Hendrick Motorsports duo finalist in Engine Builder Showdown

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (May 27, 2010) - Hendrick Motorsports' Mike Maiwald and Scott Vester took runner-up honors in the MAHLE Engine Builder Showdown championship during last week's "NASCAR Rev'd Up" in downtown Charlotte. In a fierce neck-and-neck battle, Maiwald and Vester battled the Pro Motor Engines team of Josh Hypes and Matt Jackling in the championship round. Maiwald and Vester were close behind, but while their Chevrolet RO7 engine was running during the mandatory one minute, it became silent at the 57-second mark due to a disconnected fuel line. The Hendrick duo reconnected and re-fired the engine, ending with a final build time of 20 minutes, 1 second -- just short of the Pro Motor Engines team, which finished its build in 18 minutes, 3 seconds. "We gave it our best," said Maiwald, a previous winner in the event. "Even though we lost, we still feel pretty good for making it to the final round. We want to say thanks to MAHLE for continuing to host this competition and for their support of the engine builders." "It meant a lot just to be there," said Vester, who also was a finalist in the competition in 2007. "To bring home the Randy Dorton trophy was our ultimate goal. We knew that having that award back here means a lot more to the organization than a plain ol' trophy. Unfortunately it did not work out, and we will try again next year." Former crew chiefs Jeff Hammond and Larry McReynolds hosted the MAHLE Engine Builder Showdown, which is a tiered, three-round competition designed to recognize the knowledge, skill and speed of professional engine builders who assemble special performance engines for NASCAR teams. A total of six teams competed. Joining Pro Motor Engines and Hendrick Motorsports were: Earnhardt-Childress Racing Engines, Penske Racing Engines, Triad Racing Technologies, and 2009 runner-up Roush-Yates Engines. "This is another MAHLE Engine Builder Showdown that will go down in history," said Bill McKnight, Team Leader - Training for MAHLE Clevite. "It was an exciting competition from the very start, and Hypes and Jackling's record-breaking build time for a fourth Pro Motor championship is something to be very proud of. Both teams should be proud of their accomplishments." 2010 MAHLE Engine Builder Showdown champions, Hypes and Jackling took home a cash prize for their efforts and will have their names engraved on the prestigious Randy Dorton Memorial Trophy.