Germain Racing Team

Founded out of an interest by brothers Steve, Bob and Rick Germain to be a part of Toyota's entrance into NASCAR racing, the Germain's formed the race team in 2004 and fielded their first Toyota Tundra at Richmond International Raceway in September, 2004. The goal the brothers expressed to Toyota when pursuing the Tundra team franchise was that they would bring Toyota its first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship.

The performance by the start-up team in their Truck Series debut was confirmation of their dedication to the Germain's goal. Todd Bodine qualified 3rd and finished 4th in the #30 Germain Toyota Tundra. The Tundra they raced at Richmond was chassis number TRD-049, better known as "Sharon." It was their only truck.

Bodine, driving "Sharon," went on to earn two victories in 2004, making the veteran NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series teams take note that Germain Racing would be a force to reckon with in coming seasons. In eight races in 2004, the team scored two victories, four top-five and five top-ten finishes. In 2005, Bodine and Germain Racing finished third in the Truck Series championship points battle with five more wins.

The young Truck Series team saw a major progression in 2006. With major sponsorship on the no. 30 Tundra from Toano, Virginia-based Lumber Liquidators, Bodine held a record-setting 21-week lock on the points lead. The no. 30 team earned the series championship while the no. 9 Tundra ran its first full season of competition. Carrying Team ASE sponsorship, the no. 9 Tundra finished 6th in series points.

Heading into 2007, Germain Racing was the first Truck Series team to have the two most recent series champions on their roster: Bodine, 2006 champ, in the no. 30 Lumber Liquidators Tundra, and Ted Musgrave, 2005 champ, in the no. 9 Team ASE Tundra. Leaving �07, the team had two straight years of top-ten points finishes for the no. 9 Tundra team and three straight years of top-five championship points finishes for the no. 30 Tundra team.

Germain Racing expanded in 2008, adding a full-time Nationwide Series team. Germain Racing has no. 7 GEICO Camry driver Mike Wallace in position to earn a career-best points finish. The team also runs an auxiliary team that races a limited season of Truck, Nationwide and ARCA RE/MAX Series competition.

Mike Hillman Sr. of Lockport, NY, leads Germain Racing as general manager. He is a seasoned NASCAR veteran who won his first championship while serving as crew chief for Tommy Ellis in the Busch Grand National Series. Hillman played a key role in Germain Racing's 2006 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship title and added another championship to his NASCAR tenure.

Germain Racing is located in Mooresville, N.C., on a 3-acre campus with two buildings, 52,000 sq. ft of shop and office space, paint and body shops, multiple surface plates, a four-post rig, two epoxy setup plates and a chassis dyno. To keep all functions of Germain Racing working together in championship-form, each day starts with team meetings. Pit crews practice daily and have full use of Germain Racing's workout room.

Germain Racing has 14 victories in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series competition. In Nationwide Series competition, Germain Racing has led laps, captured two top-five and nine top-ten finishes, and is poised in the top-ten in championship points with the no. 7 GEICO Camry.

Mike Hillman, Sr.
General Manager, Germain Racing
Hometown: Lockport, NY
Resides: Denver, NC
Married: Sandy
Children: Mike Jr., Mark and Matt (twins), Melanie
Favorite Past-time: Grandchildren

Mike Hillman Sr. played a key role in the founding of Germain Racing. As crew chief in 2004, he selected Todd Bodine to drive the team's only entry, the #30 Tundra. Hillman Sr. collected two victories in the team's partial-season schedule in 2004, and turned the crew chief duties over to son, Mike Jr., in 2005.

Hillman Sr. has been involved in NASCAR racing for over 20 years. Throughout his career he has worked as a crew chief and general manager in each of NASCAR's top three series. He has worked with such drivers as Dick Trickle, Kyle Petty, Joe Nemechek, Mike Wallace, Robby Gordon and Brett Bodine.

In 1988 Mike earned a NASCAR Busch Grand National Championship with driver Tommy Ellis. Mike's ability to build winning teams and organizations has made him one of best in the business.

Championships: Tommy Ellis, NASCAR Grand National Series, 1988, Todd Bodine, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, 2006 Career Highlights: Winning Daytona, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, 2008 and Winning Championship, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series 2006

Mike Hillman, Jr.
Crew Chief, #30 Lumber Liquidators Tundra, Germain Racing
Hometown: Lockport, NY
Resides: Mooresville, NC
Married: Jennifer
Children: Trey, Lily and Mylee
Favorite Past-time: Spending time with his family
Hillman Jr. began serving as crew chief for the no. 30 Germain Motor Company Toyota Tundra in 2005. He was raised in a racing family and follows in the footsteps of his father, Mike Hillman Sr.

In his first season as crew chief, the #30 Germain Motor Company Toyota Tundra collected a team-high five victories, including an impressive three-race winning-streak to close out the season. He earned the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series crew chief of the year honors in his rookie season.

As an encore performance, Hillman Jr. just missed crew chief of the year honors in 2006, but made up for it by leading the #30 Lumber Liquidators Tundra to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship. It was the first championship for driver Todd Bodine and the second championship that Hillman Jr.'s father had helped attain.

Before success at Germain Racing, Hillman Jr. worked with Roush Racing, and has served as car chief for drivers such as Greg Biffle, Larry Foyt and Brett Bodine.

