Erwin replaces Tryson atop pit box for Roush's No. 16

CONCORD, N.C. -- Roush Fenway Racing announced Wednesday that Greg Erwin has replaced Pat Tryson as crew chief of the team's No. 16 Nextel Cup entry.

"We obviously weren't performing at a level at which Jack expected and a change was made," said Greg Biffle, driver of the No. 16 Ford.

Erwin most recently was the crew chief at Robby Gordon Motorsports for the No. 7 Nextel Cup entry. Prior to the two years at Robby Gordon Motorsports, Erwin spent seven years as an engineer at Richard Childress Racing and Chip Ganassi Racing.

Gene Nead has been hired as Gordon's new crew chief.

"I feel that this is one of the top crew chief opportunities in the Nextel Cup garage," Erwin said. "If you could paint a picture of where you would like to go as a crew chief to give it a shot to win and compete for a championship, this is it. I am also excited about the backing of the engineering department at Roush and the resources they offer.

"The fact that Greg Biffle is the driver was a factor that weighed heavily on my decision. He is a straight forward kind of guy and I look forward to working with him."

Chris Andrews, current Engineering Manager at Roush Fenway Racing, will serve as interim crew chief for Greg Biffle and the No. 16 entry this weekend. Erwin will serve as an advisor on the pit box during Sunday's Coca-Cola 600 before officially taking over crew chief duties on Tuesday.