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Trent Owens will serve as crew chief for JTG Daugherty Racing‘s new No. 37 Chevrolet team and driver Chris Buescher this year in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.
A spokesperson for JTG Daugherty confirmed the news Monday afternoon. The personnel move was first reported by Motorsport.com.
Owens, who will celebrate his 42nd birthday on Wednesday, most recently oversaw Aric Almirola‘s efforts in the Richard Petty Motorsports No. 43 Ford. That partnership netted the first premier series victory for both driver and crew chief at Daytona International Speedway in 2014, their first year together.
A decline in performance last season led to restructuring at RPM last fall, when Drew Blickensderfer replaced Owens as the No. 43 crew chief. The Richard Petty-owned organization will compete as a single-car team this season and indicated its intentions to return to a two-car operation in 2018.
Owens’ arrival shores up one of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series’ newest teams. JTG Daugherty announced its expansion to a two-car outfit on Nov. 29, adding Buescher as a teammate to AJ Allmendinger through an arrangement with Roush Fenway Racing.
Buescher, 24, was the only Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate to win a race last season, lifting Front Row Motorsports to an upset victory at Pocono Raceway in a fog-shortened race last August.
Owens has visited Victory Lane five times as a crew chief with five different drivers in the NASCAR XFINITY Series. One of those wins was with James Buescher — Chris’ cousin — in the 2012 season opener at Daytona. Owens has also shared XFINITY victory laurels with Dave Blaney, Mark Martin, Reed Sorenson and Nelson Piquet Jr.