Kmart's Crawford appointed V8 tech boss.

Kmart Racing's current team manager Rob Crawford has been appointed as V8 Supercar Championship Series Technical Director by the Touringcar Entrants Group Australia (TEGA).

Crawford has just registered successive Bathurst 1000 victories with Greg Murphy and Rick Kelly in the Kmart Racing Holden Commodore at Mount Panorama.

TEGA General Manager Kelvin O'Reilly said Crawford would commence his appointment in 2005, replacing former technical director Paul Taylor who has accepted a senior position in Europe with World Rally.

"We looked internationally and throughout Australia and are pleased to be able to settle upon our new Technical Director from within the ranks of the current Championship," O'Reilly said.

"Rob's technical understanding and his management skills, combined with his knowledge of the V8 Supercar Championship Series, make him the ideal all round candidate for the role.

"Rob will be based in Melbourne which is currently home of roughly half the V8 Supercar Championship Series teams."

Crawford said that while his time with Kmart Racing was a great success and highly enjoyable, he was ready to step into what is an equally difficult role in overseeing the technical, scrutineering and rules enforcement component of the series.

"I am looking forward to this new challenge in my career and to assisting the future growth and development of the V8 Supercar Championship," Crawford said.

"With wins in the last two Bathurst 1000 events and with Rick (Kelly) well positioned in the championship, I am hoping to end my time at Kmart Racing on a high note over the next few weeks before starting with TEGA.

"It's a great series and I look forward to playing a significant role in its future development."

Crawford has been manager at Kmart Racing since 2001. He had been team manager of the Holden Young Lions after six years with the Arrows Formula 1 team.

He will start his new role early in the New Year after fulfilling his responsibilities to the Kmart Racing Team in the last three rounds of the 2004 Championship.