Sprint Cup rookie Michael Annett will be guided by one of the series’ veteran crew chiefs this year at Tommy Baldwin Racing.
Kevin “Bono” Manion, most recently the crew chief for Jamie McMurray at Chip Ganassi Racing, has joined TBR to fill the same role on Annett’s No. 7 Chevrolet. With Manion’s arrival, the team’s namesake now looks forward to working more in business and management roles.
“Our original plan was for me to be the crew chief, but when the opportunity to hire Bono came along, it’s the right fit that will allow me to step back from doing both [ownership/crew chief],” said Baldwin in a press release.
“I can concentrate more on making our business and competition relationships stronger. I can take a look from the top of the hill rather than in the trenches.”
Manion was replaced on McMurray’s No. 1 Chevrolet last fall by Keith Rodden, a former lead engineer for Hendrick Motorsports on the No. 5 Chevrolet of Kasey Kahne.
But now “Bono” has reunited with Baldwin, whom he worked with through much of the 1990s as they rose together from the New England modified scene all the way into the Cup Series.
“I’m excited to be on board with TBR and to be back with Tommy,” Manion said in his own thoughts. “Our careers have taken us on different paths throughout the years and we’ve created our own successes, but it’s great to be reunited and come full circle. Everyone on the team seems to have so much passion and I’m glad to be a part of it.”
As for Annett, he now has two former Daytona 500-winning crew chiefs to help him along as he experiences his first Cup season. Manion won the Great American Race in 2010 with McMurray, and Baldwin won it in 2002 with Ward Burton at Bill Davis Racing.
Manion also has a pair of Nationwide Series titles from 2004 and 2005 with driver Martin Truex Jr.
“[Manion] brings a wealth of knowledge, experience and winning resume with him to TBR,” Annett said. “I have a great amount of respect and friendship with Bono and can’t wait to get to Daytona and kick off the 2014 season with him.
“Bono being hired by TBR is a great testament of Tommy’s leadership ability and surrounding this company with the talent Bono brings to the team. We have some great things ahead of us and I’m excited where this organization is headed.”
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This season, Matt Kenseth will continue to enjoy Nationwide Series support from Reser’s Fine Foods and video game retail chain GameStop.
Reser’s will be on Kenseth’s No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota for seven Nationwide races in 2014 beginning with the season-opening Drive4COPD 300 at Daytona on Saturday, Feb. 22. They’ll also be on board for Nationwide rounds at Phoenix, Charlotte (May), Kentucky, Indianapolis, Watkins Glen, and Kansas (October).
GameStop is in for a block of 10 races beginning with the Las Vegas event on Saturday, March 8. Also on the docket for them: Bristol (March), California, both Texas races (April/October), Darlington, Dover, Richmond (September), Charlotte (October), and the season finale at Homestead-Miami in November.
Kenseth earned two wins, seven Top-5s and 14 Top-10s in 16 Nationwide starts last year.
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Team Penske also announced today that another of its Nationwide Series sponsors, Wurth, is taking on a four-race sponsorship as primary backer for Brad Keselowski’s No. 2 Ford Fusion in the Sprint Cup series.
Wurth’s first race on the No. 2 will be the March 23 Cup race at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California. All of the No. 2’s races this year are now accounted for sponsorship-wise, with Miller Lite as the primary for 24 races and Alliance Truck Parts as the primary for eight races.
