Champion crew chief Holly to take over RWI's No. 66

MOORESVILLE, N.C. -- Officials of Rusty Wallace Racing have announced that Harold Holly, former Nationwide Series champion crew chief, has been selected to lead Steve Wallace and the No. 66 team in their bid for the 2008 Nationwide Series championship.

A well-known crew chief in Nationwide Series history, Holly dominated the series during the 1999-2001 seasons. During that time, he and driver Jeff Green combined for 13 wins, 14 poles, 56 top-fives and 72 top-10s en route to the 2000 Busch Series championship. His 72 top-10 finishes equate to scoring a top-10 in three of every four races during that 96-race span.

Holly and Green still hold the record for top-five finishes in a single season (25 in 32 starts) and their championship margin of victory, 616 points, was a record that was eclipsed by Kevin Harvick in 2006 (824 points) and Carl Edwards last season (618). Prior to his appointment by Rusty Wallace Racing, Holly served as crew chief on the No. 66 Haas CNC Racing Chevrolet in the Nextel Cup Series.

As a result of this move, Steve Darne, interim crew chief on the No. 66 in 2007, has been named crew chief for the team's newly-formed No. 64 entry, which will compete for the 2008 Nationwide Series owners' championship with former Nationwide Series rookie of the year David Stremme, Max Papis and Chase Austin behind the wheel.

"I'm really excited to have Harold Holly on board to lead our No. 66 team in 2008," Rusty Wallace said. "His record of success in the Nationwide Series is second to none and with his Cup experience, Harold should really be able to help take our team to the next level. Everyone knows that we didn't run quite as well as we had hoped last year, but our new general manager, Rick Carpenter, has done a tremendous job of assembling what we believe is a championship-caliber team. I can't think of anyone better to lead that team than a former champion like Harold Holly. I'm really excited about our program in 2008."

"Rusty Wallace is a legend in our sport, so needless to say, I'm excited about the chance to work with his team," Holly said. "He has a beautiful facility and is willing to make sure that we have everything we need to win races and contend for championships. Combining all of that with a fast and hungry young driver in Steve Wallace has me really looking forward to Daytona. Steve has shown everyone that he's got the speed and potential to be a star in our sport and I'm excited about the challenge of taking our teams to the next level."