CONCORD, NC – Nov. 1, 2007 – Lee Logan upheld his driver’s honor on   Thursday night.
 
Logan, the chief mechanic for World of Outlaws Late Model Series points leader Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., defeated nine rival crewmen to win the Integra Shocks ‘Crew Chief Challenge’ on the opening night of the inaugural ‘Outlaws World Finals’ at The Dirt Track @ Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
 
Showing off some of the behind-the-scenes talent that has helped put Francis on the brink of the WoO LMS championship, Logan changed the right-rear tire on Francis’s car and got the star driver on his way in a time of 29.755 seconds, nipping Brian Shirley’s chief mechanic Zach Pointer (30.243 seconds) for the ‘Challenge’ top prize of $1,000.
 
“My wife and I have a baby coming, so I can use the money,” smiled the 30-year-old Logan, whose wife, Brandie, is expecting the couple’s first child (a boy) in March.
 
With the ‘Challenge’ open only to those crew chiefs who won the Integra Shocks ‘Wrench of the Race’ Award during the second half of the 2007 WoO LMS season, Logan entered Thursday night’s post-qualifying contest as a favorite. He was the only multiple ‘Wrench of the Race’ winner, capturing the $100 check three times.
 
“I was nervous just standing there getting ready to go (with his tire change),” said Logan. “I never even thought I changed the tire fast enough to win.”
 
But Logan was the only crew chief able to change his driver’s right-rear tire in under 30 seconds, using a battery-powered impact gun and manually replacing the lug nuts on the wheel.
 
And with that performance, Logan found himself trying to figure out where he would display the oversized $1,000 check that was presented to him by Brian Daugherty of Integra Shocks.
 
Logan, whose father Tim fields the No. 11 dirt Late Model that Francis drives in events that aren’t part of the WoO LMS, has traveled the WoO LMS for the first time in 2007.
 
Pointer finished second in the competition, followed by Johnny Cloer Jr. (Clint Smith’s crew chief, 30.945 seconds), Brad Baum (Chub Frank, 32.053 seconds) and Jimmy Frey (Josh Richards, 32.153 seconds).
 
Rounding out the top 10 was Chad Curran (Rick Eckert’s chief mechanic), Mike ‘Smoke’ Countryman (Tim Fuller), Wayne Caskey (Darrell Lanigan), Mike Lloyd (Shane Clanton) and Kevin Miluszusky (Dan Stone).
 
“Hopefully all the crew chiefs had a good time with the contest,” said Daugherty, who represents Integra Shocks on the dirt Late Model circuit. “We’re planning to make the competition bigger and better in the future.”
 
For more information on the WoO LMS, visit www.worldofoutlaws.com.