Brian Pattie will take over crew chief duties on the #16 Roush Fenway Racing Ford with Greg Biffle in 2016. The 40-year-old Zephyrhills, Florida native has worked as a crew chief for Michael Waltrip Racing for the last four seasons. Pattie started his NASCAR career with fellow Floridian Joe Nemechek in 1994. He led a variety of NEMCO teams to seven Xfinity Series wins in four years. Although Pattie left NEMCO for a short stint with Hendrick Motorsports in 1996, he returned in 2003 to work as a team manager and crew chief with Randy LaJoie and Nemechek. He moved to Ganassi Racing in 2004 and won NXS races with Jamie McMurray and Reed Sorenson. In 2008, Pattie was reassigned to the #42 Target team midway through the season as the third crew chief to work with former Formula 1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya. Together, Pattie and Montoya won one race, seven poles and posted 16 top fives and 39 top-10 finishes. Pattie also guided the team to the 2009 Chase for the Sprint Cup – Montoya’s only appearance in the NASCAR post-season. Pattie declined comment on his plans for next season. In 2012, Pattie was recruited by Michael Waltrip Racing where he was assigned to Clint Bowyer. The pair won three Sprint Cup races their first season together and finished second in the Chase. However, after their third winless season together, Pattie was moved from the #15 team to the #55 Toyota with David Ragan after 16 races. Sources said Puccia will be reassigned within the company.(Motorsport)(10-26-2015)
