Harris to replace Ives as Bowman's crew chief

Blake Harris’s sophomore season as a NASCAR Cup Series crew chief will be at Hendrick Motorsports as he’s been named the next leader of Alex Bowman’s No. 48 team.

Harris will replace Greg Ives. Ives announced in August he was stepping away from the crew chief role.

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“Blake brings a tremendous amount of talent to our organization,” said Jeff Andrews, president and general manager of Hendrick Motorsports. “In our conversations, it quickly became clear that he’s an excellent culture fit and believes in the way we approach competing and winning. He and Alex have already developed a relationship, so we’re excited to see how they grow together. Greg has assembled a winning team, and we believe Blake is the perfect person to continue that work.”

Harris will join Hendrick Motorsports in mid-November from Front Row Motorsports, where he’s leading Michael McDowell’s team. Harris, a protege of Cole Pearn and James Small during the heyday of Furniture Row Motorsports, joined the organization this season when becoming a crew chief for the first time.

Before that, Harris was the car chief for Martin Truex Jr. at Joe Gibbs Racing. As a crew chief, Harris has 29 race wins and was in five championship races.

“The opportunity to work with a winning driver like Alex, an engaged sponsor like Ally and a championship team like Hendrick Motorsports is huge,” said Harris. “When I moved to North Carolina in 2005, my goal was to become a crew chief for a top-caliber organization that could win races and compete for titles. I’m grateful for the chance to fulfill that dream and look forward to building something special with the No. 48 team.”

The 2023 season will be Bowman’s sixth driving for Hendrick Motorsports. Bowman has won seven races over the last five years and made the playoffs in each season with the organization.

“I’m pumped about the chance to work with Blake,” said Bowman, who is currently recovering from a concussion. “He’s a great fit for me, for our No. 48 group and for the way Hendrick Motorsports operates week in and week out. With Blake and everyone who supports this Ally Racing team, I know we can build on what Greg started and take this to the next level.”