Top 5 Team Switches in NASCAR History

Top 5 Team Switches in NASCAR History

By Brian Cotnoir

Many young drivers in NASCAR are signed to development driver deals, where they are committed to a particular team (or manufacturer) and spend 3-4 years racing in NASCAR’s secondary series’ in hopes of making their Cup Debuts sometime in their early 20’s.   Some time’s it pays off right away, while other time’s a driver may have been rushed into a Cup seat too soon.  A failure to capitalize early in your career in NASCAR can result in a loss of sponsorship, factory support, or a ride in NASCAR.   However, sometimes a change is needed before a driver has a chance to reach their full potential.  These are the Top 10 Team Switches in NASCAR History.

5.)  Dale Jarrett (Joe Gibbs Racing to Robert Yates Racing)

Dale Jarrett is the son of a 2-Time NASCAR Champion, and he wanted to be a great driver like his father, Ned.  After some moderate success with Cale Yarborough Racing and the Wood Brothers, Jarrett signed to drive for Super Bowl Winning Coach, Joe Gibbs, newly formed racing team.  Jarrett would score Gibb’s first win (and his 2^nd overall) at the 1993 Daytona 500.  Jarrett would only score one more win, for Coach Gibbs, before being presented with the opportunity to relieve the injured Ernie Irvan at Robert Yates Racing for the 1995 season.

For his first season at Yates in 1995, Jarrett piloted the #28 Texaco Havoline Ford, but upon Irvan’s return to the team, Jarrett moved over to the newly formed #88 team at Robert Yates Racing.  Jarrett’s time in the #88 car got off to a strong start, winning the 1996 Daytona 500.  Over the next several seasons Jarrett was constantly a threat to win the Championship and Daytona 500.   Jarrett would finally get that Points Championship in 1999.  In all Jarrett would score 29-of-his-32 career victories in the Cup Series while driving for Robert Yates.

4.)  Martin Truex Jr (Michael Waltrip Racing to Furniture Row Racing)

Martin Truex Jr. was a late bloomer in NASCAR.   He showed signs of potential early on in the Grand National Series, winning back-to-back championships before joining the Cup Series.   After 4 seasons at Dale Earnhardt Incorporated where he scored only one win and mostly ran mid-pack, he made the switch to Toyota & Michael Waltrip Racing.  Truex’s results at MWR, didn’t improve much better.  He scored one win for the team at Sonoma before the team was forced to shut down following their removal from the Chase for the Cup and loss of his full-time sponsor NAPA due to the Spin-Gate scandal.

Truex only had one viable option; the Denver, Colorado based Furniture Row Racing.  After a terrible first season with the team, Truex would rise like a Phoenix and make the Championship 4.  Truex would go on a tear in 2017, winning a career high 8 races that season and winning his first Championship!

3.)  Joey Logano  (Joe Gibbs Racing to Penske Racing)

Joey Logano was once dubbed “Sliced Bread” by NASCAR Hall of Famer, Mark Martin.  Logano showed a lot of promise early on, and upon his 18^th birthday, he made an almost immediate impact in the NASCAR Grand National Series for Joe Gibbs Racing.  In 2008, he won his 3^rd career start in the Grand National Series, and was even announced as Tony Stewart’s replacement in the #20 Toyota Home Depot for the 2009 season.  He won his first race (albeit a Rain Shortened win) at his Home Track at New Hampshire International Speedway, making him the youngest winner in Cup Series History.

Over the next 5 seasons, Logano would only win one more Cup Race while at Joe Gibbs Racing.  He won several races in the Grand National Series for Gibbs as well, but at this point he appeared to be a Cup Series bust, never making the Chase once driving for Coach Gibbs.  In 2013 he made the switch to pilot the #22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford for Roger Penske, and it turned out to be a good movie.  Logano has won 23 races since making the move to Penske, including the 2015 Daytona 500, and in 2018 he won his first championship.

2.)  Kyle Busch (Hendrick Motorsports to Joe Gibbs Racing)

Kyle Busch showed signs of greatness early on in the Cup Series, winning 4 races for owner Rick Hendrick and having an average finish of 12^th in the driver’s standings.  He was Rookie of the Year in 2005, and showed the potential of a great star, but his owner Rick Hendrick decided to sign Dale Earnhardt Jr. leaving Kyle Busch to be a free agent.

Busch would sign with Joe Gibbs Racing and he’s gone on to dominate anything in NASCAR!  He’s won over 50 races and 2 Championships since joining Gibbs in the Cup Series.  He’s also won over 75 races driving for Gibbs in the Grand National Series (and the 2009 Drivers Championship as well).

1.)  Dale Earnhardt Sr. (J.D. Stacy to Richard Childress Racing)

Dale Earnhardt Sr. began his full-time Cup Series Career in 1979 with owner Rod Osterlund, and the two found success early on.  In their 1^st season Earnhardt would finish 7^th in the points while winning Rookie of the Year, and scoring his 1^st career win at Bristol Speedway.  In 1980, Earnhardt would win his first championship.  The following season, Osterlund would sell his team to businessman J.D. Stacy.   Earnhardt did not get along well with Stacy and sought an out, and signed to driver for Owner-Driver Richard Childress for the rest of the 1981 season.  

At the advice of Childress, he advised Earnhardt to drive for future Hall of Fame owner Bud Moore while he built up his own program.   In what was essentially a driver loan, Earnhardt spent 2 seasons driving for Moore.  Although he won 3 races driving for Moore, he struggled to finish inside the Top 10, and returned to Childress for the 1984 season.   From 1984 until his tragic death in 2001, Earnhardt and Childress won 67 races together and 6 Championships!