Ryan Blaney left a blazing trail of success stories in last year’s races. He left fans starry-eyed as he steered into Victory Lane at the Cup Series Championship. He was crowned as the Series winner while maintaining a two-year winning streak for Team Penske. His tale of glory carries behind it a backstory of work and sweat. Along with his efforts, Blaney was greatly aided by his crew personnel. Then at the end of the 2023 season, NASCAR announced several changes for the upcoming season.

They conducted short-track testing for aerodynamic and technical changes, like new diffusers and mufflers. Along with this came significant crew shuffles. Many drivers, including Ryan Blaney, are slated to race in 2024 with new spotters.

Ryan Blaney may need to adjust to new personnel at the Daytona 500

Ryan Blaney’s long-time spotter, Josh Williams, will be spotting Zane Smith under Spire Motorsports. Williams steered Blaney through 10 wins in his glittering career. Former NASCAR driver Tim Fedewa, who recently worked with Cup driver Kevin Harvick, will be filling Williams’ shoes. Following the change, how does Blaney’s season look? 

In a recent episode of Dirty Mo Dough, a weekly sports gambling podcast, Steve Letarte and the Professor analyzed Blaney’s odds of winning the Daytona with the new crew. The Professor pointed out Blaney’s expertise in utilizing the skill of drafting in races like the Talladega. “He’s finished top two in 30% of the last 21 races on drafting tracks, with four wins.”

However, Letarte quickly observed that Blaney attained all the statistical wins with the same spotter. For the first time in 9 years, Blaney will face the racetracks while listening to the instructions of another spotter.

Letarte validated Blaney’s superb driving skills and the prowess of his car, the No. 12 Ford Mustang Dark Horse. But he underlined the significance of the last lap, where driver-spotter communication is crucial. He said, “The last one mile. Forget the other 499…cannot be practiced. It cannot be scripted. It is the most beautiful chaos you’ve ever seen in your life and you only get one chance to wiggle right or wiggle left. That’s kinda it.”

Steve Letarte further pointed out the three races where driver-spotter rapport is crucial, citing Daytona, Talladega and Atlanta. “Daytona, Talladega, and Atlanta are the three of the top where the information from on top of the roof is…there’s still only one guy driving it, but the decisions that are made are reactions to the stream of information that he’s getting. The spotter’s one of those major streams of information.”

Drivers other than Blaney have also changed their crew ahead of the 2024 season.

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Major crew overhaul for NASCAR drivers

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Spotters play a crucial role in determining racers’ overall performance on the track. Hence, it is important to see which drivers will be facing the 2024 season with new pairs of eyes. Eddie D’hondt recently shifted gears with Chase Elliott, having worked with the latter since 2017. Now Elliott will be working with his cousin Trey Poole as his new spotter.

Similarly, Michael Fisher, who used to spot Brad Keselowski, will spot Michael McDowell.

Tony Raines will be joining hands with Ryan Preece for his No. 41 Car. It is a milestone for Raines who will shift from Xfinity to Cup in this spotter shuffle.

Fans can expect an unpredictable racing season for 2024. As we head toward the races, drivers and their spotters are surely working hard to put up a grand show.

Read More: Daytona Favorite Ryan Blaney on a Mission to “Replicate” Dream 2023 Season After Embracing Nascar’s Ambassador Role