Elliott's team wins pit crew competition

ROCKINGHAM, N.C. - Matt Kenseth and his team finally lost the title.<br> <br> No, not the Winston Cup title Kenseth is expected to lock up over the next two weeks, but the pit crew championship that he and his No. 17 Roush Racing crew held the past two years.<br> <br> Bill Elliott of Dawsonville and his No. 9 Evernham Motorsports team unseated the Kenseth crew Saturday in the 36th annual Union 76 World Pit Crew Competition at North Carolina Speedway.<br> <br> Terry Labonte&#39;s No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports team finished second and Kenseth&#39;s crew took third.<br> <br> Led by crew chief Mike Ford, the No. 9 team put in two cans of gas and changed four tires in 16.725 seconds, breaking the record of 16.823 Kenseth&#39;s team set last year.<br> <br> ``This was something I knew they wanted to do,&#39;&#39; Evernham said. ``They set this as a goal a couple of months ago and they went out and did it and I am really proud of it.<br> <br> The Evernham crew, which splits $30,000 for the victory and an additional $10,000 for setting a record, practiced all week for the competition.<br> <br> ``All week long they were under the record and we knew if they came in and did a good job we&#39;d have a shot at it,&#39;&#39; Ford said.<br> <br> Labonte&#39;s team completed its stop in 17.315 seconds and Kenseth&#39;s crew finished in 17.456 seconds.<br> <br> ``We&#39;ve got a little younger team this year with some different tire changers,&#39;&#39; Kenseth said. ``They have the potential to be the best out there, but they only have a year under their belt.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Jeremy Mayfield&#39;s No. 19 Evernham Motorsports team finished fourth and Kevin Harvick&#39;s No. 29 Richard Childress Racing team was fifth.<br> <br> The top 25 teams in the Winston Cup standings were eligible to compete.

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