Crew chief Chad Knaus will remain at Hendrick Motorsports through at least 2020, he confirmed Saturday at Kentucky Speedway.
The seven-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion crew chief with Jimmie Johnson, whose contract was set to expire at the end of the 2018 season, has signed a two-year to stay with the No. 48 Chevrolet team.
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“We have signed for two more years,” Knaus said. “That lines me up with Jimmie and Jimmie’s contract. That is nice to be in that same space as him.”
While there were questions surrounding whether or not Knaus would re-up — predominantly because of the longest winless drought of Johnson’s career that the group currently is in — Knaus said not signing was never really a thought.
“No, not really. Obviously, Jimmie and I have a, although going through a bit of a slump right now, we have a great time racing together,” he said. “We have a long relationship and enjoyed everything 48. So, no not really. It was pretty easy.”
Johnson signed a three-year extension last year. In their 17th season together, Knaus and Johnson are the longest-tenured crew chief-driver duo in the Monster Energy Series garage.