Slugger Labbe becomes Austin Dillon's crew chief

Longtime Sprint Cup crew chief Richard "Slugger" Labbe has moved to the #3 Richard Childress Racing team to replace Gil Martin as the crew chief for Austin Dillon. Labbe was previously part of the #27 RCR team of Paul Menard from 2011 through the end of last year, and before that the defunct #98 Richard Petty Motorsports car when Menard drove it in 2010. Labbe has achieved a number of milestones as a Cup crew chief, such as helping Kenny Irwin Jr. to the 1998 Rookie of the Year title as part of the Robert Yates #28 team, winning three races including the 2003 Daytona 500 with Michael Waltrip when he drove the #15 car at Dale Earnhardt Inc., and the 2011 Brickyard 400 with Menard as his driver. Labbe has also had stints with Jeremy Mayfield at the #19 team of Evernham Motorsports and Dale Jarrett in the RYR #88 car.