chevy team and Kenny Francis of the Gillett Evernham Motorsports No. 9 Budweiser Dodge team.

The weekly winning crew chief received a check for $1,000 as well as signage on the team’s pit box the following week to announce the win. “Any crew chief will tell you the importance of the team behind him,” said Hammond, a spokesperson for the WYPALL brand who also won many races as a crew chief during the 1980s and 1990s. “Chad [Knaus] displayed great leadership on so many occasions this year. My congratulations go to him and his entire crew for an outstanding year. He truly is a deserving WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief of the Year.”

“The WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief Challenge spotlighted the crew chief’s efforts to get his team in Victory Lane or to take a chance to improve his team’s finish,” said WYPALL Wipers Category Manager Tom Merrill. “WYPALL Wipers and crew chiefs are a natural fit. Crew chiefs only want to use reliable products on their cars and engines. That’s why they choose WYPALL Wipers. Our products are used to wipe up the toughest, most stubborn messes, and we want to focus on the men who put WYPALL Wipers to use each week. That’s why we continue to show our appreciation to the crew chiefs.”

Cochran wins WYPALL Wipers “Ultimate Crew Chief Fantasy Game”

While Knaus gets to celebrate his coveted title, Myra Cochran of Concord, NC, is experiencing an all expenses paid vacation this weekend where she will be an honorary “crew chief for a day” and will shadow one of the WYPALL Wipers crew chiefs during pre-race ceremonies Sunday.

Cochran, an avid NASCAR fan, participated in WYPALL Wipers first annual online Ultimate Crew Chief Fantasy Game where she competed against hundreds of other fans, voting every week for the crew chief they believed would win the upcoming race.

“WYPALL Wipers is excited to welcome Ms. Cochran to Miami for the Championship Weekend,” added Merrill. “WYPALL Wipers is elated with the success of the first-ever Ultimate Fantasy Crew Chief Game and we hope Ms. Cochran enjoys her trip to Homestead-Miami on behalf of WYPALL Wipers.”

The WYPALL Wipers “Ultimate Crew Chief Fantasy Game” was a yearlong, online contest on wypall.com that challenged contestants each week, prior to the upcoming Sprint Cup Series race, to place their picks for three crew chiefs. Points were distributed based on the crew chief’s team’s qualifying order and finishing position. Participants also received “bonus” points for the team/crew chief that led the most laps and secured the pole position each week. Additional bonus points were also given to participants who told friends to join the competition.

About WYPALL* Wipers

WYPALL is a brand of Kimberly-Clark Professional. Since 2004, WYPALL Wipers has been affiliated with some of racing’s top teams. Offering heavy-duty to versatile light-duty towels, WYPALL Wipers provides race teams with a number of products providing strength and durability. Defeating the toughest of challenges, from absorbing tough grease and oil to wiping down windshields without leaving residue behind, WYPALL Wipers continue to offer performance and versatility.

The WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief Challenge will continue throughout the remainder of the 2008 season and spotlight the men behind the machines. For more information, log onto www.wypall.com.

Press Release - find out more »
See more photos »