#26 Crew chief Donnie Wingo appears to be headed back to Roush Fenway Racing next season in a capacity still to be determined. Wingo’s future with the organization has been uncertain since it was revealed in late July that driver Jamie McMurray’s #26 team would go away and sponsor Crown Royal would move to Roush driver Matt Kenseth’s team next year. The breakup of McMurray’s team is part of a downsizing by Roush Fenway to conform to NASCAR’s new four-car limit set to take effect in 2010. Asked on Saturday at Texas Motor Speedway if there would be a place for Wingo next season at Roush Fenway, team co-owner Jack Roush said, “The answer to that is yes.” Wingo later backed up his boss’ assertion. “I don’t think the plan is finalized for next year but we have spoken and he says he’s got a place for me there next year and I’m real happy about that,” he said. “It’s where I want to be right now and I hope I can end my career here. … I’m just looking forward to whatever they have for me in the future, whatever I can do to help.”(SceneDaily), on SPEED’s Happy Hour coverage, it was mentioned at Jimmy Fennig, crew chief of the #6 Ford of David Ragan with Roush Fenway Racing, will go to Roush’s R&D area and Donnie Wingo will become the crew chief of the #6 team.(11-8-2009)
UPDATE: #6-David Ragan doesn’t expect Jimmy Fennig to be his crew chief in 2010. “Yeah, I would say there will be some change in the crew chief role,” Ragan said on Friday at Phoenix International Raceway. “As far as who and when and all that stuff, that’s to be determined. We still feel like we don’t want to lose focus on the last two races and start planning for 2010 too early. As soon as the checkered flag falls on Homestead all of our thoughts will be on 2010 and preparing a stronger team.” Ragan said Fennig, who has been at Roush Fenway Racing for 13 years, wants to head up an R&D department for the organization. “He’s been a teacher and crew chief and mentor and really taught me a lot the last couple of years,” said Ragan, in his third full season in the Sprint Cup series. “Ninety percent of what I know today I learned from Jimmy Fennig. A lot of things are changing at Roush Fenway. I’m sure right after Homestead, Jack [Roush] and [general manager Robbie Reiser] will make those decisions.” Fennig said he is waiting for management to tell him what he will be doing next season.(ESPN)(11-14-2009)
