MOORESVILLE, N.C. (February 6, 2012) – Tommy Baldwin Racing (TBR) hired Ryan Pemberton to lead the No. 36 team as crew chief for Dave Blaney. Pemberton will join the team as they attempt to make the 54th Annual Daytona 500 February 26. The No. 36 team’s 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) schedule is still being finalized as the team seeks funding for all 36 events.
Pemberton comes from a family of racers. The Saratoga, N.Y., native started out sweeping floors at Roush Fenway Racing and worked his way up to a NSCS crew chief in 1997. Most recently, he served as crew chief for Brian Vickers at Red Bull Racing. During his career as a NSCS crew chief, he compiled two wins, 21 top-fives, 92 top-10s and 15 poles.
“I’m thrilled to join Tommy Baldwin Racing,” explained Pemberton. “TBR has shown a lot of growth in a short time, and I’m looking forward to the challenge of stepping up the program this year. Tommy, Dave and I all come from families of racing and have similar backgrounds, so I think it will be a good fit.”
This season will mark TBR’s fourth season of competition. TBR began as a part-time, one-car NSCS team in 2009 and developed into a top-35 team by 2011. In 2012, TBR plans to compete with two NSCS teams and a part-time NASCAR Nationwide Series team. The team would like to increase the number of races in both the NSCS and NNS schedules, provided more sponsorship can be found.
“Hiring Ryan is another stepping stone for TBR,” Tommy Baldwin commented. “Ryan brings experience and a wealth of knowledge from all the years he has been in the sport. He has been successful with every team he has worked for, and we are excited to have him be a part of our program.”
About Tommy Baldwin Racing:
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) Crew Chief Tommy Baldwin formed Tommy Baldwin Racing (TBR) in 2009. Baldwin utilized a declining economy to open a NSCS team with a stringent budget. The team worked to build to full-time competition, and by the 2011 season, the team’s third season, TBR competed in every race and locked the No. 36 Chevrolet in the top-35 in NSCS Owner Points. Dave Blaney drove the No. 36 Chevrolet to TBR’s highest finish of third in the October 2011 event at Talladega Superspeedway. TBR also fielded a second car for select races in the past two seasons with multiple drivers.
Based in Mooresville, N.C., TBR will compete in the NSCS in 2012 with NASCAR veterans David Reutimann and Dave Blaney. The team will also compete in the NASCAR Nationwide Series with Ryan Blaney, Bobby Santos and Ryan Truex.
For more information on Tommy Baldwin Racing, visit tommybaldwinracing.com or follow us on Facebook, facebook.com/TBR.HBR, and Twitter, twitter.com/TBR_Racing.
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Media Contact:
Heather Lumpp – heather@tommybaldwinracing.com – o: 704.696.0036 – c: 847.302.5509
I am glad to see your team moving forward with blanny and some talent be hind him. when dave has a car that works he is as good as any of the drivers.I pray you get some good funding and look forward to your team having a succsesful seasion
Ricky nelson
Still not happy that Dave had to give up his points . Maybe stewart could give him points to run the 500 ?
Looks like a good year fot TBR and the Buckeye Bullit
I sure hope you find a sponsor for Reutimann so he can run the 500 in a TBR car. Blaney will be a consistent top 25 finisher this year and I hope your team can run Reutimann in the 10 races he isn’t in the #10 for a full season. Between them I can see a possible win at where else a RP track and 4-5 top 5′s as well as 10-15 or so top 10′s if racing luck doesn’t let them and you down. Think positive and good things will happen. In just four seasons you went from a Start and Park operation to this season having two cars finish in the twenties in points more likely then not. Here’s to the future.
Maybe, just for Daytona, the 36 and 10 should use the same chasis and engine considering the 36 has to make it on speed. I’m sure cost is a big consideration however, as Tommy has said in the past “Daytona can make or break our season”. Why not give the 36 team the best possible opportunity to make the biggest race of the year while capitalizing on the media fire storm surrounding Blaney’s teammate. All eyes will obviously be on Danica, that said, if Blaney were to race his way into the 500, I could certainly see an ironic story developing. Danica gets in on TBR’s owner points while her teammate, responsible for accumulating those points, races his way in, the unique and ironic paths Danica and Dave took to earn starting positions in the 2012 Daytona 500 could generate the kind of media coverage potential sponsors dream of. Having Danica as a teammate provides TBR w/ a phenomenal oppourtunity to attract sponsors however having Dave race his way into the 500 would maximize TBRs exposure.
You don’t get Ryan Pemberton to crew chief the 36 unless a deal is done or close to it.
I would like to say look what young Ryan Blaney has done. For instance in ARCA. Raced two races and almost won both . I like Danica but look what she didn in her two ARCA races .She needs seat Time. Young Blaney is for real
Way togo Tommy I’ve been following Dave from his sprint car days. I love pulling for the underdog’s I hope you guys can find the funding to make the whole year.$200,000 for half way looks great!
Pemberton on the BOX! Happy days ahead.
Wonderful news about Pemberton!! So hope that Dave races his way in the 500. I think he will. I’ve been a fan of his for a few years now. He’s a talented driver and as we saw last year, he can get the job done.
Too bad Reuti can’t be in the 500. Hope to hear word about sponsorship for him for the 26 races he’s to run.
Am a Danica fan, but not happy that she gets in without trying off of points that Dave worked so hard to get.
Will be cheering for the entire TBR team this year. Can’t wait for racing to get started.
Everything is coming together but we need a ride for Reutimann at Daytona….you have a winner riding the bench there.
I’m glad that Pemberton will crew chief Dave this year and not Lopez. Lopez is not a crew chief in my book. I think sponsorship will come now since Dave has a better crew chief. Sponsors know that Dave can do the job and now they know that he has a crew chief that can make things even better. Hopefully some of these sponsors from last year will be back since the hiring of a new crew chief. Good luck Dave, Tommy, and the rest of the team.