Drew Blickensderfer
Encyclopedia
Drew Blickensderfer is a NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series crew chief for the No. 31 Caterpillar
Chevrolet Impala
driven by Jeff Burton
. He is nicknamed "Blick", because he says, "people just call me Blick, it's just a lot easier."
, where he became a highly ranked wrestler in the lowest division of college sports.
to help drivers prepare their cars. He purchased a modified
to race, but soon quit racing the car. "I really didn't want to be in the car," Blickensderfer said. "I think everybody has aspirations when they get in the sport of being a race car driver. I wanted to be a crew chief, make the calls, prepare the cars."
He decided to move to North Carolina
. Blickensderfer started as the rear tire change pit crew member and mechanic for Dale Earnhardt, Inc.
's #1 car. He later joined Bill Davis Racing
before joining Roush Racing
in 2003 as crew member on the #50 car in the Busch Series
and later Mark Martin
's #6 Cup car. In 2007 he became the crew chief for the #17 Busch Series car and the combination had three wins during their Busch Series days. During the middle of the 2008 season, he became Carl Edwards
' crew chief in the Nationwide Series, the new name for the former Busch Series. Edwards gave Blickenderfer complete control of the car adjustments. "He gave me free rein to do whatever I want,: Blickensderfer said. "When we started having some success, the ball of momentum kept getting bigger and bigger and everybody bought into the system."
He took over crew chief duties for the #17 car in Sprint Cup, driven by Matt Kenseth, in December 2008 after Chip Bolin returned to be the team engineer. He won in his first race as a Sprint Cup crew chief in the 2009 Daytona 500
on February 15, 2009. He followed up with his second win at California Speedway
in the following week which earned him the nickname "Mr. Perfect". The back to back wins to start the season made Kenseth the fifth driver to start a NASCAR season with two wins, the others being Marvin Panch
(1957), Bob Welborn
(1959), David Pearson (1976), and Jeff Gordon
(1997).
He started out the 2010 NASCAR season as Kenseth's crew chief for the Daytona 500
, but was reassigned to Roush Fenway's research and development team after the race. He was replaced by Todd Parrott
, who had been Dale Jarrett
's championship-winning crew chief in 1999. He spent most of the 2010 season as crew chief for Carl Edward’s Nationwide Series #60 team. However he replaced Donnie Wingo as crew chief for the number 6 UPS Ford Fusion in September 2010 and into the 2011 season. He almost won the Daytona 500 again as a crew chief with David Ragan and went on to win with Ragan at the 2011 Coke Zero 400, collecting his third win as a Sprint Cup Series crew chief.
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
Sprint Cup Series crew chief for the No. 31 Caterpillar
Caterpillar Inc.
Caterpillar Inc. , also known as "CAT", designs, manufactures, markets and sells machinery and engines and sells financial products and insurance to customers via a worldwide dealer network. Caterpillar is the world's largest manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas...
Chevrolet Impala
Chevrolet Impala
The Chevrolet Impala is a full-size automobile built by the Chevrolet division of General Motors introduced for the 1958 model year. Deriving its name from the southern African antelope, Chevrolet's most expensive passenger model through 1965 had become the best-selling automobile in the United...
driven by Jeff Burton
Jeff Burton
Jeffrey Brian "Jeff" Burton , also referred to as JB or The Mayor, is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver who drives the #31 Caterpillar Chevrolet Impala for Richard Childress Racing. Burton is the younger brother of Ward Burton, who is a former Sprint Cup driver...
. He is nicknamed "Blick", because he says, "people just call me Blick, it's just a lot easier."
Background
Blickensderfer was born in Mount Zion, Illinois, the son of a high school basketball coach. He was wrestler in high school and attended the University of Indiana on a college scholarship. He had two surgeries during his first year of college and decided to change to Division III college Millikin UniversityMillikin University
Millikin University is an American co-educational, comprehensive, private, four-year university with traditional undergraduate programs in arts and sciences, business, fine arts, and professional studies, as well as non-traditional, adult degree-completion programs and graduate programs in...
, where he became a highly ranked wrestler in the lowest division of college sports.
Racing career
He became interested in racing from his uncle and grandfather. Blickensderfer began going to local drag stripsDrag racing
Drag racing is a competition in which specially prepared automobiles or motorcycles compete two at a time to be the first to cross a set finish line, from a standing start, in a straight line, over a measured distance, most commonly a ¼-mile straight track....
to help drivers prepare their cars. He purchased a modified
Modified racing
Modified stock car racing, also known as Modified racing or simply Modified, is one of the oldest types of racing in the United States, dating back to the days of the post-World War II coupes. The name for modified racing cars come from the fact that they are not stock but, rather, modified...
to race, but soon quit racing the car. "I really didn't want to be in the car," Blickensderfer said. "I think everybody has aspirations when they get in the sport of being a race car driver. I wanted to be a crew chief, make the calls, prepare the cars."
He decided to move to North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. Blickensderfer started as the rear tire change pit crew member and mechanic for Dale Earnhardt, Inc.
Earnhardt Ganassi Racing
Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates is a NASCAR team based in Concord, North Carolina, United States, owned by Dale Earnhardt's widow Teresa Earnhardt, Chip Ganassi, and Felix Sabates. This team was formed when Dale Earnhardt, Inc...
