2026 marks the 78th season of NASCAR stock car racing in the U.S. The field is now set for the NASCAR Cup Series, with the season kicking off with the 68th running of the Daytona 500 on February 15 at Daytona International Speedway.

Well, that’s assuming that all full-time chartered rides have been claimed. On that note, let’s take a look at the changes for the driver-crew chief lineup for several teams in 2026.

Full breakdown of NASCAR Cup Series driver and crew chief changes

1. Ross Chastain (Trackhouse Racing)

Ross Chastain is ahead of his fifth year driving the No. 1 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Trackhouse Racing. His maiden series victory came with Trackhouse back in 2022, which was also the organization’s first win in the Cup Series.

For the 2026 season, Chastain will have Brandon McSwain as his new crew chief. McSwain has previously worked as a race engineer for William Byron, bagging 16 wins in all. Chastain’s former crew chief, Phil Surgen, will move to a new role within the team.

2. Daniel Suarez (Trackhouse Racing)

Daniel Suarez spent the last five seasons driving for Trackhouse Racing. For the 2026 season, the Monterrey, Mexico native will drive the No. 7 Chevy for Spire Motorsports, replacing Justin Haley.

Suarez will be paired with Ryan Sparks as crew chief, while Matt McCall will assume the role of Cup Series competition director for the organization. Notably, Sparks previously served as the competition director and interim crew chief for the 2016 Xfinity Series champion.

3. Kyle Busch (Richard Childress Racing)

2026 marks Kyle Busch’s third full season with Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series and his first with Jim Pohlman as his crew chief. Pohlman spent the last three seasons making calls for Justin Allgaier in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, now known as the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

“Jim Pohlman is a relentless competitor in the garage and fits in well with our mission and approach at RCR,” said Richard Childress, Chairman and CEO of Richard Childress Racing. “He was well-respected during his previous tenure in Welcome, and we know that he will do a great job leading the No. 8 team and Kyle Busch.”

Meanwhile, Busch’s former crew chief, Randall Burnett, will move to another role in the sport.

4. Erik Jones (Legacy Motor Club)

For the 2026 season, Justin Alexander will replace Ben Beshore as the crew chief for Erik Jones, driver of the No. 43 Legacy Motor Club Toyota.

“We’re continuing to evolve and refine every part of our race program, and Justin is a tremendous addition to our crew chief lineup,” said Legacy Motor Club owner and former NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson. “His experience, communication style, and leadership align perfectly with the direction we’re headed.“

Beshore, on the other hand, will serve as the organization’s race engineering director.

5. Cody Ware (Rick Ware Racing)

While Cody Ware will not have a new face atop the pit box for the 2026 season, he will drive a new car as Rick Ware Racing will switch to Chevrolet for the upcoming season and beyond. Rick Ware Racing will have a technical alliance with Richard Childress Racing.

6. Connor Zilisch (Trackhouse Racing)

Connor Zilisch will move to a full-time ride with Trackhouse Racing in 2026. He previously drove the No. 88 JR Motorsports entry in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. Randal Burnett, who used to be Kyle Busch’s crew chief at Richard Childress Racing, will serve as Zilisch’s crew chief in 2026.