Hendrick Motorsports has named Blake Harris as the crew chief for Alex Bowman and the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 team for the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season.
In 2022, the 35-year-old Harris has led driver Michael McDowell to a career-best season with 12 top-10 finishes in 32 Cup Series starts. He will complete his first year as a crew chief with the No. 34 Front Row Motorsports team before joining Hendrick Motorsports in mid-November.
Harris will replace current No. 48 crew chief Greg Ives, who announced in August that he will step down from the role at the end of the season.
“Blake brings a tremendous amount of talent to our organization,” said Jeff Andrews, president and general manager of Hendrick Motorsports. “In our conversations, it quickly became clear that he’s an excellent culture fit and believes in the way we approach competing and winning. He and Alex have already developed a relationship, so we’re excited to see how they grow together. Greg has assembled a winning team, and we believe Blake is the perfect person to continue that work.”
A native of Maypearl, Texas, Harris began driving race cars at age 11 and moved to North Carolina immediately after high school to pursue a career in NASCAR. At just 18 years old, he joined Evernham Motorsports (later Richard Petty Motorsports) in 2006, working in both the engine and chassis departments.
In 2010, Harris transitioned to Furniture Row Racing, where he became the car chief for drivers Kurt Busch (2013) and Martin Truex Jr. (2014-2018). He was an integral part of Furniture Row’s 2017 championship season when the No. 78 team won eight races and led 2,253 laps. In 2019, Harris followed Truex to Joe Gibbs Racing, where he served as car chief for the No. 19 team before accepting the crew chief role at Front Row Motorsports for 2022.
“The opportunity to work with a winning driver like Alex, an engaged sponsor like Ally and a championship team like Hendrick Motorsports is huge,” said Harris, who as a car chief won 29 races and made five Championship 4 playoff appearances. “When I moved to North Carolina in 2005, my goal was to become a crew chief for a top-caliber organization that could win races and compete for titles. I’m grateful for the chance to fulfill that dream and look forward to building something special with the No. 48 team.”
Bowman, 29, has driven for Hendrick Motorsports full-time since 2018, earning a playoff berth in each of his five seasons. The Tucson, Arizona, native, who is currently recovering from a concussion, has won seven races over the past four years, including five victories in the last two.
“I’m pumped about the chance to work with Blake,” Bowman said. “He’s a great fit for me, for our No. 48 group and for the way Hendrick Motorsports operates week in and week out. With Blake and everyone who supports this Ally Racing team, I know we can build on what Greg started and take this to the next level.”
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