AM Racing, Joe Williams Part Ways; Lucas to Serve as Interim Crew Chief for No. 15

AM Racing has parted ways with long-time NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series crew chief Joe Williams, effective immediately, the team revealed in a statement on Tuesday.

Williams has served as crew chief for the organization’s NASCAR Xfinity Series program since its inception, working with Brett Moffitt last season, and Hailie Deegan through the first 12 races of 2024.

“Effective today, AM Racing has parted ways with Joe Williams, the crew chief of Hailie Deegan’s No. 15 Ford Mustang,” a team statement reads. AM Racing Competition Director, Matt Lucas, will step in as interim crew chief for this weekend’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Portland International Raceway and next weekend at Sonoma Raceway.”

Joining AM Racing as Competition Director at the start of 2024, Lucas has spent the last 12 seasons working on and off as a crew chief in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, including stints at championship-winning organizations such as Joe Gibbs Racing and Hattori Racing Enterprises.

Lucas hasn’t called the shots for a NASCAR Xfinity Series event in five seasons, last working with Joe Gibbs Racing affiliate XCI Racing in the team’s part-time schedule. Earlier in the year, Lucas worked with Reaume Brothers Racing and Lawless Alan in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

In 100-plus starts as a crew chief in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Lucas has recorded a pair of victories, both with Joe Gibbs Racing and Matt Kenseth in 2013.

With 12 races in the books, Hailie Deegan and AM Racing have been through their fair share of struggles, as the Temecula, California native currently sits 26th in NASCAR Xfinity Series points, while the No. 15 entry is ranked 29th in Owner Points.

At this time, it’s unknown if Lucas will remain the crew chief of the No. 15 beyond the series’ next two events at Portland and Sonoma, or if a new crew chief will be brought in to finish the team.

Those announcements will be made in due course.