The biggest news of the week has been that Jim Pohlman will join Richard Childress Racing in 2026 to serve as Kyle Busch's crew chief. He will be leaving his current role as the crew chief of Justin Allgaier to do this. While such an opportunity would be enticing for any professional, Pohlman had required a much-needed push to take it up.
The reason for his reluctance was the chemistry and bond that he shared with Allgaier. The driver had told him that he "would be an idiot if he didn't take up" the stint with the No. 8 team. He selflessly understood Pohlman's ambition, despite it meaning that it would leave a big hole in his own operation at JR Motorsports.
He told NASCAR.com, "I am sad to see him go because he has meant the world to me – and still will. His dream has been to be a full-time Cup Series crew chief, to have a shot at going for a championship. He has had forays and been able to be on the Cup side, but not in this scenario. I couldn't have asked Jim to do any more for me."
The duo has won nine races together since 2023 and also lifted the 2024 Xfinity Series championship. Pohlman, too, shared the feeling and admitted that he would forever be grateful to Allgaier for trusting him with a full-time crew chief job and helping him be a success in it.
Pohlman Showers Praise on Allgaier
Now that he is going to lead the crew of a two-time Cup Series champion, Pohlman is truly appreciative of everything that JR Motorsports has done for him. He said, "Justin is the guy who put me on the map. Without JRM, this opportunity doesn’t exist. It’s very hard to leave Justin; he’s a great friend and has been a friend for a long time."
Notably, Pohlman and Allgaier also won the 2008 ARCA Menards Series championship together. Pohlman had served as the driver's crew chief for the latter half of the season that year. He added, "We’ve won an ARCA championship, we’ve won an Xfinity championship – hopefully, we’re going to win two."
"To walk away from the possibility of winning three in a row was very heavy on my mind." Winning races at the highest level of NASCAR has forever been the crew chief's dream. With stars in his eyes, he talked of winning the Daytona 500 and the other crown jewel races.
If he is successful in this new challenge, more than anything, he will be loved for reviving the career of Busch, who has been struggling to find wins over the past two years.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Oct 18, 2025, where it first appeared in the Racing section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
