Gill splits with Morgan-Dollar
By Dave Rodman, Turner Sports Interactive
December 4, 2001
6:34 PM EST (2334 GMT)
HENNESSEY, Okla. -- Despite a successful 20-race stint in 2001-- including the team’s first win and its first two Bud Poles with driver Dennis Setzer -- crew chief Danny Gill and Morgan-Dollar Motorsports have decided to part ways for the 2002 season.
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Danny Gill had been crew chief for the No. 46 truck.
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Gill has returned to his hometown team, Bobby Hamilton Racing, where he will lead BHR’s third team for 2002. That pairing, with a former NASCAR Winston Cup driver stepping into BHR’s No. 18 Dodge, is expected Monday.
The split with Gill was made effective immediately with Morgan-Dollar preparing for a pre-season test early this month. It wants to take its time making a decision as it moves forward in preparing for the 2002 race season, which begins Feb. 15 at Daytona International Speedway.
“Our team is determined to compete at a championship level,” team co-owner and former driver Rob Morgan said. “We have taken some very aggressive steps over the past two seasons to get to that point and to continue to grow this team’s potential.”
With Gill the team, which moved from North Carolina back to Oklahoma last season, appeared to approach that level. Gill’s employment near their home, in Murfreesboro, Tenn., greatly influenced his decision to return to BHR, where he formerly worked with Joe Ruttman on the No. 18 truck.
“Danny did a great job this year and we appreciate everything he has done for us,” Morgan said. “However, we now need to establish someone with the chemistry and commitment to get us to that next level. We wish Danny the best and know he will succeed wherever he goes.”
Gill was hired by the team in late April 2001 when former crew chief Bill Ingle left to pursue a television career. Because of the series schedule, his first race with the team did not come until the fifth race of the season at the Gateway International Raceway in May -- but the pair scored Setzer’s first top-10 of the season.
Gill remained with the team for the entire season and meshed well enough with Setzer to get the team to a consistent and competitive level. The team accomplished several milestones in 2001 including its first win, on June 23 at Memphis; first two poles, July 6 at Kansas City and Sept. 5 at Richmond; and its first top-10 point finish, ninth.
Gill came to Morgan-Dollar from Bobby Hamilton Racing, where he worked on Dodge Rams. The Morgan-Dollar team had switched in the off-season from Fords to Chevrolets.
Setzer’s first season with the team was 2001, after he was a Dodge factory driver with the K Automotive team.
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