NASCAR Stars Honored During Champions Week –

2009 NASCAR Stars Honored During Champions Week

A total of 14 highly coveted year-end special awards were presented at the annual NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Awards Ceremony on Dec. 3.

NASCAR took Las Vegas by storm last month to crown 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion Jimmie Johnson. But Johnson, Crew Chief Chad Knaus and the No. 48 crew weren’t the only top performers to take home honors in Las Vegas.

Thanks to NASCAR Prize Money & Decal Program special award sponsors, many other top drivers, crew chiefs and team members also received well-deserved recognition during the week-long celebration.

A total of 14 highly coveted year-end special awards were presented at the annual NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Awards Ceremony on Dec. 3.  It was an opportunity for NASCAR Prize Money & Decal Program special award sponsors to recognize individuals and teams for their overall efforts and accomplishments during the 2009 season.

Below is a complete list of all 2009 NASCAR Prize Money & Decal Program Year-End Awards, the sponsors who proudly presented them, and the winners who graciously accepted the accolades:

• Coors Light Pole Award – Mark Martin;

• DIRECTV Crew Chief of the Year Award – Darian Grubb;

• DOW Automotive Strategic Call of the Race Award – Jimmie Johnson;

• Goodyear Tires Award – Jimmie Johnson;

• Goodyear Gatorback Belts Fastest Lap Award – Jimmie Johnson;

• MAHLE Clevite Engine Builder of the Year Award – Shane Parsnow, Hendrick Motorsports;

• Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew Award – Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, No. 42 Pit Crew;

• Mobil 1 Command Performance Driver of the Year Award – Juan Pablo Montoya;

• MOOG Chassis Parts Problem Solver of the Year Award – Drew Blickensderfer;

• O’Reilly Auto Parts People, Service & Performance Award – Denny Hamlin;

• Raybestos Rookie of the Year Award – Joey Logano;

• Sunoco Diamond Performance Award – Jimmie Johnson;

• Tissot Pit Road Precision Award – Roush-Fenway Racing, Greg Biffle and No. 16 Pit Crew;

• WIX Filters Lap Leader Award – Tony Stewart.

Administered by NASCAR Automotive Group, the NASCAR Prize Money & Decal Program (commonly referred to as the Contingency Program) strives to build and maintain strong relationships with high quality, performance-driven brands that are leaders in their respective categories. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competitors become eligible for awards by displaying program decals on the front fender of their race vehicles and, in some instances, use of a sponsor’s product.

You May Also Like

Lifter Deactivation

The area of contact between the lifters and cam lobes is the highest loaded surface inside an engine.

The basic function of a valve lifter is pretty simple. It sits on the camshaft and transfers the motions of the cam lobe up through the pushrods and rockers to open and close the valves. The size and shape of the cam lobe under the lifter (multiplied by the ratio of the rocker arms) determine valve lift and duration. As such, the lifter just follows the motions of the cam. But, it does play a role in valvetrain lash (clearance) and noise.

Alternator Testing For No Charge Conditions

Many alternator problems turn out to be nothing more than a bad connection at the alternator or a bad wiring harness.

Understanding Coolants

All-season coolant used inorganic acid technology and worked great for almost 30 years.

Ignition System Do’s and Don’ts

Why do ignition systems give technicians problems when diagnosing ignition-related misfires? The answer is that some technicians use tests that might give inconclusive results or do damage to the coil or drivers inside a module.

Tools To Service Serpentine Belts

Servicing the serpentine belt on some vehicles is a tough task.

Other Posts

Battery Charging and Diagnostics

Here are six tips to use when diagnosing a vehicle with a dead battery. 

Why Do Timing Chains Stretch?

As the timing chain wears, it can change the timing of the camshaft and crankshaft.

The Impact of Fuel Type on Engine Performance

When fueling, consider engine design, manufacturer recommendations and usage.

Carbon Deposits and Direct Injection Engines

The primary cause of these problems is that fuel and added detergents are not hitting the back of the intake valves.