Veteran crew chief Drew Blickensderfer will no longer call shots for Noah Gragson in the No. 4 Ford Mustang, as he is now all set to become the Competition Director for Front Row Motorsports. As reported by Joseph Srigley on Friday, January 9, the NASCAR Cup Series team will welcome Grant Hutchens to serve as the crew chief for Gragson in 2026.
Blickensderfer, who has been a crew chief in the Cup arena for more than 15 years, will work alongside Technical Director Seth Barbour throughout the 2026 season. To this day, the man has picked four wins as a crew chief, and that includes a pair of Daytona 500 sweeps (2009, 2021).
On the other hand, Hutchens began his career as a race engineer for Evernham Motorsports and has worked with championship-winning teams like Richard Childress Racing and Team Penske. Most recently, he was appointed as the lead race engineer for Wood Brothers Racing in 2024.
FRM has also rostered Jonathan DeHart as its new Aerodynamics Manager. Per reports, DeHart has previously been the IndyCar Aero Car Chief for GM Racing and the Body Production Manager for Hendrick Motorsports.
“We are very fortunate, and I am extremely excited to add experienced, talented people like Grant and Jonathan to leadership roles in the organization”, Front Row Motorsports team owner, Bob Jenkins, said in a statement. “With the inclusion of our Truck Series teams, we operate full-time teams, and I’m equally as excited to have Drew turn his attention to providing direction and guidance to our crew chiefs and competition group as a whole.”
The changes to the team’s 2026 campaign will go into effect immediately. All eyes are on the 68th Daytona 500, which is scheduled for February 15, starting at 2:30 pm ET. Fans can watch the race on FOX, or listen to live radio updates on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
“Most punchable face”-Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain takes a playful dig at Noah Gragson
NASCAR fans will surely remember the heated exchange between Trackhouse Racing drivers Ross Chastain and Noah Gragson. The two butted heads following a regular-season points race at Kansas Speedway back in May 2023.
The viral pit road fracas started with a shove and resulted in Chastain right-hooking Gragson just moments later. While appearing on the Dinner with Racers podcast last month, Chastain reflected on what is still regarded as the “Punchgate” incident.
When asked why he decided to punch Noah Gragson, Chastain grinned,
“He has got the most punchable face.”
It appears that there were no hard feelings between the drivers even after the famous pit road incident. They buried the hatchet the next day when they met at the gym.
“We were actually in the gym the next morning, Monday morning, shook hands, and worked out together. That’s so great about guys. We didn’t hold a grudge,” Chastain added.
Noah Gragson spent the 2025 season winless, bagging one top five and three top-10s. Chastain, on the other hand, won a race and picked four top fives and 12 top-10s. Next up for the drivers is the Cook Out Clash at the iconic Bowman Gray Stadium on February 1, 2026.
Read more
Kyle Busch, Mark Martin, Richard Petty Pay Emotional Tributes After The Death of Denny Hamlin’s Father in a Devastating House Fire“No Riley?”: Fans React As 23XI Drops Major 2026 Sponsorship Announcement for Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in college football, men’s college basketball, women’s college basketball, and college baseball!
