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America’s Crew Chief is heading back to the pit box for a one-off race. FOX Sports analyst Larry McReynolds has announced that he will return to his former role at Talladega Superspeedway while serving as the crew chief of the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Xfinity Series team.
McReynolds made the announcement on April 17 ahead of the Food City Dirt Race at Bristol Motor Speedway. He confirmed that he will serve as the crew chief for Jeffrey Earnhardt at Talladega Superspeedway on April 23. McReynolds also clarified that he had never officially retired from his role as a crew chief before transitioning to the next part of his career. He simply took a “really long” sabbatical after the 2000 season, which lasted until early 2022.
“Next Saturday for the Xfinity Series race, Richard Childress has asked me to come back, sit on the box as a crew chief for the 3 car at Talladega and Jeffrey Earnhardt,” McReynolds told Jamie Little. “Think about it, 25 years ago I was his grandfather’s crew chief. We ran second in the Cup race in the spring of 1997. So, I’m back on the box! I’m not the guest analyst, but I’m back on the box.”
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McReynolds Celebrated Multiple Superspeedway Wins
The return of America’s Crew Chief at Talladega Superspeedway is fitting considering the success that he achieved during his time atop the pit box. He guided drivers to 23 points-paying Cup Series wins, including three at superspeedways.
Davey Allison and McReynolds celebrated in Victory Lane 11 times, including after the 1992 Daytona 500 and the 1992 Winston 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. They also captured wins at Richmond Raceway, Phoenix Raceway, Sonoma Raceway, and Charlotte Motor Speedway among other tracks.
McReynolds’ other superspeedway win took place when he worked with a seven-time NASCAR champion. He guided Dale Earnhardt to the only Daytona 500 win of his career at the start of the 1998 season. The Intimidator achieved a career-long goal, and McReynolds celebrated his 23rd win as a crew chief.
Talladega Superspeedway Will Feature Historic Moments
The return of McReynolds to the pit box will only be one of the historic moments at Talladega Superspeedway. He will also oversee the pairing of an iconic number and a legendary surname, one with which he is very familiar.
Richard Childress Racing announced on April 12 that the Xfinity Series would see the return of the No. 3 Chevrolet. The championship-winning organization added that a member of the Earnhardt family would be back in control of the number while pursuing a win at Talladega Superspeedway.
Earnhardt will bring back the black No. 3 while making his Richard Childress Racing debut. However, he won’t have silver and red as his accent colors. Instead, Earnhardt will have a black and green stock car while working with ForeverLawn as his primary partner.
McReynolds and Earnhardt will partner for the first time on Saturday, April 23, at Talladega Superspeedway. They will compete in the AG-Pro 300 at 4 p.m. ET. FS1 will provide coverage as McReynolds makes his return to the pit box.
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