CHRONICLING ECU & C-USA SPORTS
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View
from the 'ville
Thursday,
May 18, 2006
By Al Myatt |
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Ex-linebacker Kerr finds
treasure in the pits
©2006 Bonesville.net
Former East Carolina linebacker Jeff Kerr was
back in the competitive spotlight at Bobcats Arena in Charlotte on Wednesday
night. A mainstay as a senior on ECU's 9-3 team in 1999, Kerr was once again
a winner.
Kerr left a strength and conditioning position
at North Carolina a couple of years ago to use his power and athleticism as
a pit crew member on the NASCAR circuit. The terms of his offer from NASCAR
were such that he couldn't turn it down. They even provided for him to do
postgraduate study at UNC-Charlotte.
Kerr grabbed an additional financial
opportunity on Wednesday night like he used to latch on to opposing running
backs.
Kerr and teammates for the No.1 Chevrolet of
rookie Martin Truex, Jr., climbed to the summit of pitdom in the NBA arena
and became $70,100 richer for the journey.
They changed four tires from their individual
stations, filled the car with 18 gallons of gas and pushed the 3,700-pound
vehicle 40 yards in a time of 25.44 seconds. Kasey Kahne's crew, the
defending champions in the Nextel Pit Crew Challenge, took 26.71 seconds.
Kerr has made the transition from sacking
quarterbacks to jacking tires, making his living on pit rows around the
country. In addition to the team prize, Kerr took individual honors for
mounting a tire in 6.42 seconds. That was worth another $10,000.
"I'm sitting on Cloud Nine," Kerr told
Nascar.com. "That's a LOT of money."
Walt Smith, the Truex team's pit crew coach,
said Kerr's impetus got the team out to the lead on the 40-yard push.
"The push was probably the biggest thing,"
Smith said.
Truex' team had the best time in the first
round when the top eight fastest teams advanced. Kerr and company defeated
Mark Martin's team in the quarterfinals and Mayfield's in the semifinals.
Truex is currently 22nd in the Nextel points
race.
Crew chief Kevin Manion hopes the win will be
a boost for the team going into Saturday's Nextel Open. Team Truex needs a
victory to advance to the all-star race.
"Tonight we came in the underdog and left the
winner," Manion said. "It's a real neat deal for these guys. I had more fun
tonight than I've had since Homestead last year."
Smith said the confidence gained could come in
handy in two weeks when there could be as many as 15 pit stops in the
Coca-Cola 600, where NASCAR has mandated smaller fuel cells to help prevent
tire problems on the newly surfaced track.
"It's going to be a night similar to this one,
a night where there will be a lot of chances to make mistakes and a lot of
chances to shine," he said.
The team shined throughout Wednesday night,
accumulating only one penalty — a loose lug nut — in four stops.
"That's keeping focus," Smith said. "As many
pit stops as we're going to have in Charlotte, it'll be a breeze compared to
this."
Going to the track will be more fun as well.
"As far as going to the track, it's great
because you get respect," said rear tire changer Greg Osborne. "When you're
not running up front, people don't always notice you."
Truex was not on hand but that didn't keep his
crew from having some fun with the rookie driver.
"I just want to thank Martin for matching the
$70,000," joked gasman Bob Tracey.
Stokes follows Skip's lead
East Carolina football coach Skip Holtz has
explained the process of building a program through personnel additions and
deletions. Hoops coach Ricky Stokes apparently has no problem grasping the
concept.
It was announced following an 8-20 season in
Stokes' first season with the Pirates in 2005-06 that eight players would be
exiting the program. ECU has apparently filled the void with seven
additions.
Four players signed in the fall. Stokes
has added three more signees this spring.
The latest to board the Pirate ship include
junior college transfers Darrell Jenkins from Southern Idaho and Cory Farmer
from Tallahassee Community College. Jenkins is a 5-foot-11 point guard who
averaged 8.7 points and 4.1 assists. Farmer, a 6-3 shooting guard, was a key
player on a 31-4 team.
The Pirates have also signed 6-2 shooting
guard Brandon Evans from Liberty Technology Magnet High in Jackson, TN.
Evans was released from signing with Murray State. He averaged 19.8 points,
5.3 rebounds and 4.1 steals for a 33-4 club last season. Evans began his
prep career at Fayetteville Westover before his family moved to Tennessee.
Grid signee hurdling to success
Darryl Reynolds, a member of ECU's 2006
football signing class, is taking aim on a pair of hurdles titles in the
state 4-A track meet at North Carolina A&T on Saturday. The New Bern star
was third in the 300 hurdles last year on the state level and fifth in the
110 hurdles.
Reynolds won the 110 in 14.14 seconds at the
regional at Southern Pines Pinecrest last Saturday and captured the 300 in
38.78.
His football playing weight was listed at 186
pounds but sources say the 6-foot-1 standout is about 15 pounds below that
for track season.
Reynolds projects as a cornerback and punt
returner for the Pirates although he also played wide receiver for the
Bears.
"East Carolina was there from day one,"
Reynolds said. "They were honest with me. They didn't give me a run around."
Reynolds said whether he plays next season
will depend on his SAT score.
"They told me if it comes back the way they
want, I'll get some playing time," he said. "But if not, like any other
freshman, I'll redshirt. I mean just wait another year and build up my
grades."
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02/23/2007 12:30:16 AM
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