Dave Elenz is making the move from the NASCAR Xfinity Series to the NASCAR Cup Series during the offseason to be Erik Jones’ crew chief on the #43 Richard Petty Motorsports team in 2022.
“In 2001, when I started in NASCAR, my goal was to contend for a NASCAR Cup Series championship-title as a crew chief,” Elenz said. “The past seven years at JR Motorsports has prepared me for the next chapter in my career. Working with champion-caliber drivers like William [Byron], Tyler [Reddick], and Noah [Gragson] has not only fueled my desire to move up to the next level, but has also prepared me to the fullest for that next step.”
Elenz was a crew chief at JR Motorsports in the Xfinity Series between 2015 and 2021, most recently working with driver Noah Gragson.
“I appreciate Noah’s support and encouragement on this decision,” Elenz said. “I have immense gratitude for everyone at JR Motorsports and Hendrick Motorsports and their continued support over the years. I cannot thank them enough. I am excited to start my next chapter with Erik and Richard Petty Motorsports.”
In 228 Xfinity Series races as a crew chief at JRM, Elenz won 15 times and led William Byron and Tyler Reddick to Xfinity Series championships in 2017 and 2018. Prior to his stint as an Xfinity crew chief, Elenz was an engineer for Hendrick Motorsports in the Cup Series and, in that position, was a part of the 2013 Cup Series championship won by Jimmie Johnson and the #48 HMS team.
“I have watched Dave’s career develop, and I have always been impressed with him as a person and as a competitor,” Richard Petty Motorsports Competition Director Philippe Lopez said. “As a race engineer, he has won races and a championship in the NASCAR Cup Series, and as a crew chief, he has won races and championships in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with a very diverse group of drivers. I am very excited to have him take on the role as crew chief for Richard Petty Motorsports as we rollout the Next Gen Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for the 2022 season.”
The 2022 season will be Elenz’s first as a Cup Series crew chief. The #43 team posted six top-10 finishes in 36 races in 2021, and Jones finished the season 24th in the driver standings.
