Osborne is optimistic that he’ll make a seamless return for this weekend’s race.
FLIPPING FOR JOY
Crew chief Osborne returns to track with team this weekend
SceneDaily Staff
Bob Osborne returns to his duties as crew chief for Carl Edwards’ Roush Fenway Racing team this weekend.
Osborne, who was suspended six races for a rule violation found after Edwards won at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 2, returns to the track for Saturday night's Crown Royal 400 at Richmond International Raceway.
“It will be nice to get back to the track this weekend,” Osborne said. “This No. 99 team has been strong through the early part of 2008, and I feel like we can continue to carry that momentum through the season. Most times when a crew chief is suspended, it disrupts the chemistry of the team. But our core group is a strong bunch of guys who were able to continue on with minimal disruption.”
The team didn’t miss a beat in Osborne’s absence. Interim crew chiefs Chris Andrews and Robbie Reiser accumulated one win, two top-five and three top-10 finishes in the six races. They also endured an engine failure while running well and had tire issues last weekend that sidelined what had been a top performance for most of the race.
Osborne is optimistic that he’ll make a seamless return for this weekend’s race. Edwards has three victories this season, and despite the 100-point penalty that accompanied Osborne’s suspension and the DNF with the engine failure, Edwards is 10th in the standings.
“I am counting on the team having a good run,” Osborne said of this weekend’s short-track race. “We know that anything can happen, but if we can keep mistakes to a minimum, we should have a good run.”
Posted April 30, 2008 , 6:58 pm EST Last Updated May 01, 2008 , 11:18 pm EST
