There is a bit of a shake up atop the NASCAR Cup Series pit boxes for Stewart-Haas Racing in 2020.
After a year, which saw only one of their cars — Kevin Harvick’s No. 4 Ford Mustang — win a race, the organization has decided to make some moves at the crew chief position.
“Our biggest asset at Stewart-Haas Racing is our people, and we strive to put each person in the best position to succeed,” said Greg Zipadelli, Vice President of Competition, SHR. “Our driver/crew chief pairings for next season reflect this ideology, and we believe this lineup provides the best opportunity to win every time we unload our Ford Mustangs at the racetrack.”
According to a team press release, Mike Shiplett will move up from the NASCAR Xfinity Series with Cole Custer to be the crew chief on the No. 41 machine. This is a solid move, which keeps the two locked together for Custer’s rookie campaign.
While Shiplett is the new crew chief face on the team for 2020, Mike Bugarewicz and John Klausmeier will swap the cars that they work on. Bugarewicz, who served as Clint Bowyer’s crew chief on the No. 14 car a season ago and has been the crew chief of the No. 14 team since 2016, will now move to Aric Almirola’s No. 10 car.
Klausmeier will be Bowyer’s crew chief this season.
The only crew chief position that will not change at all is that of Harvick’s No. 4 team. Rodney Childers will stay atop the pit box for that team after a four-win season and another Championship 4 berth.
This means Billy Scott, who was the crew chief for Daniel Suarez in the No. 41 car a season ago, will not return to the SHR Cup Series organization as a crew chief in 2020 and the team has confirmed that Scott is no longer with the organization as he seeks a new opportunity.
