David Ragan looks on at Lowe's Motor Speedway. (John Harrelson/Getty Images Photo) » More Photos

CREW CHIEF SHUFFLE CONTINUES Historically, the crew chief turnover rate in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series has hovered around 50 percent annually, and the shuffle continues this weekend at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Doug Richert has left Dale Earnhardt Inc., where he was crew chief for Raybestos Rookie of the Year Regan Smith. In his place, DEI test team manager Kevin Buskirk is filling in temporarily. “It won’t be full-time,” said Buskirk. “In the past when crew chiefs get suspended or they get fighting and they move crew chiefs around at any company … I’ve just been the person they go to to help out for a week or two and I don’t mind doing that. I really have no aspirations of being a full-time crew chief. I love what I do, finding new ways to make the cars faster or lighter or whatever. I’m hoping that by next week they would have somebody permanent.”

Juan Pablo Montoya, meanwhile, is on his third crew chief of the year, after Jimmy Elledge was released by Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates and Brian Pattie was promoted from one of Ganassi’s Nationwide cars. Elledge, who had only been Montoya’s crew chief for five weeks, reportedly had a strong disagreement with team manager Steve Hmiel following last week’s NASCAR Sprint All-Star race.

Also looking for work is former Hall of Fame Racing Competition Director Philippe Lopez, who recently parted ways with the team after a slow start that also claimed former crew chief Brandon Thomas.

RAGAN RESPECTED Roush Fenway Racing’s David Ragan might be the most improved driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and the Georgia youngster said other drivers are getting more comfortable being around him on and off the track

“Certainly nothing happens overnight and I think, not only running better, but just wrecking less and being around more (helps),” said Ragan. “They know your face and who you are and hanging out with them more in the garage and also running the Nationwide Series helps a lot. Anytime you can get experience racing with your fellow competitors and they kind of get a feeling on how you’re gonna race them, and then I get a feeling on how other people are gonna race me. So we treat each other a little different, it certainly goes both ways, but I do get a little more respect out there. I’ve certainly got a long ways to go, but we’re on the right track and we’ve just got to keep doing the right things and eventually we’ll be where we need to be.”

MONTOYA WINS NMPA POCONO HONORS NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Juan Pablo Montoya has been named the first quarter recipient of the National Motorsports Press Association Pocono Spirit Award. Montoya was recognized by NMPA members for the work he and his wife, Connie, do in support of their Formula Smiles Foundation in Colombia. The NMPA Pocono Spirit Award is designed to recognize character and achievement in the face of adversity, sportsmanship and contributions to motorsports. Each year, quarterly winners are selected, and an overall winner is selected by a vote of the NMPA membership. The 2008 overall winner will be announced during the NMPA's annual convention and awards ceremony in January 2009.

Also receiving votes in the first quarter were NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers Kevin Harvick and Jamie McMurray, Motor Racing Outreach founder Max Helton and longtime NASCAR photographer T. Taylor Warren.

Tom Jensen is the Senior NASCAR Editor for SPEEDtv.com, the former Executive Editor of NASCAR Scene and a contributing Editor for TruckSeries.com. He is the author of “Cheating: The Bad Things Good NASCAR Nextel Cup Racers Do In Pursuit of SPEED,” and has appeared on numerous television and radio shows to discuss NASCAR racing. Jensen is the President of the National Motorsports Press Association. The Answer Man is back at SPEEDtv.com. Tom Jensen answers your questions during every race week and looks forward to hearing from you - please e-mail it to