In NASCAR, a crew chief is the backbone of a team. They have to play multiple hats the strategist, the motivator, and the guy who turns a driver’s raw speed into wins. Think of them as the quarterback calling plays while the driver’s out there dodging bullets. Take Chad Knaus who masterminded Jimmie Johnson’s seven titles with pit-stop genius and tireless prep. Or Rodney Childers, who turned Kevin Harvick into a playoff beast with razor-sharp setups.

These aren’t just mechanics; they’re the heartbeat of every lap, balancing data, gut calls, and a driver’s trust. James Small fits that mold. A gritty Australian who’s climbed from V8 Supercars to NASCAR’s elite, steering Martin Truex Jr. to glory at Joe Gibbs Racing and now taking on Chase Briscoe’s resurgence. His story will get your heart, and we can’t wait to dig into it for you.

Who is James Small?

James Small isn’t your typical NASCAR crew chief. Born in Melbourne, Australia, this 38-year-old grew up with motorsports in his blood. His dad, Les Small, was a mechanic in the V8 Supercars world, wrenching for legends like Allan Grice.

“My dad took me to Calder Park Thunderdome when NASCAR raced there in the late ‘80s,” Small recalled. That’s where it clicked, NASCAR became his obsession over Formula 1 by age five. He started as a racer himself, tearing up go-karts and Formula Ford, but money dried up. So, he pivoted.

With a mechanical engineering degree from Swinburne University, he turned his racing dreams into a career behind the scenes. Now, he’s a name in the NASCAR Cup Series, known for his sharp mind and no-nonsense style. “He’s a straight shooter,” Martin Truex Jr. said to The Athletic. “He’s not afraid to tell me when I’m screwing up.”

From Being Bathurst-1000 Winning Engineer to Calling Shots for Martin Truex Jr: James Small’s Racing Exploits

Small’s path wasn’t a smooth ride to NASCAR. He cut his teeth in V8 Supercars, grinding for eight years with teams like Garry Rogers Motorsport and Kelly Racing. He floated from Engineering Mark Winterbottom and Steve Richards to a Bathurst 1000 win in 2013 with Ford Performance Racing.

In 2014, he took a leap and moved to the U.S., landing at Richard Childress Racing as an engineer. Three years later, he joined Furniture Row Racing, linking up with Truex and Cole Pearn. When Pearn bolted after 2019, Joe Gibbs Racing tapped Small as Truex’s crew chief.

The result was 8 Cup Series wins together, including a playoff-clinching victory at Richmond in 2021. “It’s an honor and a privilege,” Small said to NASCAR.com about stepping up. From Bathurst to NASCAR’s elite, he’s proven he’s got the chops.

Speaking about Truex, Small had nothing but praise. “Obviously, he kind of flies under the radar, and that’s very much his personality. You look back on what he’s done since 2016, and the amount of races he’s won, he’s been one of the top two, top three drivers over that period. And, you know, you think a couple of things go a slightly different way or less errors, and he could be a four-time champion. It’s pretty simple, and we’d be talking about him in a completely different frame of mind. So yeah, he’s accomplished a lot, and he’s been very easy to work with from our standpoint.”

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James Small Bids His Adieu to Martin Truex Jr

Saying goodbye to Truex hit hard. After the 2024 season, Truex, the 2017 champ, hung up his full-time helmet. Small had been with him since the Furniture Row days, first as lead engineer then crew chief. “James helped me win a championship as an engineer in 2017 and then took over as crew chief and didn’t miss a beat,” Truex told NASCAR.com.

Their last dance at Phoenix in 2024 was brutal where Truex crashed out early, finishing 34th. “I hate it ended like that,” Small told  “He deserved better.” The pair had chemistry with Truex calling him “Cole’s protégé”, noting how Small’s smarts and socks (yeah, he’s got a quirky sock game)  that kept the No. 19 team humming. Walking away from that bond was “tough” admitted Small, “But I’ve got something to prove now.”

Will James Small Be Able to Continue the Same Dominance with Chase Briscoe at Joe Gibbs Racing?

Now, it’s Chase Briscoe’s turn with Small at Joe Gibbs Racing in 2025, taking over Truex’s No. 19 Toyota. Briscoe’s got the credentials. He nabbed the Daytona 500 pole this year, though a modified spoiler penalty cost him points and Small a four-race ban. At JGR, the sky is the limit; it’s a team built on championships, with a legacy of drivers like Kyle Busch racking up wins. Briscoe’s move from Indiana to North Carolina for JGR’s intense culture flipped his life upside down, showing his all-in commitment.

Small’s handled high stakes before, turning Truex into a playoff regular despite hiccups like the 2019 Homestead tire blowout that cost them a shot. NASCAR’s a different beast, and one bad call, like a botched pit stop or setup tweak, and you’re out. Small’s got the tools: engineering chops, race-day instincts, and a knack for adapting to drivers. Briscoe’s younger, and hungrier than Truex was at the end, and their early chemistry could spark something big. Still, JGR expects titles, not just top-10s.

Small has set his own benchmark. “Anything less than seven wins feels like a failure,” he told the Athletic, sets a brutal pace for his future ambitious plans. The garage is watching, and so are we.

Small’s trek from Aussie circuits to NASCAR’s top rings serious bells. He’s a racer’s racer, not just a clipboard guy, and with Briscoe, he’s got a real chance to keep the No. 19 in Victory Lane. Only time will tell whether they rule the Cup Series or not.