Nascar

Hendrick engineer to become Ross Chastain’s new crew chief in 2026

There will be a change atop the pit box for the No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet next season. Brandon McSwain, who has worked as an engineer for the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports team for the past six years, will replace Phil Surgen.

Chastain has worked with Surgen since the 2021 season when he still drove for Chip Ganassi Racing, and has won all six of his Cup races with the same crew chief. The duo nearly won the 2022 Cup Series championship, and most recently earned a crown jewel victory in the 2025 Coca-Cola 600. 

They made the playoffs in three of the last four years, and ended the 2025 season tenth in the final championship standings.

Surgen will transition to a new role within the organization, per Trackhouse.

McSwain has limited crew chief experience, filling in for Rudy Fugle at HMS on a few occasions. The No. 24 Chevrolet of Byron has made it all the way to the Championship 4 in the last three consecutive years.

This continues a trend at Trackhouse as they continue to make internal changes, including crew member swaps and a new president of racing operations. The organization has struggled overall this year in comparison to previous seasons, excluding the dominance of Shane van Gisbergen on road and street courses.

McSwain was also a part of JR Motorsports before joining Hendrick, and was a member of the 2017 and 2018 championship-winning team with Byron and then Tyler Reddick.

Photos from Phoenix – Race

Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

WWE announcer Alicia Taylor

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Joey Logano, Team Penske Ford

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Jordan Davis

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Kyle Busch, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Darren Criss 

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Joey Logano, Team Penske Ford

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Honorary starter, Hannah Stocking

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

WWE announcer Alicia Taylor

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Honorary pace car driver Sophie Cunningham

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Ross Chastain, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Jordan Davis

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Bubba Wallace, 23XI Racing Toyota

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Honorary starter, Hannah Stocking

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

General view

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Austin Dillon, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, Ryan Preece, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford, Austin Cindric, Team Penske Ford

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

General view

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Bubba Wallace, 23XI Racing Toyota, John Hunter Nemechek, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Toyota

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Jeff Andrews, President and General Manager at Hendrick Motorsports

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Track action

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Michael McDowell, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet, Cole Custer, Haas Factory Team Ford

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Crew chief Chris Gayle, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Hendrick Motorsports crew member

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Carson Hocevar, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

General view

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

AJ Allmendinger, Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

John Hunter Nemechek, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Toyota

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Austin Cindric, Team Penske Ford, Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, Ross Chastain, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet, Josh Berry, Wood Brothers Racing Ford

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Daniel Suarez, Trackhouse Chevrolet

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Crew chief James Small

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Ross Chastain, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

A crew member of Joe Gibbs Racing

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford, Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

John Hunter Nemechek, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Toyota

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Chase Briscoe tire failure, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Crew chief Cliff Daniels, Hendrick Motorsports

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Noah Gragson, Front Row Motorsports Ford

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet and his wife, Katelyn Larson

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet sons, Cooper Larson and Owen Larson and daughter Audrey Larson

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Crew chief Cliff Daniels, Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Crew chief Cliff Daniels, Joey Logano, Team Penske Ford, Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet and Hendrick Motorsport team owner, Rick Hendrick

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, and hiswife, Katelyn Larson

Phoenix – Sunday, in photos

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