Ren departs KHI to pursue management opportunities

KERNERSVILLE, N.C. -- Kevin Harvick Inc has announced that Rick Ren, crew chief of the No. 33 truck driven by four-time Truck Series champion Ron Hornaday, has left the organization to pursue management opportunities within the sport.

Ren

"Ron [Hornaday] and Rick [Ren] have been a powerful combination the past few years in the Truck Series," KHI co-owner Kevin Harvick said. "With success comes opportunity and we wish him well in the next step of his career. We have put together a solid foundation with our Truck Series program from top to bottom.

"The guy behind the wheel is the catalyst of everything that has turned this into a championship-caliber team and I feel confident that our program will continue to be successful."

Harvick said an announcement regarding Hornaday's crew chief for 2010 could be expected as early as next week. Hornaday has won two of the past three Truck championships and is the first four-time champion (2009, 2007, 1998, 1996) in Truck Series' history.

NASCAR.COM's Dave Rodman says talk in the Truck Series garage near the end of the season positioned Ren with part-time Truck Series competitor Kyle Busch, who has considered launching his own Truck operation for more than a year.