Getty Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will have a new crew chief in 2023.
JTG Daugherty Racing will undergo a change for 2023. The NASCAR Cup Series team will have a new crew chief on the No. 47 pit box after Brian Pattie’s departure.
Kyle Busch Motorsports announced on November 9 that Pattie would take over as the No. 51 team’s crew chief. Shortly thereafter, JTG Daugherty Racing announced that Mike Kelley will become Ricky Stenhouse JR.‘s crew chief for the 2023 season. The two previously worked together both in the Xfinity Series and during the 2014 Cup Series season.
“Brian and I accomplished a lot together and won two Cup races [at Roush Fenway Racing] and that’s not easy in this sport,” Stenhouse said in a press release. “I’m grateful for our friendship and wish him well in his endeavors. Mike and I and the team will continue our preparations this offseason and be ready for the new year with our Kroger Racing partners.”
Stenhouse & Kelley Achieved Major Success Together
GettyMike Kelley (left) guided Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (right) to multiple wins.
The 2023 season will only mark the latest chapter in this working relationship. Kelley and Stenhouse have spent multiple seasons together, both at Roush Fenway Racing and JTG Daugherty Racing.
The two most successful seasons were 2011 and 2012 when they were both at Roush Fenway Racing. Kelley was Stenhouse’s crew chief in the Xfinity Series, and he guided the Mississippi native to eight total wins. They ended both seasons as champions.
“It’s been a little bit, but those championships with Ricky mean the world to me,” Kelley said in a press release. “It proves that a team can dream, work hard, and execute to reach the top. When you believe, it’s amazing what you can accomplish.”
Kelley has worked with Stenhouse for 12 seasons of his career while pursuing wins in both the Xfinity Series and Cup Series. Now this partnership will continue at JTG Daugherty Racing during the 2023 season.
Kelley Has Worked With a Variety of Drivers
GettyMike Kelley (right) has celebrated multiple wins across the national series.
While Kelley has extensive experience working with Stenhouse, he has also spent considerable time with other drivers. For example, he guided Trevor Bayne, Carl Edwards, and David Ragan to wins in the Xfinity Series.
Kelley has also celebrated a Cup Series championship while working in a different role. He was the car chief for Kurt Busch for multiple years, which included 11 Cup Series wins. Kelley was the car chief on the No. 97 Ford when Busch won the 2004 championship.
I was fortunate to work with @KurtBusch , those 3 seasons we won a lot of races and a cup championship. Every single day I woke up, I knew we would have a shot! He’s an amazing wheelman! True friend! Wish him well! Champ!
Kelley will now serve as Stenhouse’s crew chief once again as the veteran driver aims to build on his momentum from 2022. The driver of the No. 47 posted five top-10 finishes — his most since 2018 — while adjusting to the Next Gen car. He did not win any races, but he made history for JTG Daugherty Racing by securing four consecutive top-10 finishes.
Stenhouse has plans to win races for JTG Daugherty Racing, and he will pursue this goal while working with Kelley once again. He will also move forward with the knowledge that he is driving on a multi-year extension instead of one that only covers the 2023 season.