 |
| Letarte (R) will depart at season's end |
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. will
have a new crew chief in 2015.
GodfatherMotorsports.com has
learned that crew chief Steve Letarte will relinquish his spot atop the No. 88
team’s pit box at season’s end to accept a new position as a television analyst
with NBC and NBC Sports Network, beginning in 2015. Multiple sources say Letarte
will join Rick Allen and driver Jeff Burton in the broadcast booth for the final 20 races of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season,
as well as the final 19 NASCAR Nationwide Series events. The network also holds
rights to select NASCAR Regional Racing Series events, Mexico's NASCAR Toyota
Series, the annual NASCAR Hall of Fame induction ceremony and various post-season
awards banquets.
Letarte has served
as crew chief for NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver since 2011, with one win, 24
Top-5 and 54 Top-10 finishes in 106 starts. Earnhardt finished fifth in the NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series championship standings last season, despite failing to win a
race. He recorded Top-5 finishes in five of the final eight races and is
expected to challenge for the 2014 title.
An official
announcement of Letarte’s new position is expected this week in Daytona Beach,
Fla., where NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams are scheduled to test tomorrow.
Reached for comment today, Letarte said, “I will be the crew chief for the No.
88 Chevrolet in in 2014. That’s all I know right now.”
WTH????
ReplyDeleteThats not Good you don't give jobs like this up with out being pushed out. Something feels REALLY Strange about this Hendrick doesn't really let people go!
ReplyDeleteExactly..there is more to this story.
DeleteNO Steve!!!! Please don't go! Please!!!!
ReplyDeleteSeriously? This has got to be a bad joke?!?!?!
ReplyDeleteI agree...something is up!
DeleteCongrats to Steve Letarte. I'm sure it's extremely stressful to be the crew chief of the most overrated male driver in the history of NASCAR.
ReplyDelete+1 !
DeleteWe all have opinions!
DeleteIf ur not a JR fan , why are u worried about it? Right..... I know a jimmy fan when I see one! Lmao
Deletesounds like some one is jealous of jrs fame !!!
DeleteWow. This is a total shocker.
ReplyDeleteI have an inside scoop on this...its all about Steve wanting to spend more time with his family as he is a family man...nothing to do with mr H or anything like that..he has young kids and life as a crew chief is an all in job...
ReplyDeleteFrom pumping gas at Wiscasset Speedway with his dad and now the TV booth. Nice to see him progress.
ReplyDeleteLove that track. To bad they didn't run there more
DeleteCongrats to Steve, he does a great job the few times I've heard him on the radio with The Bagman and Pistol Pete. Plus, it's a lot of stress as a crew chief and he may get to spend more time with his family.
ReplyDeleteHad heard this as a rumor a while ago. Steve has young children and this gives him time to be with them. He will do fine with Rick and Jeff. I like the trio.
ReplyDeleteHe has a better chance of getting in vicyory lane as a broadcaster!
ReplyDeleteThis is a bummer..seemed they "clicked" as a team. Don't worry JR NATION..Dale Jr will overcome !! just a minor setback !!!!!!
ReplyDeleteWow, I thought the two of them were great for each other, we have this year and will WIN the Cup.
ReplyDeleteWow I thought they were great together well we have to win the cup and are going to this year.
ReplyDeleteFloored...
ReplyDeleteLooks like Chad may be making a move!
DeleteNooooooooo! They work so well together snd seem so close to being consistent winners.
ReplyDeleteWTH, GOOD FOR HIM AS LONG AS HE GIVES HIS ALL THIS YEAR, HAVE A GREAT YEAR, JR IN THE RUNNING FOR A CHAMPIONSHIP.
ReplyDeleteagree with Linuxed!!! absolutely FLOORED!!!!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Tom and Christine. There's more to this story! My feeling is that planning is/was already underway for a new crew chief for Jr. in 2015.
ReplyDeleteA fantastic blog with a lot of useful information. I would love to get updates from you. Keep blogging. All the best.
ReplyDelete