Tech Q&A: West Ward

By Troy Fletcher, Special to Turner Sports Interactive
December 11, 2001
12:12 PM EST (1712 GMT)

By all indications, it seemed like Wes Ward was headed for a great driving career in the NASCAR ranks.

After all, he was star competitor in the Late Model class in and around his hometown of Hickory, N.C. In fact, in 1988, he won 14 times and collected 12 pole positions.

Still, that success wasn't enough to make him want to stay behind the wheel. Instead, he opted to focus his energy on becoming a crew chief.

Ward received his first break when Ironman Tommy Houston hired him to be a part of his Busch Series crew from 1989-92.

After that gig, Ward joined up with Dale Jarrett's Busch Series operation until '96. Then, in 1997 Ward officially became a BGN crew chief for owner Gary Bechtel and his driver, Jeff Green.

And it didn't take Ward long to lead Green to Victory Lane.

On March 16, 1997, with Ward calling the shots in the pits, Green won his first Busch race -- the Las Vegas 300 -- from the pole position.

Ward and Green's success together prompted Bechtel to take his team up to Winston Cup, where it came in 39th in the points with only 20 starts.

By 1999, Ward had another change of scenery, becoming the wrench boss for Busch Series owner Brad Akins and his man behind the wheel, Elton Sawyer.

Ward shined for Akins, guiding Sawyer to fourth in the season points chase, including a win at New Hampshire International Speedway in Loudon.

In 2000, Ward reunited with Dale Jarrett and his son/driver Jason Jarrett in the BGN fold.

Christian Elder

That stop, however, lasted just one year before Ward continued down memory lane again and joined forces with Akins to became the crew chief for his up-and-coming driver Christian Elder in the Busch Series.

Elder was competitive in a limited BGN slate last season and Ward is hoping to build on that in 2002 with Elder piloting the No. 38 Great Clips Ford.

Q: You have worked with both veteran and young drivers, so what was last season like as a crew chief with Christian?

A: Last year was a big learning curve for Christian. We were the second team for (Brad) Akins in the Busch Series and we basically had to build from the ground up. So everything was new for Christian in the 17 races we competed in. We plan on running 22 races in 2002 and by 2003, we are expecting to run a full Busch Series schedule. And this coming season, our goal is to be competitive and be in the top 15 consistently.

Q: What are your thoughts about running a limited Busch Series schedule with Christian?

A: It has its plusses and minuses. The plus is that when you are running a limited schedule it gives you more time to prepare for the races you are going to run at. But the minus is that the more seat-time Christian gets, the more he will learn and improve. Still, we will just focus on the situation we have at hand.

Q: How has testing gone for you guys in the offseason?

A: Actually, we did quite a bit of wind-tunnel testing throughout last season and that has really helped us get ready for 2002. Thanks to all that wind-tunnel testing we did, I feel a lot more comfortable about our speedway program than I did last year.

Q: What is your biggest concern as you prepare for the 2002 campaign from a tech standpoint?

A: Safety. Before last year and in the past, it always seemed like we were just trying to build the fastest car we could. Now, my No. 1 concern is how safe is the car, before how fast can I make it go.

Q: Considering your success as a driver, do you ever wish you were behind the wheel in a NASCAR series?

A: I stopped racing in 1988 and sometimes I get the itch to drive again. But I love be competitive as a crew chief. That is what drives me.

Q: You worked with some great drivers and owners in your time, how have they molded you into the person you are today?

A: Tommy Houston gave me a huge break in 1989, back when the Busch Series was mainly still a Saturday night racing atmosphere. Frankly, I have a learned something from all the people I have worked for, but if one person would have to stand out it would be Dale Jarrett. He not only taught me a lot about being a crew chief and running a business, but he taught me a lot about life.