Mark Cronquist
Mark Cronquist
Joe Gibbs Racing
Mark Cronquist joined Joe Gibbs Racing in 1996 as an Assistant Engine builder. By 1998, Mark was promoted to Chief Engine Builder.
In 14 race seasons under Mark’s leadership, he and his department built engines that won 88 Sprint Cup races, 74 Nationwide races, 3 Sprint Cup Championships, 1 Nationwide Championship and 3 Nationwide Owners Championships.
Mark began his career in 1981 where he learned machining and engine building skills while working at Nevada Machine & Supply in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
In 1985 he joined Bahari Racing (Dick Bahre Racing). It was here that Mark took advantage of learning everything he could about building race engines—teardown, machining parts and assembling the engine.
Mark spent 10 years honing his skills and in 1995, he was hired at Hendrick Motorsports as an engine tuner. During that time, Joe Gibbs Racing leased Hendrick engines and Mark served as the engine tuner for the Joe Gibbs Racing #18 car which won the prestigious Coca-Cola 600 race, as well as sweeping both Michigan races.
In 1996 Joe Gibbs Racing developed their own engine program and asked Mark to join the team. Mark and his engine department have built engines that have won some of NASCAR’s most challenging races . One such race, the infamous Brickyard 400 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in which Joe Gibbs Racing captured the checkered flag in 2000, 2005 and 2007.
Mark has also been honored with the Clevite Engine Builder of the Year Award 3 times for the Sprint Cup Series and an additional 3 times for the Nationwide Series.
In 2012 Joe Gibbs Racing merged resources with Toyota Racing Development for the Cup engine program.
In addition to working in a collaborative effort with TRD on the Cup side, Mark is currently building engines for the JGR Nationwide teams which have won 7 races to date in the current 2012 season and is leading the Owners points with Mark holding the top position in the run for the Clevite Engine Builder of the Year Award.
Mark and his department also build engines for a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team which won the season opening Daytona race, as well as an ARCA team which has also found its way to Victory Lane.
Mark is a native of Eagle River, Alaska and currently resides in Huntersville, North Carolina with his two children, Megan and Samuel.
