Chad Knaus...A New Era of Crew Chiefs

The year was 1985, and school was just about to let out for summer vacation, a time of the year that all young people have always looked forward to.

Summer to most of them meant, going to visit distant relatives, maybe some camping, going to the movies with some of your friends, or even an amusement park or two. Summer can also be a time when some youngsters look for a job to put extra cash in their pockets.

But to a 14-year-old native of Rockford, IL, it meant spending his weekends, helping his dad win his first Great Northern Series championship. This father and son combination would also finish second in the Winston Racing series.

What a joy it must have been for this young man’s dad to see, and hear his son in the box during his championship season.

The son grew up around the racetracks helping his father race against the likes of Mark Martin, Alan Kulwicki, Rusty Wallace and Richard Trickle, never realizing that someday his son might be named amongst some of the best crew chiefs that NASCAR has ever seen.

Twenty-six years later as the Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship is about to get underway. Who is this crew chief that started winning championships at an age when most young boys were busy chasing girls, and probably worried more about staying away from their own parents, then spending all weekend with them?

After all, this was a time when most teenagers were still having trouble doing their everyday chores, but yet to this young man, his chore carried a huge responsibility that most men twice his age couldn’t handle.

He has also taken the term crew chief to whole new level, and has shown the most effective way to get the most out of his driver, with the humbleness of letting the racing world know that it’s the driver who is most important.

Crew Chiefs are what make winners, winners. They are the backbone of the whole racing organization, and they are also the ones who carry the brunt of how their driver performs.

It’s their strategy that gets tested week after week, race after race. Behind every great driver, is always a great crew chief.

Chad Anthony Knaus has exemplified the term crew chief. He has brought with him over 25 years of experience, dating back to a time when his fellow classmates were probably more worried about pimples, and getting caught smoking behind some classroom then working, and helping their dads win auto racing championships.

What Chad has done since he got his first job back in 2001 while sitting in the box for Stacey Compton, is shown the racing world that he belonged among some of the best in the business, even though he has had his share of controversy dating back to his first incident in 2006 during the Daytona 500.

Chad as we all know is the crew chief for the No. 48, Jimmie Johnson driven Lowes Chevrolet, which is owned by Jeff Gordon and Rick Hendrick.

Chad started his Winston cup career with the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports team, which was led by then crew Chief Ray Evernham. Chad was the team fabricator, but then quickly moved up to the chassis and body manager.

From there, he would move into the role of a tire changer on the “Rainbow warriors” pit crew, helping to lead the team to championships in 1995 and 1997. Chad felt that his calling was more then just working on a pit team, so he left HMS and had a short stint with D.E.I. working as a car chief for Steve Park.

From there he once again teamed up with Ray Evernham, after Ray bought his own race team in 2000. Chad knew that his heart was still with the Hendricks organization and in 2002; he was offered the job of crew chief for Rick Hendricks up and coming driver...Jimmie Johnson.

In his first season with the No. 48 team, Chad was announced the crew chief of the year award even though his driver missed out the “Rookie of the year” award, which went to Penske driver Ryan Newman.

Controversy is no stranger to Chad and company, and it was back in 2007 during the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Speedway, he and the Steve LeTarte were both found in violation of a pair of out of shape fenders by NASCAR, and they were both fined and suspended a total of 6 races each.

Ever since he was caught stretching the rules a bit, he has been tabbed by a lot of today’s NASCAR fans, as a crew chief that will go to any length to bend the rules to his liking.

Bending the rules has been a common practice ever since the first car took to the track some 60 years ago. So why should today be any different? After all, in the society that we live in, rules are meant to be stretched a bit.

Chad and Jimmie have had more then their share of success, by winning races using pit strategy, fuel mileage, and an occasional bump here and there, and of course the most important tool that any winning team must have...communication.

The way these two communicate before, and during the race exemplifies how championship teams are supposed to be run.

Chad has shown so far throughout his NASCAR career that he does belong besides some of the great crew chiefs of the past. In today’s modern racing era, he has taken a front row seat to greatness, and has set a new standard that all young crew chiefs could learn from.

We have been hearing all the stories about how well Jimmie has been running throughout his career, and especially during his championship years.

Isn’t it time to also give credit to the man who not only helped him reach his potential, but also the man who works long hours to make sure that his driver has the tools to win these races, and championships?

So as the school bells ring across America and the young people who attend these various learning institutions get ready for their summer vacations. It makes you wonder how many of them have used this time to reach their future goals, and put the time in to reap the fruits of success later on in life.

Chad Knaus was one of those youngsters who reached for the stars, and through his hard work and dedication, was able to reach the heavens as he looked to the sky wondering where his life would take him.
Need I say anymore?

I’m Out!