Overview
- Trackhouse confirmed McSwain will take over the No. 1 Chevrolet starting with The Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium on February 1, 2026.
- Phil Surgen steps off the pit box after five seasons with Chastain and moves into a new role within the organization.
- McSwain joins from Hendrick’s No. 24 team after six years as a race engineer and occasional fill-in for crew chief Rudy Fugle.
- Chastain and Surgen produced six Cup wins together, including the 2025 Coca-Cola 600, after a 2022 run that nearly secured the title.
- The change is part of a broader 2026 reshuffle at Trackhouse, which also added Randall Burnett to lead rookie Connor Zilisch, drawing strong fan reaction online.