As the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series heads to New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS) this weekend for the first of two elimination races in the NASCAR Playoffs, one driver will be tackling the race without their usual crew chief.
Grant Enfinger, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Silverado RST for CR7 Motorsports, will be without long-time crew chief Jeff Stankiewicz for Saturday’s Team EJP 175 at the one-mile oval, as well as the final four races of the NASCAR Truck Series campaign.
Michael Shelton, a championship-winning crew chief in his own right (with James Buescher and Turner-Scott Motorsports in 2012), will take over as interim crew chief for CR7 Motorsports, beginning with this weekend’s event in Loudon, New Hampshire.
“Jeff [Stankiewicz] has played an essential role in our growth and success,” said Codie Rohrbaugh, owner of CR7 Motorsports. “His leadership and dedication helped position our team to win races and contend for championships. We are grateful for everything he has contributed to CR7 Motorsports, and wish him the very best moving forward.”
Shelton was originally scheduled to serve as crew chief of the team’s No. 97 Chevrolet Silverado RST for this weekend’s event at New Hampshire, with Carson Kvapil behind the wheel. Instead, the General Manager of CR7 Motorsports finds himself on the pit box of the No. 9.
“Jeff and I have shared a lot of success together,” said Grant Enfinger, driver of the No. 9 CR7 Motorsports entry. “His knowledge, preparation, and commitment were big strengths for our team. I’ll always be appreciative of the effort he put into helping us compete at a high level.”
Stankiewicz is a 12-time winner in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series as a crew chief, spending time with several organizations throughout the years, such as Brad Keselowski Racing, Young’s Motorsports, GMS Racing (where he won a championship with Sheldon Creed in 2020), and Bret Holmes Racing.
Enfinger enters New Hampshire Motor Speedway, the final race in the Round of 10 in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Playoffs, with a 29-point advantage over the cutline (currently held by Jake Garcia). The Fairhope, Alabama-native has competed at New Hampshire before, finishing fourth in the 2017 event at the racetrack, which driving for ThorSport Racing.
CR7 Motorsports competes in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, as well as the ARCA Menards Series, where the team recently clinched the ARCA Menards Series East championship with Isaac Kitzmiller.
The Team EJP 175 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway will take place on Saturday, September 20, at Noon ET on FOX Sports 1, NASCAR Radio Network, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
