Trackhouse Announces Shock Crew Chief Change

What’s Happening?

Trackhouse Racing has announced that veteran Crew Chief Phil Surgen will not return to Ross Chastain’s No. 1 team for 2026, with the team hiring Brandon McSwain to take over responsibilities this coming season.

• Surgen departs his role with Chastain as Trackhouse’s longest-tenured Crew Chief, having joined the team with Chastain as part of the team’s purchase of Chip Ganassi Racing in late 2021. While he is leaving the No. 1 team, Surgen will assume new duties within the organization.
• Together, Chastain and Surgen have accounted for six of the team’s all-time 14 wins, tied for the most with teammate Shane van Gisbergen. Prior to this, Surgen had called the shots for only two other drivers, Kyle Larson and Matt Kenseth, in 179 races with Chastain during the 2020 season.
• In his place, Brandon McSwain, known for his tenure as a race engineer on William Byron’s No. 24, is stepping into his first full-time Crew Chief role in the NASCAR Cup Series. Prior to this, McSwain last served as a Crew Chief for Byron in four NASCAR Xfinity Series races in 2024.
• McSwain will be one of at least two new Crew Chiefs at Trackhouse this season. Following Connor Zilisch’s promotion, the team is bringing in Randall Burnett from Richard Childress Racing to oversee the Rookie, while it appears Stephen Doran will likely retain his role with SVG.

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