Doug Wolcott enters his eighth year at Bill Davis Racing as crew chief of the No. 22 Toyota Tundra driven by rookie Phillip McGilton. He is prepared for the challenge of leading a talented young driver to success in one of NASCAR’s premier divisions.
Wolcott was once a young driver himself. At age 14, he climbed behind the wheel of a race car and knew right away he wanted to make racing his career. He won the track championship at Wall (N.J.) Stadium in 1982 and amassed 32 wins and 12 poles during his driving career. Wolcott wore many hats, simultaneously serving as driver, crew chief and lead mechanic. This gave him an edge on the competition because he knew the cars inside and out.
Wolcott hung up his helmet in the early 1990s and became a successful owner/crew chief of a modified race car. He won his second track championship in 1991 with driver Mike Carpenter. Wolcott continued racing throughout the Northeast until 2000, when he received a call from Tommy Baldwin. Baldwin formerly worked on his father’s modified car but had since moved to the South to work in NASCAR. Baldwin asked Wolcott to move to North Carolina and serve as a team engineer for the Bill Davis Racing organization. Wolcott jumped at the opportunity and began working with drivers Dave Blaney and Ward Burton at the beginning of the 2000 season.
In his first two years at the organization, Wolcott helped Bill Davis Racing claim two victories, including the team’s greatest achievement, the 2002 Daytona 500.
“It was an amazing moment for all of us,” Wolcott recalled of the race. “We all had worked so hard, and to win the biggest race of the season was just unbelievable. It is something that we will never forget.”
Wolcott returned as team engineer in 2003, aiding drivers Burton, Kenny Wallace and Scott Wimmer in NASCAR’s top two divisions. He helped the teams to one win and five top-10 finishes.
Car owner Bill Davis put Wolcott’s talents to work in his newly-formed NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series program in 2004. Wolcott was the team engineer for the No. 23 Toyota Tundra driven by Shelby Howard and Johnny Benson. He helped the team finish 19th in owners’ points and earn five top-five finishes and eight top-10 finishes.
Davis moved Wolcott to the crew chief position of the No. 22 Toyota Tundra team and driver Bill Lester in 2005. Under Wolcott’s guidance, Lester achieved his first career top-five finish at Kansas Speedway and won back-to-back poles at Kansas Speedway and Kentucky Speedway. In all, the team accumulated a pair of top-five finishes and four top-10 finishes. Wolcott and Lester remained together in 2006 and experienced a number of highs and lows throughout the season.
Wolcott once again returned atop the pit box in 2007, this time with as the crew chief for a select group of talented developmental drivers in his Toyota Tundra. Wolcott and his team captured a pole at Kentucky, one top-five finish and three top-10 finishes at year’s end. He also introduced Jacques Villeneuve to the NASCAR ranks, as he took the former Formula 1 Champion under his wing for the last seven races of the Craftsman Truck Series season.
In 2008, Wolcott attempts to make rookie driver Phillip McGilton a star. The duo brings much to the table. They will certainly give the other rookies a run for their money and challenge some the veteran drivers as well.
“I am excited about 2008,” Wolcott said. “Phillip has shown great potential over the years in the ARCA Series and in testing our truck through the off-season. I can’t wait to get things underway at Daytona.”