Aedan McHugh, a long-time NASCAR Xfinity Series engineer for JR Motorsports, will move over to Cope Family Racing to serve as the new crew chief of the No. 70 Chevrolet, starting Saturday at COTA.
McHugh, who served as the Lead Engineer on the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet to start the season, confirmed the news Monday on social media.
“When I moved down to North Carolina with nothing but a suitcase full of hope, my pipe dream was to be a NASCAR crew chief by the time I was 30. Today, 77 days before my 30th birthday, that pipe dream becomes a reality. I can’t wait to get to Texas with the [Cope Family Racing] game.”
Veteran NASCAR crew chief George Church served as the crew chief of the No. 70 Chevrolet in the opening two NASCAR Xfinity Series events of the season, at Daytona and Atlanta, but has since departed the organization.
Leland Honeyman, Jr. has driven the No. 70 Cope Family Racing Chevrolet in the opening two NASCAR Xfinity Series events of 2025, collecting finishes of 21st (Daytona) and eighth (Atlanta).
Heading to Circuit of The Americas (COTA), those finishes have Honeyman currently above the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs bubble and the No. 70 entry sitting 13th in NASCAR Xfinity Series Owner Points.
Thomas Annunziata, a standout in the Trans-Am Series, will begin his 16-race NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule with back-to-back races at Circuit of The Americas (March 1) and Phoenix Raceway (March 8).
Saturday’s Focused Health 250 at Circuit of The Americas (COTA) will serve as the crew chief debut for McHugh in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. The event will take place at 2:30 PM ET on The CW, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
