Stewart-Haas Racing announced on January 4 that Aric Almirola would have a new crew chief after two NASCAR Cup Series seasons with Mike Bugarewicz. One day later, Drew Blickensderfer explained his decision to join the organization and don the SHR shirt after three years with Front Row Motorsports.
Blickensderfer spoke to Danielle Trotta and Larry McReynolds after joining SHR and provided some context about his decision. He explained that he helped Front Row Motorsports make some big improvements during his three seasons with the team and that he enjoyed that opportunity. However, there was a major factor that led to his move to SHR.
ICYMI: @drewblick joined @DanielleTrotta & @LarryMac28 on #SXMOnTrack and said he couldn’t pass up this new opportunity with @StewartHaasRcng.
“At my age and my commitment to the sport and everything that I have going on, I want to be with a team that can compete,” Blickensderfer said during his appearance. “That was goal No. 1, and when that opportunity presented itself, it was pretty easy.”
Blickensderfer will now have the opportunity to pursue more wins with an organization that has accounted for 66 Cup Series wins and two Cup Series championships — Tony Stewart in 2011 and Kevin Harvick in 2014.
Blickensderfer Has Achieved Success With Multiple Drivers
GettyDrew Blickensderfer has reached Victory Lane four times in the Cup Series.
Almirola’s new crew chief has a considerable amount of experience at the Cup Series level considering that he has sat atop the pit box for 381 races. He has also achieved success with multiple drivers at a variety of organizations.
Blickensderfer first reached Victory Lane during the 2009 season, his first at the Cup Series level. He guided Matt Kenseth to wins at the Daytona 500 and the Auto Club 500 in the first two weeks of the season. The duo didn’t win again in 2009, but they ended the year 14th in points for Roush.
Blickensderfer added two more wins before making his most recent move to SHR. He guided David Ragan and the No. 6 team to a win at Daytona International Speedway in 2011 and Michael McDowell to a Daytona 500 win in 2021.
Along with his four wins, Blickensderfer also helped eight total drivers combine for 63 top-10 finishes and 24 top-fives. The ninth driver, Billy Johnson, finished 22nd in his lone start with Blickensderfer as his crew chief.
Almirola & Blickensderfer Will Earn Extra Attention at Certain Tracks
GettyAric Almirola celebrates a win at Talladega Superspeedway.
Almirola is fresh off a season in which he won his third career race — New Hampshire Motor Speedway on July 18 — and reached the playoffs. Now he will partner with a crew chief who has success at superspeedways.
Three of Blickensderfer’s wins in the Cup Series have taken place at Daytona International Speedway, including two Daytona 500s. Two of Almirola’s victories have taken place at superspeedways. He won at Daytona in 2014 while driving for Richard Petty Motorsports and at Talladega Superspeedway in 2018 while driving for SHR.
Almirola has an average finishing position of 19.5 at superspeedways and 18.2 at intermediate tracks, so there is no guarantee that he will immediately contend for wins at the majority of tracks. Though there will be a benefit from pairing with a crew chief that has multiple wins at superspeedways.
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Drew Blickensderfer Explains Decision to Join SHR