Outgoing Hendrick Motorsports Figure Reveals Why his Team Poached Rival NASCAR Crew Chief

For the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season, a familiar face will be missing in the paddock. As it turns out, #48 Hendrick Motorsports crew chief Greg Ives, is retiring. The 42-year-old has been part of the Hendrick stable for nearly a decade. So his departure is pretty much the end of an era. Fortunately, HMS have thought ahead and have his successor lined to to partner Alex Bowman next year.

This successor is none other than the #34 Front Row Motorsports crew chief, Blake Harris. Admittedly, this does leave Michael McDowell high and dry, because he has no crew chief. On the other hand, Front Row Motorsports has yet to confirm their drivers for the 2023 NASCAR Cup season. Though if we’re being honest, McDowell will most likely be back.

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Why did the departing Hendrick Motorsports crew chief choose Harris?

As it happens, Ives felt that it was his duty to leave Bowman with a parting gift. Namely a crew chief who could “take him to the next level”. He said, “There’s a lot of things that you can look at, whether it’s experience, whether it’s an engineer, whether they‘ve got a great personality or a leader. Ultimately, I think that all gets wrapped up in one word, and that’s called a racer. Anybody who eats sleeps, breathes, grows up in this sport, most of them have those qualities.”

He continued, “The determination to get to the Cup level as a crew chief is a hard feat in itself. That‘s kind of what I saw in Blake. He’s a racer. Ultimately, names are just there. It’s character that’s usually what you see and those types of qualities. So, for me, it came down to those, right? Being a racer, being somebody who can put the time, energy, the work that it requires to be successful in this sport.”

Now, Ives will be looking forward to his retirement and spending time with his family. Meanwhile, Alex Bowman will look forward to linking up with Harris for the upcoming season.

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