Crew Chief
No. 33 Camping World Chevrolet Silverado
Danville, Ill.,
native Rick Ren is a 33-year racing veteran. His proven track
record and desire to win make him a great match for three-time
Truck Series champion Ron Hornaday.
For Rick Ren, his career in racing began later than most. He
purchased his first race car as his last year of high school was
drawing to an end. Over the course of the next 14 years, Ren would
accumulate 130 wins racing dirt track late model cars throughout
the East Coast. After attending NASCAR races at Lowe’s (N.C.)
Motor Speedway and Bristol (Tenn.)
Motor Speedway,
he found himself intrigued by the decisions made on pit road, the
how and why of it all. Ren recalled telling his friends, “I can do
that.”
In the spring of 1990, Ren loaded his car with his belongings and
drove to Charlotte, N.C., intent on finding a job. It only took
ten days before he had found one. By chance, through making
conversation with a stranger, Ren was directed to go see this
particular guy at a race shop, and so he did. Ren went to the race
track that weekend as an observer and made his own notes on the
race. The Monday following the race as he compared notes with the
owner, their findings matched, and Ren had landed his first job in
NASCAR as a crew chief.
Ren became crew chief for Mike Swaim’s Nationwide Series program,
where he worked with drivers
Morgan Shepherd and Ward Burton. The
next winter Ren worked for Jimmy Means in the NASCAR Sprint Cup
Series, but was back with Ward Burton by the Fall, winning their
first race together February 29, 1992 (Leap Year) at the “Rock,”
Rockingham (N.C.) Speedway.
Over the years Ren has worked with Ricky Craven,
Bobby Dotter,
Rick Carelli, Steve
Kinser, Andy Houston and countless others. He has worked in the
Cup, Nationwide and Truck Series. His knowledge and mentorship
helped guide Ricky Craven to a Rookie of the Year title in the
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, as well as Travis Kvapil to a Rookie of
the Year title in the NASCAR Truck Series.
“I have confidence in my ability to accomplish my goals,” said
Ren. “As long as my hands aren’t tied, I will fix anything.”
In 2004, Ren accepted a position to startup a Nationwide Series
program for Robert Yates Racing, working with drivers Elliott
Sadler and Dale Jarrett. In just 11 races, the combined teams had
earned four top-five and six top-10 finishes.
He took
over at mid-season in 2005 as Johnny Benson’s Truck Series crew
chief at Bill Davis Racing. Not long after Ren’s arrival, Benson
and his team were back in the top-10 of the Truck Series point
standings.
In 2006, Ren led his team to five wins, 13 top-five and 17 top-ten
finishes, ending a highly successful season second in the point
standings. He also won the Crew Chief of the Race Award five times
in 2006. By the end of the season, Ren would be honored with
another special accolade, the WYPALL* Wipers Crew Chief of the
Year Award for 2006.
In 2007, the Ren-led No. 33 Camping World Chevrolet team notched
four wins, 13 top-five and 22 top-10 finishes. The team, with
driver Ron Hornaday, also brought Ren and KHI their first ever
NASCAR championships by winning the 2007 NASCAR Truck Series
title. |
