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JR Motorsports has provided an important piece of information ahead of the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series season. The organization has announced that Sam Mayer will drive the No. 1 entry during his first full-time season.
JRM quietly dropped the news in a press release focused on a different driver. The team announced that Noah Gragson will have a new crew chief in Luke Lambert for the 2022 season before adding in a section at the end of the release revealing that Mayer will drive the No. 1 Chevrolet. This little detail answered a question that has circulated since mid-August.
Mayer previously controlled the No. 8 during his part-time season in 2021 after taking over for Josh Berry. However, Berry will return to the No. 8 for his first full-time season in 2022, so Mayer will move to the number that Michael Annett vacated when he announced his retirement.
JRM Also Confirmed Mayer’s Crew Chief for 2022
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GettySam Mayer celebrates a Truck Series win.
Annett’s retirement and Berry’s return also created questions about the crew chief lineup for 2022. JRM provided the answer by announcing that Taylor Moyer will pair with Mayer once again.
The two worked together as Mayer made his Xfinity Series debut in 2021. They joined forces for 17 total races, resulting in six top-10 finishes and one top-five — a fourth-place run at Martinsville Speedway. Moyer also served as the crew chief for Miguel Paludo for three races, Dale Earnhardt Jr. for one, and Josh Berry for 12, resulting in a win at Martinsville Speedway.
The reunion with Moyer will only benefit Mayer as he prepares for his first full-time season in the Xfinity Series. He and the crew chief already have chemistry and will potentially be able to turn some late-season momentum into early production entering 2022.
Berry Will Join a New Crew Chief in 2022
GettyJosh Berry celebrates a win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
With Moyer joining Mayer, Berry will have to work with a new crew chief in 2022. He will join forces with Mike Bumgarner on a full-time basis after five races in the No. 1 Chevrolet.
Bumgarner made his return to the pit box in 2021 to serve as the crew chief for Annett. However, he worked with a variety of drivers due to Annett suffering a stress fracture to his right femur and undergoing surgery to repair the damage. Austin Dillon and Chase Elliott each made one start while Berry took over the No. 1 for five races.
The veteran from Tennessee achieved the most success during his time in the No. 1. Berry posted four top-10 finishes and two top-fives while working with Bumgarner. He also reached Victory Lane at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and led a one-two-three JR Motorsports finish.
The final stage featured a battle between JRM teammates. Justin Allgaier had the lead and what appeared to be a dominant car, but Berry jumped ahead of him during the final stage. He proceeded to build up a four-second lead with fewer than 50 laps remaining before heading in for a green-flag pit stop.
Allgaier took the lead once again after pitting three laps prior to Berry, but he did not maintain this advantage. The driver of the No. 1 took the lead once again and built up a 4.5-second lead before crossing the finish line for his second win of the season.
Berry and Bumgarner will now work together once again and pursue more trophies. However, these races will count in terms of playoff points as the driver of the No. 8 tries to reach the playoffs for the first time in his career.
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