hearing that current #1 Earnhardt Ganassi Racing crew chief Kevin Manion, will depart from the team and head to Turner Scott Motorsports in a management role. Supposedly Keith Rodden will take over as Jamie McMurrays crew chief in 2014. Rodden is currently the race engineer for #5-Kasey Kahne.(11-5-2013) UPDATE: Kasey Kahne engineer Keith Rodden declined last week to confirm rumors that he was headed to Earnhardt Ganassi Racing to be the crew chief for Jamie McMurray next year. EGR spokesman John Olguin said the team is still working on its 2014 plans. Chris Heroy is expected to return to the #42 team as crew chief for Kyle Larson, who is replacing Juan Pablo Montoya.( Sporting News )(11-9-2013) UPDATE2: Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (EGR) announced that Keith Rodden has been named crew chief for Jamie McMurray and the #1 Chevrolet SS. Rodden will assume the role effective immediately to prepare for the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) season. We are very happy to get a crew chief that is the caliber of Keith, said EGR Owner Chip Ganassi. He brings a lot of great experience with him to our organization. We are building the foundation for what we believe will be long-term success in our NASCAR operation and Keith fits into those plans perfectly. I look forward to having him in the organization and leading the #1 team. Rodden joins EGR from Hendrick Motorsports where he was most recently in the role of lead engineer for the #5 Chevy. In his two seasons as the lead engineer on the #5, the team won four races and made the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup in both seasons. The Denver, NC native has over 10 years of NASCAR racing experience. Rodden began his racing career as a race engineer for Andy Petree Racing. He has also worked for Evernham Motorsports, Richard Petty Motorsports and Red Bull Racing in similar positions. In 2007, Rodden served as crew chief for Kasey Kahne for multiple races while filling in for Kenny Francis. I am excited and appreciative for this opportunity and can t wait to be just a small piece of an excellent team that Earnhardt Ganassi Racing is building, said Rodden. Chip has quality people and is also building great race cars. This team has shown that they can win races and compete at the highest level of this sport and I look forward to working with Jamie and everyone on the team as we work to prepare for the 2014 season. Rodden is a graduate of North Carolina State University and with his wife Julie and their daughter Emmie, live in Kannapolis, NC.( EGR )
