Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Cox Replaces Richert as No.83 Crew Chief

Sometimes marriages end in divorce, as was the case with Red Bull Racing and No. 83 crew chief Doug Richert. The good news – the split was amicable and both parties are moving full steam ahead. Red Bull Racing Team R & D Manager, Randy Cox (see photo), will take over the No. 83 crew chief duties starting this weekend at Atlanta. Cox is no stranger to the crew chief role with past Busch Series stints with Kenny Wallace and David Stremme.

"In any NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series organization, the crew chief and driver are the two key forces that make a race team competitive, and there must be a balance in both personalities and methods for achieving goals," Competition Director Elton Sawyer said. "Individually, each person can be strong at their job, but if they aren't efficient collectively, then changes must be made so both sides can reach their optimum potential. The formula we'd put together to try and make the No. 83 team successful was no longer working, so it was an amicable decision to part ways. Doug Richert made many contributions in helping this team grow in our first year of competition and we wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors."

23 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

On the face of it I hate this news. I wish Randy and BV the best. Good luck to Doug and wherever he ends up.

10:14 AM  
Blogger nicole83 said...

I agree--I hate to see Doug leave the 83 team. We're all still behind you and hope for nothing but good things to everyone involved and to Doug!

10:34 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Wow, huge surprise. I never saw this coming! Hopefully Brian and Randy will be a good match.

10:49 AM  
Blogger Kristin Weaver said...

Hate to see Doug leave. He is a fantastic crew chief. Good luck to him, whereever he goes. He'll definitly make some team VERY proud. Good luck this weekend, Randy. You have a lot on your plate.

10:53 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I was worried something like this would happen. Doug Richert is an elite crew chief, but the chemistry just wasn't there. Hopefully this will work out for everyone, especially the #83 team. It still troubles me to see so much personnel movement in the first year of a team.

I'm going to support and get behind the move, though. I'm going to bet that the #83 car will qualify in the top 15 for Atlanta. If the #83 can't, I will not go to jayski.com for two weeks. I know that is just the kind of thing that will get all of Team Red Bull fired up. ;) (lol)

Good luck #83 and #84!

10:56 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Good luck this weekend BV and Randy! Hopefully the new combination works out well for everyone.

11:23 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Noooooo!!!! That was the one move that I was hoping wouldn't happen. Hopefully I'm wrong and this will make the 83 team stronger. We are still are behind everyone.

11:50 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I support the changes as well. Richert is one of the elites...that is why he was hired. Performance is measured by results and we know that the results were not there. Best of luck to Richert and good luck this weekend #83 and #84!

12:19 PM  
Blogger PiG.SKaTeR said...

I didn't expect this news. but I will support the change. Best of luck #83 team. Let's build on momentum and chemistry for 2008. I know you guys can make it happen.

3:53 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I liked Doug, but the 83 missed three of the last four races. I applaud TRB for trying to bring the 83 to more immediate success right away. The future is now!

Bring on Hotlanta, Mo-Fo'a!

5:04 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I sure hope this works in favor of the #83 team. I was so glad when TRB hired Doug as crew chief, but the results really haven't been there. I hope Randy and BV are able to communicate in such a fashion as to produce good qualifying and race results. As skeptical as any of us may be, I look at the crew chief change made by the #24 team a short time back when Steve replaced Robbie Loomis. That was a shock - but it has worked out very well. I'm very interested to see how this all unfolds for the TRB organization. Go get 'em boys!

5:06 AM  
Blogger nicole83 said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRIAN!!!!!!!

6:45 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRIAN!! Good luck to both the 83 and 84 teams at Atlanta this weekend! :)

7:57 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I hope the 83 team has been practicing with the new crew change. To let go someone of Richert stature and accomplishments…I hope they know what their doing!

8:48 AM  
Blogger GilbertTwins said...

I hate to see that happen. Doug is great guy and a great friend. We'll miss you Doug and Robin :(

9:58 AM  
Blogger Asquared13 said...

So sad to see Doug go, but sometimes change is a good thing. I wish him the best.

Good luck to both TRB teams this weekend in Atlanta. Anyone happen to know if AJ or Brian will be signing at the merchandise hauler this weekend?

12:33 PM  
Blogger Becca said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRIAN!!! :)

Good luck this weekend to both TRB teams!

1:34 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Tickets for autographs at the merchandise hauler will be given out on Saturday. Autograph sessions will be on Sunday for BV at 10am, and AJ at 10:30am.

2:38 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Brian.
Good luck to you and AJ this weekend

3:20 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Brian! i hope you and A.J. make the race at atlanta. Vickers is #1. A.J. is #3 and Jeff Gordan is #2 . soilder boy

3:43 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I wish the #83 team the best of luck.They have worked very hard this year. And deserve better. It is to bad that the team made a change and it involves one person. Remember a team does not have I in it. If the owners and drivers would remember that they would quit blaming one person. BV needs to stand up and take some of the blame for missing these races. Yes he may make the rest of the races and he may not. And who will they blame.

Oh yes Richert and the 16 team won how many races (10). How many did BV win with Hendricks??? (1) in how many years.

5:05 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday BRIAN!

GOOD LUCK IN HOTLANTA this weekend BV!

7:55 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

This is a big mistake, you release one of the best crew chiefs on pit road and some of your crew. I really wish the 83 well. But i dont think Doug is the problem.. He knows how to WIN.
Best of luck

3:53 PM  

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