Chuck, I can't begin to tell you how honored I am for you to be taking the time to be "Interrogated"..
Chuck: Thanks to you for giving me the opportunity to chat with you and your readers - I feel like I'm sitting in a darkened room, under a 100 watt bulb, being forced to spill my guts for something that I did wrong! Just kidding, of course. And it's hard for me to believe that we've never met in person, especially in light of the fact that you're such a big fan of Northern California Sprint Cars...

Anything you would like to share before we start?
Chuck: Just that these answers are my opinions, and that the answers that require technical expertise are subject to interpretation by the reader. I hope to share a little of my knowledge, but, in no way do I claim to have all of the answers.

You have wrenched on the tough Golden State Challenge and NARC tour how long?
Chuck: I was involved with NARC and the GSC for over 12 years, as well a a year or two on pavement with the Bumgarner's in USAC Western States Series.

How did you get started?
Chuck: When I moved to Northern California, I started attending Baylands races, sitting in the same area of the stands every week. I've been a long time sprint car fan, having moved from Southern Ca. and Ascot Park, and before that in Western PA. Anyway, I got acquainted with Jay Smith (Bert Lathrop) and his wife Mary Lee, and Bert asked me if I wanted to help out on his car (which he was in the process of finishing). So I became a mud scraper on Bert's #9N - and believe me, the mud at Baylands was something else. The 9N is where I met both Bobby McMahan, who drove the car for a while, and Vinnie Lattner, who was the crew chief for Damion Gardner until recently.

Who are some of the drivers you have helped in your years here in California?
Chuck: I haven't worked with a lot of drivers - but in addition to Bert, I've worked with Bobby McMahan and Jason York. I've also worked with Florie Filipich and the Family Auto Service team when they went to Knoxville several years ago with Eric Rossi. But I spent most of my time with Bobby McMahan - I was fortunate enough to be part of his crew on the RCM #25, the Tri-C #3 and the Bumgarner #88. I got to know a lot of NARC/GSC folks through Bobby's parents, Ron and Carol McMahan. While I was never the crew chief for any one team, I learned a lot from each crew chief of the teams that I worked with and for. But I have to say that Bobby was my favorite driver- and in my mind, one of the most talented. But that's not meant to demean Jason, either. He won the Chico track championship in 2000, so he's a pretty good shoe, too. But I really enjoyed working with the teams put together by Ron and Carol McMahan, Roy and Marna Bumgarner, and Clyde Lamar.

Speedweek is a tough deal. What's it feel like for a guy that has to wrench on the car for so many consecutive days?
Chuck: Tiring!!! Actually, the racing part of it is the easiest. The traveling, as well as the daily maintenance program on the car, was the hard part. It took a lot of effort by everyone involved in Speedweek - driver's, crews, officials, push trucks - to make Speedweek successful. Think about it: the car was unloaded at least twice a day - once for maintenance and again at the track. Most days, our maintenance include washing the car, dismantling it to check for broken parts(and that's if you didn't wreck the day before), and getting the car ready for the next race. It was a three to four hour routine daily. And it seemed that the early 90's Speedweeks were always held in 100 degree weather - believe me, by the time we got to the last show, EVERYONE was glad to see Speedweek end.

What are you looking for, when the driver is hot lapping?
Chuck: Well, I was watching to make sure that nothing fell off of the car - but most crew chiefs have a stopwatch and monitor lap times of a few cars - usually those that are consistently fast. You're trying to compare your lap times with those cars that are faster than yours; then when the driver comes off of the track, you get his input as to whether the car is too tight or too loose, and if the driver feels that you can change the car to make it faster. Or if the track will catch up to the setup that's on the car....

