Chase Elliott switch among sweeping Hendrick – Sports News
Chase Elliott’s workforce will look a little completely different at Bowman Gray Stadium (Image: Getty)
With the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium set to kick off the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season – climate allowing – groups have launched their crews for the annual exhibition race, with Hendrick Motorsports having made a number of key adjustments.
Reigning two-time Cup Series champion Kyle Larson’s workforce will look a little completely different to begin off 2026, with one of the “war room” members highlighted by returning crew chief Cliff Daniels, following their title win at Phoenix Raceway, heading to pit highway.
Speaking with SiriusXM NASCAR Radio after Larson’s final gasp win within the championship race, the place he overtook Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin on pit highway following a late warning as he opted to take simply two tires as an alternative of 4 like his rival, Daniels credited race engineer Cal Stewart, engineer Brian Ross, Shelton Ware, and Nathan Woodby for making the call “to do something different.”
On Tuesday’s roster, Woodby was listed as an engineer becoming a member of the workforce on the highway, having beforehand served the workforce back at Hendrick Motorsports’ warfare room during races.
As for Chase Elliott, who shall be on the hunt for his second Cup Series crown in 2026, there’s additionally a change to his highway crew, with Alex Bowman’s former car chief, Thomas Heslink, taking up the position of mechanic.
Several adjustments have been made to Alex Bowman’s workforce forward of the Cook Out Clash (Image: Getty)
Speaking of fellow Hendrick star Bowman, who’s one of over 20 drivers coming into the ultimate 12 months of his present contract, his workforce will look very completely different from a few months in the past after sweeping adjustments.
The position of car chief has now gone to Nick Kerlin, taking on from Josh Kirk, whereas Jonas Bell has joined as an engineer from Kaulig Racing. Mechanic Carl Haag has been dropped in favor of Alex Mueller, whereas Michael McAndrews can also be out, with TJ DiBlasi taking on the place of Interior Specialist.
Blake Harris returns as Bowman’s crew chief for his or her fourth season collectively, hoping to put collectively a more constant marketing campaign for the eight-time race winner this time round after a Thirteenth-place end within the driver’s standings in 2025.
The solely Hendrick driver with out not less than two wins final season, the stress is on Bowman to show he can cut it at one of the highest groups, having final gained on the streets of Chicago in July 2024.
Should this not be the case, Hendrick has the posh of having rising star Corey Day representing the workforce full-time within the O’Reilly’s Auto Parts Series, possible ready to pounce on any alternative he can get his palms on on the Cup Series degree.
Hendrick additionally sponsors one other promising teenager in Rajah Caruth, who’s set to compete full-time within the O’Reilly’s Series in 2026, splitting his season between Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s JR Motorsports and Jordan Anderson Racing.
Bowman isn’t the one Cup Series star below stress to carry out this season, with many large names out of contract after the upcoming season, based on FOX Sports. These embody Larson and RFK Racing co-owner Brad Keselowski, each of whom are seen as secure bets to return, in addition to the likes of Richard Childress Racing’s Kyle Busch, 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick, and Team Penske’s Austin Cindric.
As for Hendrick’s fourth and last Cup Series common, William Byron, his workforce roster has but to be made public.
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