Jimmie Johnson discusses his mid-race pit crew change in 2010
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MORE: Harvick, Stewart swap pit crews
CHICAGO -- Kevin Harvick says the members of his pit crew that were switched to finish out the season with teammate and Stewart-Haas Racing co-owner Tony Stewart will get better with time.
But with NASCAR's Chase for the Sprint Cup beginning this weekend at Chicagoland Speedway, time wasn't on Harvick's, or the team's side.
SHR officials announced earlier this week that it had made personnel moves between two of its four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series outfits, swapping the majority of over-the-wall crewmen between Harvick's No. 4 and Stewart's No. 14 teams.
Harvick, despite winning twice this season and finishing second five times, had said repeatedly that problems on pit road would have to be addressed if the team hoped to contend for a championship.
When he was beaten off pit road repeatedly last week at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway, those comments took on an added urgency.
"They do perform well," Harvick said of his now former crew Thursday during media day in downtown Chicago. "They just have to work on the consistency, and a lot of that consistency will come with time.
"The 14 group has been fortunate to be together for a long time and have been through the championship stuff. My guys are going to do great, they just need time to go through all the situations that all these pit crews that have been together for a long time have seen … pit hoses getting stepped on and tires get hung and lug nuts fall off."
Harvick and teammate Kurt Busch are among the 16 drivers in this year's Chase field. Stewart and Danica Patrick did not earn one of the positions.
"I think everybody talked about it and felt like this was the right thing to do for now with the opportunity that we have," Harvick said. "Give those guys a little time to hopefully get Tony to Victory Lane and be competitive, (still) be in the same environment and do all the same things."
Harvick, who joined SHR following the 2013 season, is still searching for his first Sprint Cup title. He has finished a career-best third three times (2010, '11 and '13).
Changing personnel late in the season isn't unheard of -- six-time champion Jimmie Johnson got a different crew in the middle of a race at Texas Motor Speedway during the 2010 Chase, en route to his fifth consecutive championship.
"It's tough and it really tests the strength of the team and really the team dynamic," Johnson said. "We stressed to one another that we're one team, one family. That's the biggest test -- if you all buy in and if you all believe.
"We proved it (could) be done, so I'm not saying that it can't, but it will test all those members to the core. And only time will tell how it will play out."
Harvick said he understands that there might be some hard feelings but given time, he hopes those affected by the move understand what the organization is trying to accomplish.
"It won't be immediately understood," he said, "but I think you have to look at both sides of it, understand where we are and what you have to do.
"It was a tough decision for everybody to make; you just have to do what you think is right and go forward."
The new members of Harvick's pit crew are tire changers Ira Jo Hussey and Daniel Smith, tire carriers Todd Drakulich and Mike Morneau as well as jackman Mike Casto.
Sunday's MyAFibStory.com 400 (ESPN, 2 p.m. ET) kicks off this year's 10-race Chase.
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