Fresh off his 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship with Justin Allgaier, Crew Chief Jim Pohlman will make the jump to the NASCAR Cup Series with Richard Childress Racing and Kyle Busch in 2026.
On September 23, Trackhouse Racing announced the signing of veteran Crew Chief Randall Burnett to call the shots for 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year candidate Connor Zilisch in the coming season.
While this was a significant move for Trackhouse, it had repercussions for fellow Chevrolet team Richard Childress Racing, as Burnett, who had been with the team since 2020, was the current Crew Chief for Kyle Busch.
Nonetheless Richard Childress Racing has not wasted any time finding a new Crew Chief for Kyle Busch, signing 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series Champion Crew Chief Jim Pohlman to call the shots for the No. 8 team in 2026.
Pohlman, the Crew Chief for Justin Allgaier’s No. 7 at JR Motorsports since 2023, will finish out the season with Allgaier, as the two are pursuing their second consecutive series title.
For Busch, his team has already undergone a leadership change, with RCR removing Burnett from atop the pit box in exchange for Andy Street, who has served in a part-time capacity for RCR throughout the season.
Despite a hot start together, most figured the end of the Busch and Burnett combo was near for some time now.
For a second consecutive year, the No. 8 team has seen a decline in performance, with Busch’s average finish dropping from 18.3 to 18.5, and his average starting spot taking a more significant decline from 16.9 to 18.5. At the same time, he currently has a career-low two top-five finishes.
While fans point the finger at everyone from Busch to Burnett to RCR, the team likely needs a hard reset, something that inadvertently occurred when Burnett departed for Trackhouse.
Now, Pohlman joins the team with a career record of nine wins and three consecutive playoff appearances at JRM. Though he has the Xfinity Series numbers to back up his promotion, it will be worthwhile to see how Pohlman performs with Busch in the NASCAR Next Gen Car.
Furthermore, there is a reality that this pairing may only last one season, as Busch will once again be on a contract year with RCR after re-signing with the team earlier this year.
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