GENE NEAD - 09/02/?
got his first job in 1996 working for owner / driver Phil Parsons in the Xfinity Series. They failed to win but did post five Top 5 finishes; including four third place finishes. 1998 again saw Parson and Nead pair up and again they posted five Top 5 finishes. For 1999 Nead started the season with Parsons, but went to owner Mike Curb to work with driver Shane Hall. They posted one Top 5 (Myrtle Beach). Curb hired Jay Sauter to drive for him in 2000 and 2001. Sauter posted three Top 5’s and also worked with Ron Hornaday for three events and posted a Top 5. In 2002 Nead headed to the NASCAR Truck Series to work for owner Jim Smith and his driver Ted Musgrave. They had a good first season; posting three wins and 12 Top 5’s; finishing third in points. 2003 was much a repeat of the previous year as Musgrave won three times had 14 Top 5’s and again finished third in the points. The following season the duo only won twice; but had
eleven Top 5 finishes; and once again finished third in points. 2005 was a high water mark for Musgrave and Nead. Although they only won once they did manage to beat out Dennis Setzer by 55 points to win the Truck Series Championship. In 2006 Xfinity Series Owner (and Cup Driver) Kevin Harvick hired Nead to lead driver Burney Lamar for the majority of the Xfinity Series events. They paired together top post one Top 5 finish; meanwhile Nead also worked with drivers Bobby Labonte and Jeff Burton for the rest of the series events; but had no luck as Labonte was able to post the only Top 10. In 2007 Nead got his first shot heading up a Cup Series team as he worked with owner / driver Robbie Gordon for 19 events. They managed a best finish if fifth at Watkins Glen. He also went to work with the Wood Brothers the later part of that season with driver Bill Elliott. Nead would only work two events in 2008 calling the shots for Elliott. For 2009 Nead went to work for JTG-Daugherty Racing with driver Michael McDowell. In 17 events they posted three Top 10 finishes. He also work eight races with Michael Waltrip Racing with little results. Nead remained with Gordon in 2010 and he led Gordon to a second place finish at Somona. He also worked with Mike Skinner in the Truck series that season and posted five Top 10 finishes. As 2011 rolled around Nead went to owner Phil Parsons to work with Michael McDowell. They only posted a best finish of 30th. McDowell left Parson the following season and Nead went with him. They remained there through 2013; and posted a best finish of ninth in the 2013 Daytona 500. Josh Wise replaced McDowell in 2014 with Nead still at the helm; but they could only post one Top 20 finish. Wise was able to post one Top 10 finish in 2015. For 2016, Nead went to BK Racing to work with Matt DiBenedetto. They were a seriously under-funded team but still managed to post one Top 10 finish; a sixth at Bristol. DiBenedetto and need moved to drive for GoFas Racing. They too are an under-funded NASCAR team; but managed two Top 10 finishes. Both come in the high paying races at Daytona and Indianapolis. For 2018 the group remained together. (pictured above). But after only two races, Nead was replaced by Randy Cox
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