Kevin Harvick will have a new front tire changer and front tire carrier for Saturday night’s Sprint Cup race at Richmond International Raceway, Stewart-Haas Racing confirmed Wednesday night.
The change comes after Harvick lost last weekend’s Southern 500 because of slow pit stops and blasted his pit crew afterward.
“The guys in the shop and the guys in the garage are doing a great job,’’ Harvick said after finishing second. “The guys on pit road are doing a terrible job.’’
The new front tire changer for Harvick’s team is Eric Maycroft. The new front tire carrier is Matt Holzbaur. Both moved from teammate Danica Patrick’s crew. The former front tire changer for Harvick’s team, Tim Sheets, and the former front tire carrier for Harvick’s team, Todd Drakulich, move to Patrick’s team.
Harvick fell from first to fifth on a Lap 251 pit stop last weekend after an issue with the right front. Harvick fell from first to 12th on a Lap 280 pit stop after an issue with the rear tire changer’s air gun. Harvick’s pit crew lost two spots on a pit stop at Lap 328 on the 367-lap race.
Drakulich’s move leaves Harvick with two members of the pit crew that helped him win the 2014 series title. Those crew members joined Harvick’s team from teammate Tony Stewart’s crew in a swap before the Chase that year.