Kurt Busch Gets New Pit Crew Ahead Of Dover Race

Kurt Busch received a revamped pit crew courtesy of Richard Childress Racing just in time for Sunday’s race at Dover. With the Chase for the Sprint Cup heating up, the new crew members could help turn the tide for the Furniture Row Racing crew.

Busch and his No. 78 Chevrolet are in seventh position going into Sunday’s race, well behind current leader Matt Kenseth. While Busch has been strong on the track, but he has had a few strong runs derailed by pit crew mistakes.

Kurt Busch received four crew members from RCR’s Nationwide Series program, notes The Washington Post. The two teams share a technical alliance.

Team manager Joe Garone explained the team made the decision to revamp Busch’s pit crew because “the performance of the car has advanced quicker than the performance of the pit crew.”

Furniture Row already switched one pit crew member for Brian Scott’s team from RCR before the Chase opener two weeks ago. Only one original pit crew remains, gas man Milan Rudanovic.

NASCAR reports that Furniture Row started its own pit crew this year after using one from Stewart-Haas Racing in past seasons. While the team has made advances with Kurt Busch at the wheel, it has had issues in and around pit road, including a slow last stop in the Sprint All-Star Race and a broken wheel hub at Bristol last month.

The new crew could also help Busch be more competitive against the likes of Dale Earnhardt Jr., who broke the track record at Dover and won the pole position for Sunday’s race.

Despite issues on pit road, Kurt Busch and the Furniture Row Racing team have been fast. The No. 78 was 11th in final practice on Saturday and will start the race in ninth. With the new pit crew members, it’s possible Kurt will move up a few spots in the Chase.

[Image via Beelde Photography / Shutterstock.com]