Mooresville, N.C. (January 9, 2015) – TriStar Motorsports has beefed up its’ personnel in the offseason. With the addition of three new hires, TriStar Motorsports has also moved around some of their veteran employees.
New and Noteworthy:
Keith Barnwell – Former TriStar Motorsports General Manager, Keith Barnwell, will return to the team as the new Executive Vice President of Motorsports for 2015. The congenial Barnwell has been directing drivers since 1986. Barnwell has a Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400 win as a spotter for Jamie McMurray in addition to two XFINITY Series Championships. The Hudson, NC native has worn many “hats” in the Motorsports industry and will be a substantial asset to TriStar Motorsports. Barnwell will also spot for the No. 44 Toyota Camry in the XFINITY Series.
Rick Viers – Joining TriStar Motorsports for the 2015 season, Rick Viers will be the new General Manager of TriStar Motorsports. Viers has many career highlights as both a tire changer and as a Crew Chief, among those are winning four races in a row with Harry Gant, winning the Brickyard 400 with Dale Earnhardt and winning the Busch Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway with Elton Sawyer. Viers will play a significant role in TriStar Motorsport’s growth this season.
Bruce Cook – Bruce Cook joins TriStar Motorsports as the Crew Chief for the No. 8 Toyota Camry, driven by Blake Koch. Along with more than 25 years of racing experience, Cook brings notable victories and championships with his veteran status. Previously working for JR Motorsports, Roush Fenway Racing and Kevin Harvick, Inc, Cook has had the opportunity to work with some of the best drivers in the business, which will serve as attributes to TriStar’s surging operation.
New Titles:
Wes Ward – Hanging up his Crew Chief hat after the 2014 season, Wes Ward will now serve as Shop Foreman at TriStar Motorsports. Ward has over 15 years of Crew Chief experience under his belt. Working with some of NASCAR’s most prominent drivers, such as, Kasey Kahne, Brad Keselowski and veteran Dale Jarrett, Ward will utilize his experiences to improve the shop flow at TriStar Motorsports.
Eddie Pardue – Eddie Pardue will now serve as the Crew Chief for Cale Conley’s No. 14 Toyota Camry for the 2015 NASCAR XFINITY Series season. During the 2014 season, Pardue held the title of Competition Director for TriStar Motorsports. Pardue has over 10 years experience as a Crew Chief and has worked with drivers such as Greg Biffle, Matt Kenseth and Jason Leffler.
Announcements:
Mike Bliss– NASCAR Veteran Mike Bliss will continue his partnership with TriStar Motorsports for their fifth NASCAR XFINITY Series season together. In addition to his return to TriStar Motorsports, Crew Chief Paul Clapprood will also continue to call the shots for Bliss this season. Bliss and Clapprood have over 133 starts together as a Driver/Crew Chief combo. Bliss has over 700 starts across NASCAR’s top three series and earned a Camping World Truck Series Championship in 2002.
Greg Conner– Greg Conner will continue to Crew Chief the No. 44 Toyota Camry this season. The Virginia native has been with TriStar Motorsports as a Crew Chief since 2013. Driver and sponsor announcement for the No. 44 Toyota Camry will be announced in the upcoming weeks.
About TriStar Motorsports NC, LLC:
TriStar Motorsports NC, LLC currently fields Toyota Camry’s in the NASCAR XFINITY Series for Mike Bliss, Cale Conley, Blake Koch and David Starr. Located in Mooresville, North Carolina, TriStar Motorsports has competed in the NASCAR Nationwide Series since 2010; fielding cars for some of NASCAR’s top drivers. To find out more information about TriStar Motorsports please visit www.tristarmotorsportsnc.com, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
