Clark key member of Earnhardt crew

By Larry Ott

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is a premier driver on the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. He is a legitimate threat to win any race and ultimately the series championship. While he, as the driver, may soak up much of the limelight, as the most visible member of his Dale Earnhardt Inc. (DEI) #8 Budweiser Chevrolet team, he realizes that he is nothing without the hard work, dedication, support and expertise of his pit crew.

Jeff Clark is a key member of both DEI and more specifically the Earnhardt team. He is the engine specialist, gas man and fuel strategist for this team.

As this is being written in early March, Earnhardt, son of the late NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt, is tenth in WC series points. So far in 2003 he has finished 38th at Daytona, 38th at Rockingham, a season high second in Las Vegas and third at Atlanta. Clark says they have their sites set on rising to the top of the points board before long.

"We came into Las Vegas last week 38th in points and left in 18th so we are heading in the right direction," says Clark, 35, who resides in Charlotte, NC. "Our goal is to be in the top five in points by the time we leave California (April 27)."

The team won the Budweiser Shootout and a twin 125-mile qualifying race during February Speedweeks at Daytona and was running at the head of the pack in the Daytona 500 until a bad alternator played havoc with the car forcing him to go two laps down. Clark was seen on national television during the races’ second rain delay with his head under the hood trying to solve the problem.

The race would not resume as it was past the halfway mark (109 of 200 laps) when the race was called "official" as the rain was not to stop and Earnhardt’s DEI teammate Michael Waltrip was declared the winner. Clark and his team had a plan in place however in case the race resumed.

"I tested the alternator with a multi-meter and discovered that the alternator had gone bad," Clark explained. "During the rain delay as the race is under the red flag, we are not allowed to work on the race cars. We knew as soon as the officials would let us work on the cars that we had to change the alternator."

"So during the rain delay, Tony Eury Jr., (car chief), Kevin Pennel and myself went back to the race transporter and pulled out a spare engine. We practiced changing the alternator on that engine five or six times and we were able to make the change in about 35 seconds. If the race resumed, we were ready to make the change on the actual race car engine. We just didn’t get the chance when the rain eventually wiped out the rest of the Daytona 500."

Clark works during the week at the DEI shops where, as an engine specialist, he works for team engine builder Rich Gilmore. DEI has 150 engines in their shop for use by the WC teams of Earnhardt, Waltrip and Steve Park. They also build NASCAR Busch Series power plants for Earnhardt, Waltrip and Kerry Earnhardt.

When the Earnhardt team arrives at each of the 36 races on the WC schedule, they bring five engines. The cost of one engine, according to Clark, is $50,000. Due to a rule change last season, teams must use the same engine in the actual race that they utilize during their time trial laps earlier in the weekend. If an engine change is warranted after qualifying, then the team must start the race at the back of the field.

At the track each weekend, Clark is first in charge of getting the engine ready for qualifying and then later converting that same engine over the race mode setup.

"Upon arriving at the track for the first practice session before qualifying on Fridays, we first go through a required technical inspection and then get the engine ready for qualifying mode," says Clark. "For qualifying we run a leaner fuel mixture, more aggressive timing setup, run a lighter weight oil, tape up the front grill of the car and run ice cold water through the cooling system as the grill is covered up.

I then read the spark plugs after a few laps. We run the engine wide open and then shut it off. I then remove the spark plugs and look at them and I can tell if we should be running a richer fuel mixture, adjust the timing and other things. This is where my expertise comes in. I better be right.

Once qualifying is done, the next phase of a WC racing weekend is race setup. As might be expected Clark is also at the forefront of this exercise as well."

"Generally we run an early practice and a final happy-hour practice on Saturdays, if the race is a Sunday event," said Clark, a four year employee of DEI. "We get the engine in race mode. We put in heavier weight oil, un-tape the grill, get more conservative with the timing setup and adjust the ignition."

"I once again do a great deal of reading of the spark plugs and also constantly monitor the oil and fuel pressures."

On Sundays Clark’s efforts become more visible to the public as gasman for pit stops. He also handles the fuel strategy for the race, making recommendations to Tony Eury Sr. (crew chief) throughout the race of when, from the fuel level standpoint, the team should execute their next pit stop.

"You have to be able to burn up the very last drop of fuel while still finishing the race, says Clark. They tell me that if there is any fuel left in the tank when the race is over that I will have to drink what’s left in the tank. I don’t like drinking gas so I make sure my fuel calculations during the race are accurate. Fortunately I haven’t had to drink a gas cocktail yet."

During the pit stop Clark has to lift two gas cans, which hold eleven gallons of fuel each. He lifts and empties them into the car one at a time. Each can, filled to capacity weights 86 pounds. When he is finished he makes sure that he has gotten all the fuel into the car.

"It takes about six seconds per can," reports Clark. ‘After I know all the fuel is in I nod my head to the catch-can man. at the back of the car, and he will raise his hand to tell everyone else the fueling is complete. As soon as the new tires are on, and any adjustments to the car are made, the jackman drops the jack and Dale leaves the pits. A good pit stop is around 14 seconds.

"I have to make sure I get all the fuel in the car as quickly as possible without holding up the pit stop. A can weighing 86 pounds may not seem that heavy but it is when you consider that it is mostly liquid. Imagine trying to lift an 86 pound gallon of milk."

Clark spends quite a bit of time with Earnhardt Jr., and has witnessed the young driver’s coming of age in a relatively short period of time.

"I’ve seen a big difference in Dale this year," explained Clark. "He is totally focused and has become our leader. In his first few years he was growing and feeling out his career. I now honestly feel that without a doubt he is ready to win a championship."

"He is multi-faceted as far as his personality is concerned. During practice and the race he is all business and expects me to be the same. When practice and the race is over he expects me and the team to relax and enjoy."

Clark can recall many funny stories of his time at DEI. One occurred this March during the race at Las Vegas.

"Dale was going through turns one and two and he split right between two cars to get ahead on the race track, laughed Clark. He passed those cars with that move which is more of a daring move then you probably should make. He tried it and got away with it."

"After he got through the middle of the two cars, he came on the radio and said, hey guys I bet you thought that was the black number 3 (car number and color of his late father) out here. It reminded us of the time his father did that same move between Kyle Petty and Todd Bodine at Bristol (Tennessee) a few years ago.

"Dale was laughing on the radio at Las Vegas and told us he saw his father do that and he’d been waiting awhile to pull off that move himself and he was finally able to do it."

Clark is exceptional at what he does and you can bet that he will not be drinking any racing fuel anytime soon. What he very well may be drinking instead, after this long season is over, will be champagne as a member of the WC championship winning team.

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