Barker in the pits at Texas in 2007
Robert "Bootie" Barker III (born in Halifax, Virginia) is a popular
crew chief in the NASCAR Nextel Cup stock car racing series.
Barker is currently the crew chief for the No. 70 car of Johnny Sauter, a new team in the
Nextel Cup series. Having no owner's points, the team was forced to qualify on time for the
first five races of 2007. As of the Centurion Boats at The Glen, the 70 team has started 21 of 22
races and is locked into the top 35 in owner's points in 34th place, 97 points ahead of the 35th place #21 Wood Brothers Racing Team and 134 points ahead of the 36th place #22 Bill Davis Racing Team. For most of 2006, Barker was the crew chief for the No. 66 Haas CNC Racing Chevrolet driven by Jeff Green. In the past, Barker has worked for Ashton Lewis,
Bill Davis Racing, and Jasper
Motorsports.
Barker graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering from Old Dominion University, in Norfolk, Virginia, in 1994. Barker is also one of the hosts of NASCAR Performance on Speed Channel. He was paralyzed
from the waist down after suffering injuries in a car accident while a senior in high school. Barker has since overcome his
injuries to be a respected crew chief and one of NASCAR's most brilliant minds.
2006 saw an increase in Barker's visibility to NASCAR fans. Barker wrote a weekly column for NASCAR.com titled "Urban Legends," in which he addressed myths and questions about
various aspects of racing. Barker is also a frequent guest on NASCAR Raceday, a preview show for
weekly NASCAR events on the Speed Channel.
In August of 2007, Sauter, Barker and the #70 team were featured as part of ABC's NASCAR in Primetime, a television show
that gives a behind-the-scenes look at the preparation, logistics, drama and competition of NASCAR.
Barker also writes a monthly column named Top of the Box for Racing Milestones
Magazine
External links
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