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SPORTS Saturday 9 February 2019

Architect

Continued from Page 17

Knaus, the winningest crew
chief in the garage, is es-
sentially starting over. He
goes to the Daytona 500 as
crew chief for second-year
driver William Byron, tasked
with rebuilding the famed
No. 24 team Jeff Gordon
led to four titles.
Knaus started at Hendrick
as an early member of Gor-
don’s “Rainbow Warriors”
crew. His mentor was Hall of
Fame crew chief Ray Ever-
nham and Knaus aspired
to one day lead that team.
He left Hendrick briefly to
gain experience outside
the organization and when
he returned it wasn’t for his
dream job. Knaus instead In this Jan. 22, 2019, file photo, Chad Knaus speaks during a media event in Concord, N.C. Knaus, the winningest crew chief in the
was named head of a garage, is essentially starting over.
team that didn’t yet exist Associated Press
and it was his job to build it rolets and a pair of Dayto- otal time for Knaus, who is son’s prized crew chief, and the quest for an eighth
around Johnson. na 500s, but as the Hendrick far more than a crew chief who comes with a repu- title won’t become a rival-
Knaus, wound tight with a organization struggled chasing championships. He tation as a relentless task- ry.
laser-focus, led Johnson last year, the No. 48 team was a bachelor for most of master who demands per- “Obviously I would have
to victory lane by the 10th failed to win a race for the his time with Johnson but is fection from his team. “His loved to have done that
race of his rookie season first time since it launched now married and last year experience level is really with Jimmie. That is going
and they were champion- in 2002. He returned Knaus welcomed his first child, son high, his work ethic is really to be painful in one re-
ship runner-up the next two to his roots with the No. 24 Kipling. Having a wife and high, but he’s not, like, set in spect, but I will be proud
years. But when they lost team and gave him Byron, child has mellowed Knaus is ways,” Byron said. “That is as heck of the guy,” Knaus
the title in 2005 and Knaus’ a wide-eyed, fresh-faced while giving him interests what I have noticed about said. “Everybody is like,
intensity became too much 21-year-old driver in need away from the race car. him — he’s open to do new ‘Man are you going to get
for Johnson, team owner of a seasoned crew chief. Knaus is only five years older things.” Hendrick recently the first win? Or is Jimmie
Rick Hendrick made the “William is very structured than Johnson and the two saw Knaus in the parking lot going to get the first win?’
pair sit down over milk and and very committed and grew up in the Cup Series with a hauler showing his Who cares? Who cares as
cookies to either resolve a lot like a sponge,” Hen- together. With Byron, it’s a crew race weekend pro- long as we are both going
their differences or be split drick said. “He’s probably totally different dynamic. cedures. “It looked a lot like out there, we are having
up. as smart as anyone I’ve “William is 21. I’m 47. We 2001 to me,” Hendrick said. a good time, we are rac-
Johnson and Knaus came met in the sport, very qui- aren’t going to be best “Chad’s life did change, ing and we are being suc-
to a resolution and reeled et, very focused and very friends,” Knaus said. “It’s not he’s got a baby now and cessful. I’m not worried who
off a record five consecu- much wants to learn. Chad going to be the relationship he’s got other things in his gets the next one. I’m wor-
tive titles, then added two is a real technician with the Jimmie and I have.” life, too, but he’s also got ried about remembering
more in 2013 and 2016 to car, very outspoken, and Byron grew up in Charlotte, something he wants to what it is we accomplished,
join Richard Petty and Dale William has asked for that North Carolina, and used prove.” what we did for 18 years, I
Earnhardt as seven-time and asked for some com- to stop at Johnson’s house Knaus said he is rooting for think that is the most impor-
winners. Johnson won 83 mitment and structure.” on Halloween to collect Johnson and new crew tant element in this whole
races in Knaus-built Chev- The change comes at a piv- candy. Now he has John- chief Kevin Meendering, dynamic.”q

Berdych saves 2 match points

on way to Montpellier semis

MONTPELLIER, France (AP) sets when he went a break Pierre-Hugues Herbert of
— Former champion To- up in the second set. But France, who beat third-
mas Berdych reached the Krajinovic, a Paris Masters fi- seeded Denis Shapovalov
Open Sud de France semi- nalist in 2017 after a surpris- of Canada 7-5, 7-6 (4).
finals the hard way, saving ing run from the qualifying Berdych beat Herbert in
two match points in a 7-6 rounds, broke back, took their only previous meeting,
(3), 6-7 (5), 7-5 win against the tiebreaker and then led earlier this year in the quar-
Filip Krajinovic on Friday. 5-4 and 40-15 in the third. terfinals of the Doha Open.
The two players were meet- Berdych, who is unseed- Later Friday, Jeremy Char-
ing for the first time on the ed at the tournament he dy faces Jo-Wilfried Tsonga In this Sunday, Jan. 20, 2019 file photo, Tomas Berdych of the
ATP Tour, and made it a won in 2012, then turned in an all-French quarterfi- Czech Republic waves after his fourth round loss to Spain’s
match to remember. It the contest around. The nal, while Marcos Baghda- Rafael Nadal at the Australian Open tennis championships in
looked as if Berdych was 33-year-old Czech next tis of Cyprus plays Radu Al- Melbourne, Australia.
going through in straight faces seventh-seeded bot of Macedonia.q Associated Press