Kyle Busch gets new crew chief for 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season

MARTINSVILLE, VIRGINIA – OCTOBER 26: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M’s Halloween Toyota, stands by his car during practice for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series First Data 500 at Martinsville Speedway on October 26, 2019 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images)

by: Sam Atwell

Posted: Nov 18, 2020 / 05:23 PM CST

Updated: Nov 18, 2020 / 05:23 PM CST

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HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. – Kyle Busch will be working with a new crew chief in 2021 after only winning one race in 2020.

Busch was the series champion in 2019, hoping to build on that success in 2020, it just did not happen. Bush did not get his first win until the fall race in Texas and he only had 14 top five finishes.

With that season finish in mind, Joe Gibbs Racing announced that Ben Beshore will be the crew chief for the No. 18 Toyota. Beshore previously served as the engineer for the team. In 2019 Beshore was a crew chief in the Xfinity Series.

Adam Stevens will move from the No. 18 team and will now lead the No. 20 team and driver Christopher Bell.

“We go through a process at the conclusion of every season that includes evaluating each of our teams,” said Joe Gibbs, owner of Joe Gibbs Racing. “We believe our crew chief lineup for 2021 will best position each team and driver for success across both series.”

In addition, JGR announced changes to their NASCAR Xfinity Series program. Jason Ratcliff will return to the organization as crew chief for the No. 20 Toyota driver by Harrison Burton, while Dave Rogers will work with newly named JGR driver Daniel Hemric in the No. 18 Toyota. Jeff Meendering will continue to serve as the crew chief with Brandon Jones, who returns behind the wheel of the No. 19 Toyota.