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Once the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series season ends, Josh Berry will need a new crew chief. Mike Bumgarner will take over as JR Motorsports’ director of competition after landing a promotion.
JR Motorsports announced the news on September 1. The team confirmed that the 47-year-old Bumgarner will exit the pit box and take on a role that is fairly familiar to him. He previously served as the race operations director for JR Motorsports from 2014 to 2020. Bumgarner will replace LW Miller, who currently serves as the interim director of competition.
“Mike knows JR Motorsports inside and out,” Miller said in a press release. “He’s very well respected in the building and within the garage and has an innate leadership quality that our group can rally around. With his level of experience, competitive focus and communication skills, it’s a natural transition for him.”
This update takes place after another significant change at JR Motorsports. The team and director of competition Ryan Pemberton announced on August 24 that they had mutually parted ways. One of the reasons was that Pemberton would be able to spend more time with his family.
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Berry & Bumgarner Have Achieved Success Together
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GettyJR Motorsports celebrates a win at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
The 2022 season, which was Berry’s first as a full-time Xfinity Series driver, has featured some celebrations. He and the No. 8 team captured two wins — one at Dover Motor Speedway and one at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Berry and Bumgarner also posted a total of nine top-five and 13 top-10 finishes while working together.
Berry is fifth in the championship standings with three races remaining in the regular season. He will have at least 22 bonus points entering the Round of 12, which should help him move through to the Round of Eight.
Along with the success in 2022, Berry and Bumgarner also turned heads during the 2021 Xfinity Series season. They joined forces at Las Vegas Motor Speedway while Berry served as an injury replacement for Michael Annet, and they celebrated in Victory Lane.
Bumgarner Has Extensive Experience on the Pit Box
GettyJosh Berry celebrates a win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
While Bumgarner spent several years as the race operations director, he also spent several years atop the pit box at both Hendrick Motorsports and JR Motorsports. He used these opportunities to work with a variety of drivers.
120 of these races were in the Xfinity Series. Bumgarner first served as the crew chief for Kyle Busch back in the 2007 season, and he celebrated four wins and 16 top-10 finishes in only 19 races. He also worked with Casey Mears, Mark Martin, Landon Cassill, and Adrian Fernandez during this busy season.
Following a six-year gap where he filled multiple roles, Bumgarner returned to the pit box. He guided numerous drivers to top-10 and top-five finishes, including Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kasey Kahne. Now he will take on a new role after helping Berry try to secure a spot in the championship four.
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