Front Row Motorsports personnel changes have been revealed, with the team announcing staffing shifts ahead of the 2024 NASCAR season. On Friday, the organization confirmed that Grant Hutchens will become the new crew chief for Noah Gragson and the No. 4 team, taking over from Drew Blickensderfer as part of a broader internal reorganization.
Grant Hutchens Steps In as Gragson’s Crew Chief
Grant Hutchens is set to guide Noah Gragson throughout the upcoming campaign, stepping into a significant leadership role in place of Drew Blickensderfer, who will now serve as Front Row Motorsports’ Competition Director. Hutchens brings experience from previous Cup races, having worked with drivers like Brad Keselowski and Austin Cindric at Team Penske, and with Harrison Burton at Wood Brothers. Despite holding a Cup crew chief role for only nine races from 2021 to 2024, Hutchens is tasked with turning around the No. 4 team’s fortunes.
Additional Staff Changes at Front Row
Alongside Hutchens, Seth Barbour will remain the team’s Technical Director, providing engineering support and continuity. Jonathan DeHart joins the group as Aerodynamics Manager, filling a new role designed to strengthen the technical and performance aspects of Front Row Motorsports’ operations in the Cup series.
Reviewing Last Season’s Performance
Drew Blickensderfer, a two-time Daytona 500-winning crew chief, transitions to his new position after a tough season for the No. 4 team. Noah Gragson found limited success, ending the year 34th in the points standings, with one top-five and three top-ten results. Teammates Todd Gilliland and Zane Smith finished slightly higher, ranking 27th and 28th respectively. Gragson’s standout race was at Talladega, where he secured a fourth-place finish. The only full-time drivers that finished below Gragson were Riley Herbst and Cody Ware, underscoring the challenging year for the team.
Implications for the Upcoming NASCAR Season
With these recent Front Row Motorsports personnel changes, the team aims to enhance its on-track results and strengthen its competitive standing in the Cup series. The addition of Hutchens, alongside continued leadership from Barbour and DeHart, marks a focused effort to revitalize the organization’s performance. Attention now turns to whether these moves can help Gragson and his teammates improve on last season and deliver stronger results as the new NASCAR campaign unfolds.
