Inside the Garage: Q&A with crew chief Owens

If you Google search Trent Owens, pages of driver stats and race results appear.

That's because Owens, 32, used to be a NASCAR driver. A good part of crew chiefs were before taking that highly-coveted post above the pit box.

Owens is no different from his predecessors, and well into his first full season coaching veteran driver Dave Blaney, 45, the neophyte says he couldn't be happier.

He should be. Blaney is now second in the point standings after bringing home his first top-five finish of the season last weekend in Nashville.

Q: You're a new crew chief and Blaney has some years on you. Did that give you much of a complex?

Owens: I was a little nervous ... a little stressed. I hoped he would like what I'm doing. It was more me putting pressure on myself, and looking back, it was probably more than I should have. He just wants to have a fast car.

Q: You were a driver; you competed in the Craftsman Truck Series. Blaney ever razz you?

Owens: Yeah we joke with each other pretty well. In Nashville it was so cold, Blaney asked me to go qualify the car, because it was so cold. I told him I didn't want to get the back-up car off the truck.

He laughed and said 'you sure you can get it going fast enough.' We have a good friendship; we talk about things other than racing. It brings a level of comfort and makes the weekends easier.

Q: At what point were you reassured you were in the right position?

Owens: Last season [running a limited schedule] we won in Charlotte [Oct. 13]. It was a wild night. We had gotten a lap down due to a flat tire. We fought for the [free pass], got it and won the race. It was a great feeling. That let us know that what we were doing was right.

Q: This season - how's it going?

Owens: Well we definitely needed a weekend off. The team has been working a lot of late hours repairing wrecked cars. When your employees are spending so much time repairing cars you don't have a lot of time to spend perfecting things. But the break before Nashville helped us get back on track and headed in the right direction. We have a fast car, especially with the new Toyota engine package. We'll contend for a win in Texas. Blaney excels on mile and a half tracks.

Q: What did you do in your down time?

Owens: I painted my nursery for my little boy due in May and a lot of housework.

Q: As crew chief on a two-car team, do you swap information?

Owens: Yes. It's truly a two-car deal. Now if we are running for the championship, that's a different deal.

Q: How did you get this gig?

Owens: I was hired as a shock specialist for Braun Racing in 2005 and I have an associate's degree in mechanical engineering. Then in April 2006, I crew chiefed my first race for the No. 38 Dodge just as Doug Stringer was partnering up with Todd Braun and the Chevy team. After that, my mind was set on being a crew chief. Todd Lohse [crew chief for Jason Leffler] and I worked closely together and found out we had a lot in common on how cars need to be built.

Q: Describe your style as a crew chief.

Owens: I'd say different from most, I'm pretty laid back and level. I never want the guys to be scared of me or be intimidated. Gaining the respect of your crew is important.