This bit of good news comes straight from MattKenseth.com. After suffering through a winless year with Chip Bolin as crew chief of the #17 DeWalt Ford driven by Matt Kenseth, Roush Fenway Racing has returned Bolin to the team engineer position and promoted Drew Blickensderfer to the crew chief slot.
Blickensderfer is a very good crew chief. In 2006, he helped guide Danny O’Quinn to the rookie title. In 2007 and the first part of 2008, he and Kenseth teamed for 3 wins, 17 top 5s and an average finish of 10.3 over 28 starts before he switched to Carl Edwards’ Nationwide team. Those two teamed for 7 wins in 19 starts.
As someone who has seen Bolin blow late-race call after late-race call, with the last blown call of putting in only enough gas for 396 miles and change in the Ford 400 costing Kenseth a trip to New York City, I’m very happy. Bolin knows how to build fast race cars, so that part is still good.
I don’t think there is anyone happier about this than Matt himself. Did you listen to him on the radio with Chip at all last season. Ughhh! Chip was sooooo indecisive. Matt would ask him what the plan was when approaching a pit stop, Chip had no clue. He would often ask Matt what he thought he should do. The frustration on Matt’s voice was so obvious. I can still hear him now, “Chip what are we doing? Chip? Chip? Is anyone there?”
Chip would respond, “Yeah, I’m here… still thinking about it.”
Sheesh.
I don’t doubt it for a second. I didn’t often get to listen to Matt’s radio, but that sure seemed like a recurring theme.