Trackhouse Racing has announced that Brandon McSwain, currently an engineer at Hendrick Motorsports, will step in as Ross Chastain’s new crew chief for the No. 1 Chevrolet starting in the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season. The decision to bring in a new leader for Chastain’s team comes as part of an evolving internal structure at Trackhouse, aiming to invigorate the squad after a challenging year, and marks a significant shift for the race team and the Ross Chastain new crew chief dynamic.
Brandon McSwain Steps In at Trackhouse
Brandon McSwain has spent the past six seasons serving as an engineer for the No. 24 team at Hendrick Motorsports. Now, he will take over for outgoing crew chief Phil Surgen atop the pit box of the No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet. This move will see Chastain working with a fresh crew chief for the first time since 2021, a period during which he and Surgen formed a successful partnership.
Successes and Changes for Chastain and Surgen
Ross Chastain and Phil Surgen began their professional relationship in the 2021 season when Chastain was racing for Chip Ganassi Racing. Together, they secured all six of Chastain’s current Cup Series wins. The duo’s chemistry nearly carried them to a Cup Series championship in 2022, and they most recently achieved a notable victory by claiming the title at the 2025 Coca-Cola 600. The pairing reached the playoffs three times in the past four years and wrapped up the 2025 season ranked tenth in the championship standings. Trackhouse Racing has confirmed that Surgen will be transitioning into a new position within the organization after his successful run at the top.
McSwain’s Experience and Recent Team Struggles
Although McSwain’s time as an acting crew chief has been limited, he has occasionally filled in for Rudy Fugle at HMS and brings valuable experience from key playoff runs. William Byron’s No. 24 Chevrolet, which McSwain helped engineer, has performed admirably—making the Championship 4 for three years in a row. McSwain’s career also features a stint at JR Motorsports, where he contributed to the organization’s 2017 and 2018 championship victories with drivers Byron and Tyler Reddick.
The promotion of McSwain comes amid an ongoing period of organizational change at Trackhouse. Internal shakeups, including a new president of racing operations and crew member realignments, have been implemented in an effort to address recent underperformance from the team, outside of the standout road and street course success delivered by Shane van Gisbergen this season.
Looking Ahead for Trackhouse and Chastain
Brandon McSwain’s appointment as the Ross Chastain new crew chief signals a notable shift for both the No. 1 team and Trackhouse itself. The team hopes that fresh insight and new leadership atop the pit box will help return them to their previous form after a lackluster year. With Chastain seeking to build on his past playoff qualifications and memorable victories, the impact of McSwain’s leadership will be closely watched as the 2026 season approaches, especially in the context of ongoing changes within Trackhouse Racing and the wider Cup Series.
