Jim Pohlman, who won an Xfinity Series championship as a crew chief with driver Justin Allgaier last season, will take over as Kyle Busch’s crew chief in the NASCAR Cup Series starting in 2026.
Pohlman had led Richard Childress Racing’s research and development department until leaving for JR Motorsports and the Allgaier job starting in 2023. He now returns to RCR with the task of trying to get the two-time Cup champion Busch back into victory lane.
“Jim Pohlman is a relentless competitor in the garage and fits in well with our mission and approach at RCR,” said team owner Richard Childress. “He was well-respected during his previous tenure in Welcome [N.C.], and we all know that he’ll do an excellent job main the No. 8 crew and Kyle Busch.”
Busch, who has received 63 Cup races however is mired in a 90-race winless streak, received three races in his first season in 2023 at RCR with crew chief Randall Burnett, who will transfer to Trackhouse Racing to crew chief rookie Connor Zilisch beginning subsequent season. Andy Avenue has crammed in as interim crew chief the final couple of races and can end out the yr.
Busch, who has missed the playoffs the final two years, mentioned on Oct. 4 that the crew wanted a change even though “I like Randall for the whole lot that he’s and who he was for our race crew.”
“We’re in a performance-based enterprise and never getting the outcomes, it’s acquired to fall again on somebody,” Busch mentioned. “They re-signed me for an additional yr, in order that gave me the notion that they’ve acquired my again and we wanted to discover a change someplace.”
In different crew information, Kaulig Racing spotter Joe White was launched from Kaulig Racing. White was the spotter for Ty Dillon, who was run into by William Byron whereas Dillon slowed to pit through the race final Sunday at Las Vegas.
Whereas spotters attempt to talk to these spotters whose drivers is perhaps behind them that they’re pitting, Byron clearly didn’t get the message.
White posted on social media he already knew he wouldn’t return with Dillon subsequent yr however had anticipated to stay with the group. The crew will transfer AJ Allmendinger spotter Frank Deiny to Dillon and former driver T.J. Bell will spot for Allmendinger.
Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports activities. He has spent a long time protecting motorsports, together with over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting Information, NASCAR Scene journal and The (Daytona Seaside) Information-Journal. Observe him on Twitter @bobpockrass.