Championships: 2006 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driver Todd Bodine
First Race as Crew Chief: Daytona, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, 2005
First Win as Crew Chief: Kansas Speedway, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, 2005
Career Highlights: Winning Daytona, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, 2008 and Winning Championship, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series 2006

Jason Overstreet
Crew Chief, #9 Crocs/Construct Corps Tundra, Germain Racing
Hometown: Clearwater, FL
Resides: Sherrills Ford, NC
Married: Jennifer
Children: Kali
Favorite Past-time: Boating, Motorcycles

Overstreet is a racer who moved from behind the wheel to atop the pit box. His NASCAR career kicked off when he relocated from his hometown of Clearwater, FL, in 1996. Overstreet worked through the week at Hamke Race Cars and Parts and spent the weekend racing his super late model (asphalt).

In 1999, Overstreet moved into NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series competition. He became a tire changer and truck chief at Ultra Motorsports and developed a goal of becoming crew chief. After celebrating a few victories with Ultra's #2 Team ASE Dodge race truck, Overstreet was poised for leading his own team.

When Toyota entered NASCAR's ranks, Overstreet became crew chief at Darrell Waltrip Motorsports. He earned Toyota's first pole at Atlanta in 2004, and collected his first victory as crew chief when David Reutimann drove the NTN Bearings Tundra to victory lane at Nashville.

Overstreet is a competitor and enjoys winning, racing and working with his crew. In the words of his daughter, his favorite part of his job is the people.

First Race as Crew Chief: Daytona, 2004
First Win as Crew Chief: Nashville, 2005
Career Highlight: It's a tie - winning Daytona with Mike Wallace in 2000 and winning Nashville with David Reutimann in 2005

Mike Abner
Crew Chief, #03 Germain Toyota Tundra, Germain Racing
Hometown: Oran, MO
Resides: Mooresville, NC
Status: Single
Children: None
Favorite Past-time: Skiing, boating, spending time with friends, working on or watching dirt modifieds

From humble beginnings on the dirt tracks of the midwest, through a NASCAR Busch Series championship, Mike Abner's career has progressed steadily toward the crew chief role. Abner's NASCAR career began with Joe Faulk's race team in 1997 where he worked as a fabricator. Abner moved on to be a part of wins in NASCAR's top-three series as well as being party to a NASCAR Busch Series championship in 2002.

Abner and joined Germain Racing in 2007, after working with drivers such as Greg Biffle, Jack Sprague, Bobby Labonte and others. His first order of business with Germain Racing was leading the #9 Tundra, then driven by Ted Musgrave, to its first win. After the victory at Texas in November, Abner started 2008 with a pole in the ARCA RE/MAX Series with driver Justin Marks. He now serves as crew chief for the #03 Tundra for Germain Racing and as crew chief for the team's ARCA RE/MAX racing series program.

Abner works with Germain Racing development driver Chrissy Wallace in Truck Series and ARCA racing efforts. He also works with former Germain Racing driver Shigeaki Hattori, leading Hattori Racing Enterprises' #01 Camry efforts in the ARCA RE/MAX Series. He has earned a pole award with HRE driver Sean Caisse. Caisse has led laps in each of his three races in HRE's #01 Camry.

First Race as NCTS Crew Chief: Atlanta Motor Speedway, fall 2007
First Win as NCTS Crew Chief: Texas Motor Speedway, fall 2007
Career Highlights: Winning Texas with no. 9 Tundra, winning Martinsville with Bobby Labonte in 2005 in the 47 truck, and being part of the Busch Series championship in 2002. Some fond dirt racing memories...winning the Thunder Ridge 100 and racing in Pevely, MO

Bruce Cook
Crew Chief, #7 GEICO Camry, Germain Racing
Hometown: Jackson, NJ
Resides: Concord, NC
Married: Sheri
Children: Melinda, Kayla, Bruce III
Favorite Past-time: Golf
Home Track: Dover, DE

Cook came to Germain Racing from Robert Yates Racing, where he worked with drivers such as Stephen Leicht, Dale Jarrett, Elliott Sadler, David Gilliland and Matt McCall.

A New Jersey native, Cook inherited the �racing fever' from his father who raced in the Northeast. Cook grew up racing modifieds at tracks such as Loudon, Nazareth and Flemington.

Ray Evernham was the link between NJ and NC. Cook's first job in NASCAR racing was as a mechanic for Ray-Mock Racing with drivers Rick Mast and Ted Musgrave. He's also worked with Randy Tolsma, Todd Bodine, Tim Fedeway, Casey Mears, Geoffrey Bodine and David Green during his tenure in the NASCAR ranks. He worked with Robbie Reiser at Roush when Matt Kenseth captured the Cup Series championship in 2003.

Before moving into the crew chief role, Cook served as a mechanic, engine tuner, car chief and shop foreman. He enjoys working with the up and coming mechanics of NASCAR.

Cook leads the no. 7 GEICO Camry, driven by Mike Wallace. The team has been in the top ten in points for most of the season.

First Race as Crew Chief: Chicagoland, 2005, NASCAR Busch Series, Elliott Sadler
Career Highlight: 2003 Winston Cup Championship, Matt Kenseth