Despite having the most successful season in the team’s NASCAR Xfinity Series tenure, JR Motorsports is revamping its crew chief lineup for the 2023 season, and it includes some reshuffling and new hires.
In a move that could be considered unorthodox, all four of JR Motorsports’ full-time entries will travel to the season-opener at Daytona International Speedway with a brand-new crew chief for the 2023 season.
Jason Burdett and Taylor Moyer will both continue with the organization in crew chief roles, but will be paired with different drivers for the upcoming Xfinity Series campaign. Meanwhile, the four-car organization has made two key hires, which will begin its debut season with JRM.
Working alongside Burdett and Moyer, Mardy Lindley and Jim Pohlman have each been tapped by JR Motorsports to serve as crew chief on one of the team’s four full-time entries in 2023.
“As successful as 2022 was for JR Motorsports, we’re always asking ourselves ‘how can we be better?’” said Bumgarner, JRM’s director of competition. “While we performed at a very high level this season, a tweak here or there can help push us even further. We were fortunate to bring in Jim (Pohlman) and Mardy (Lindley). Both have past success with their drivers and we expect that will aid in making a smooth transition.”
Taylor Moyer – who spent this season serving as crew chief of Sam Mayer’s No. 1 Chevrolet Camaro – will return to his original post as crew chief of the No. 8 Chevrolet Camaro, working with Josh Berry, who will enter his second full-time season of Xfinity Series competition.
Moyer has worked with Berry in the past, though, when the Hendersonville, Tennesse-native ran part-time for JR Motorsports in 2021, sharing the entry with Sam Mayer.
Jason Burdett, the winningest crew chief for JR Motorsports, will transition from his long-time post as crew chief for Justin Allgaier, in order to partner with Brandon Jones, who will enter his first full-time campaign with JR Motorsports.
Entering his ninth season as a crew chief for JR Motorsports, Burdett has scored 18 wins, 110 top-five, and 183 top-10 finishes, as well as Championship 4 appearances in five of the last seven years.
Jim Pohlman comes to JR Motorsports to work with Justin Allgaier as crew chief of the No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro in 2023, after working with Richard Childress Racing for the last several seasons. Pohlman was instrumental in leading Allgaier to a championship in the ARCA Menards Series in 2008, and has also served time as a Cup Series crew chief for Juan Pablo Montoya in 2011.
Finally, partnering with JR Motorsports’ youngest driver, is Mardy Lindley, a veteran crew chief who has spent the last two seasons as crew chief of Kyle Busch Motorsports No. 51 entry, and accumulated six victories.
Establishing a trend with these new hires, previous experience is key, as Mayer and Lindley have worked together previously, capturing back-to-back titles in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series and ARCA Menards Series.