's #1 car. He later joined Bill Davis Racing
Bill Davis Racing
Bill Davis Racing was a racing team that participated in all three of NASCAR's top divisions until 2009.The team had run Toyota-branded stock cars and trucks in both the Camping World Truck Series and Sprint Cup Series since 2007. Dodge, Ford, and Pontiac previously backed the team...
before joining Roush Racing
Roush Racing
Roush Fenway Racing is a racing team competing in NASCAR racing. As one of NASCAR's largest premier racing teams, Roush runs teams in the Sprint and Nationwide Series, and formerly in the Camping World Truck Series and ARCA RE/MAX Series.Roush first entered NASCAR competition in 1988, but had...
in 2003 as crew member on the #50 car in the Busch Series
Busch Series
The NASCAR Nationwide Series is a stock car racing series owned and operated by the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing. It is promoted as NASCAR's "minor league" circuit, and is a proving ground for drivers who wish to step up to the organization's "big leagues"; the Sprint Cup circuit...
and later Mark Martin
Mark Martin
Mark Martin may refer to:* Mark Martin , American racecar driver* Mark Martin , American cartoonist* Mark Martin , American judge* Mark Martin , British murderer...
's #6 Cup car. In 2007 he became the crew chief for the #17 Busch Series car and the combination had three wins during their Busch Series days. During the middle of the 2008 season, he became Carl Edwards
Carl Edwards
Carl Michael Edwards, II is a NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #99 Fastenal/Aflac Ford Fusion in the Sprint Cup Series and the #60 Ford in the Nationwide Series for Roush Fenway Racing...
' crew chief in the Nationwide Series, the new name for the former Busch Series. Edwards gave Blickenderfer complete control of the car adjustments. "He gave me free rein to do whatever I want,: Blickensderfer said. "When we started having some success, the ball of momentum kept getting bigger and bigger and everybody bought into the system."
He took over crew chief duties for the #17 car in Sprint Cup, driven by Matt Kenseth, in December 2008 after Chip Bolin returned to be the team engineer. He won in his first race as a Sprint Cup crew chief in the 2009 Daytona 500
2009 Daytona 500
The 2009 Daytona 500, the fifty-first running of Daytona 500, was the first points-paying race to open the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. The race was won by Matt Kenseth making a car numbered 17 winning the Daytona 500 for the first time in 20 years since Darrell Waltrip's win back in 1989 and the...
on February 15, 2009. He followed up with his second win at California Speedway
California Speedway
Auto Club Speedway is a two-mile , low-banked, D-shaped oval superspeedway in Fontana, California which has hosted NASCAR racing annually since 1997. The track was also used for open wheel racing events until 2005. The racetrack is located near the former locations of Ontario Motor Speedway and...
in the following week which earned him the nickname "Mr. Perfect". The back to back wins to start the season made Kenseth the fifth driver to start a NASCAR season with two wins, the others being Marvin Panch
Marvin Panch
Marvin Panch Marvin Panch Marvin Panch (born May 28, 1926, in Menomonie, Wisconsin, is a former NASCAR driver.-Early career:He started his racing career as a car owner in Oakland, California. One week, his driver did not show up, and he raced the car to a third place finish...
(1957), Bob Welborn
Bob Welborn
Robert "Bob" Joe Welborn of Denton, North Carolina, USA is a former NASCAR Grand National driver. He was named to NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers list in 1998...
(1959), David Pearson (1976), and Jeff Gordon
Jeff Gordon
Jeffery Michael "Jeff" Gordon is a professional NASCAR driver. He is the driver of the #24 Drive to End Hunger/DuPont/Pepsi Chevrolet Impala. He is a four-time Sprint Cup Series champion and a three-time Daytona 500 winner. He is third on the all-time wins list, with 85 career wins, and has the...
(1997).
He started out the 2010 NASCAR season as Kenseth's crew chief for the Daytona 500
2010 Daytona 500
The 2010 Daytona 500 was the 52nd running of "The Great American Race", and it kicked off the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season on February 14 at the 2.5 mile Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. Fox telecast the race while radio coverage was handled by Sirius XM Radio...
, but was reassigned to Roush Fenway's research and development team after the race. He was replaced by Todd Parrott
Todd Parrott
Todd Parrott is an American NASCAR Sprint Cup Series crew chief employed by Richard Petty Motorsports on the #9 Stanley Black & Decker Ford Fusion driven by Marcos Ambrose. In 2010 he worked on the #17 Roush-Fenway Racing Ford. He was the championship crew chief of the #88 with Dale Jarrett in 1999...
, who had been Dale Jarrett
Dale Jarrett
Dale Arnold Jarrett is a former American race car driver and current sports commentator known for winning the 1999 NASCAR Winston Cup Series championship...
's championship-winning crew chief in 1999. He spent most of the 2010 season as crew chief for Carl Edward’s Nationwide Series #60 team. However he replaced Donnie Wingo as crew chief for the number 6 UPS Ford Fusion in September 2010 and into the 2011 season. He almost won the Daytona 500 again as a crew chief with David Ragan and went on to win with Ragan at the 2011 Coke Zero 400, collecting his third win as a Sprint Cup Series crew chief.