The championship equation in racing includes driver, equipment and crew. Overseeing each of those components is the crew chief. He's the one who manages all the moving parts, gets everybody on the same page and orchestrates the sometimes chaotic happenings in the shop and at the track.
Leading the way for NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 champion DJ Kennington is 24-year-old Dave Wight or 'Wighty as he is known to everyone in the series. At 13 years of age when Kennington began his stock-car career, it is a testament to Wight's knowledge and expertise to be able to direct a championship race team at such a young age.
Crew chiefs are no longer this behind-the-scenes person who no one sees, recognizes or knows; thanks to the success of men like Ray Evernham, Chad Knaus and Greg Zipadelli among others. They not only put their cars in Victory Lane and win championships, but also are in tune with everything going on both off and on the track. Wight is like that for Kennington – always aware of the ever-changing circumstances of not only his team but also those of the competition.
"The relationship that DJ and Wighty have built is for life," said car owner Doug Kennington. "Those two spend so much time together working on the cars that it's probably impossible for it not to be."
The driver/crew chief association is arguably the most crucial in all of sports. The two have to communicate effectively in order to produce the desired results. However, that is not to say that a little healthy debate isn't good.
"This year at (Riverside International Speedway) in (Antigonish, N.S.), the car was plain terrible. It was the next to the last race of the season and everything was pretty tense," said Kennington. "Wighty and I are going back for at each other on what to do with the car. We changed everything we could change on that car. After qualifying on the outside pole, we won the race. He'll do anything. He'll do everything. He just wants to win."
Wight credits the crew and believes it is as strong as any in the series.
"They say that a team is only as strong as its weakest member. I don't think we have a weakest member," said Wight. "We have the strongest and best team there is in the series."
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