If the car is loose or tight, or just not handling, what changes can be made to the car?
Chuck: It's really not too hard to get it close - if the car is too tight, you can increase stagger (bigger Right Rear tire, smaller Left Rear tire, or both), move the right rear wheel out away from the car, and decrease the wing angle. There are also adjustments to torsion bars and shock absorbers. The opposite applies to a loose car; less stagger, slide the right rear in towards the car, and shocks and bars. And you've got to watch the track as it dries out as the night progresses to make sure that you keep the setup under the car that will best suit the track. It's a very complex process - a good crew chief is adjusting the car all night.

What kind of stagger would you use, say for a track like Calistoga vs. a bullring like Chico?
Chuck: When Chico was really tacky in the early 90's, we used to run as much as 19 inches of stagger; in the past few years most teams are running between 13 - 17 inches of stagger. Calistoga usually starts the night at 13 - 15 inches, and you'll end up some nights with as little as 10 inches.

Scenario; If a driver comes in, he didn't make the transfer from his heat race. And he's either mad or really down on himself, how did you handle that?
Chuck: I've been fortunate enough to never have to deal with a really angry or upset driver; both Bobby and Jason will get out of the car, share his feelings on the setup with the crew chief, and then we'd get to work making the changes that the crew chief wanted. It was all about getting the car right for the B main - it's not like Bobby or Jason wanted to miss the transfer, is it?

From your perspective, what track in the Golden State is the toughest and why?
Chuck: Santa Maria, because it is so tight, and the races there are over so quickly. If you can start in the first two rows there, you have a really good chance of a podium finish. On the other hand, if you're in the last two rows, you probably won't crack the top ten there.

What's tracks the toughest to set the car up at?
Chuck: Each track has its own set of challenges -you try to keep a baseline setup under the car when you start the night, but it all depends on how the track is prepared and how it changes as the night progresses.

I know you have a ton of stories buddy, but can you give me one that really stands out?
Chuck: Speedweek '96 at Petaluma - Bobby was driving Clyde Lamar's Tri-C #3. He had set a top three time in qualification, only to crash hard in the first heat. He was in the ambulance gathering himself, while all of the crew went to work rebuilding the car - both wings and wing slider, complete front end assembly, rear nerf, and other assorted parts. We got the car together in time for Bobby to run the C main (there were over 40 cars there), which he won; then he went out and won the B Main. Because of NARC rules, he got his time back, but had to start in row three or four due to the pill draw. He ended up finishing fourth or fifth. And Bobby went on to capture the Speedweek championship later that week at Antioch. So the Speedweek championship was probably won that night at Petaluma - Bobby didn't quit and neither did the team.

Any advice for the aspiring crewman?
Chuck: Buy a pit pass - start out by offering to help scrape mud and load the trailer. Then always ask a crewman to show you how to do something - you'll get dirty washing the car and trailer, changing tires, and doing all of the jobs that no one else likes to do. Eventually you'll get to the point where you're allowed to work on the car; and listen a lot, but keep your mouth shut otherwise. Work hard, keep your mouth shut, and don't make waves.

What are some of the things that they should be prepared for?
Chuck: Getting dirty, lots of fast food or race track hot dogs... hey, wait a minute, maybe that's why I had to have a bypass a few years ago!!!!!

You have a brother who races sprint cars in PA, right?
Chuck: My older brother John has resumed his racing career at Lernerville Speedway; he finished in the top ten in points a few years back, took a few years off and just restarted his racing, his work schedule makes it hard for him to travel much to race. And my younger brother, James, has worked for Todd Bammer, Brad Furr, Randy Hannagan, and spent some time with Guy Forbrook on the WoO tour a few years back.

Any chance of us seeing you wrenching again?
Chuck: Well, I hope to, someday.

Anything else you would like us fans to know?
Chuck: Just that I miss California a lot, as well as all of my friends out there. I made a ton of good friends out there - Vinnie Lattner is one of my best friends to this day....

Thanks again Chuck, heres hoping you have a great year!
Chuck: Thanks for the opportunity to chat with you - and that I said hello to all of my friends out there. I keep track of them through the web.

You got it Chuck!

To reach The Hammer sprint_cars_forever2001@yahoo.com