Furniture Row Racing names new crew chief for Martin Truex Jr.
Furniture Row Racing announced Wednesday afternoon that Cole Pearn has been promoted from lead race engineer to crew chief of the No. 78 Chevrolet of driver Martin Truex Jr.
Pearn, 32, replaces veteran crew chief Todd Berrier, who has been reassigned within the company. Berrier's new position was not specified in a team release issued Wednesday.
According to the release, Furniture Row has also made new hires to strengthen its engineering staff ahead of the 2015 Sprint Cup season.
"In an effort to continue to move the team forward, we feel the personnel changes and new additions will yield positive results on the racetrack," said the organization's general manager, Joe Garone. "Cole has played a vital role in our growth. The well-rounded skill sets that be brings to the table in his new position as crew chief will he instrumental in our commitment to once again become a Chase participant. As a former racer and an experienced engineer, Cole has a thorough understanding of what it takes to bring us to that level."
Pearn initially joined Furniture Row Racing from Richard Childress Racing at the start of the 2010 season. He led Furniture Row's race-engineering staff through mid-2011. He returned to the Denver, Colo.-based based team as lead race engineer in the middle of 2012.
"I am looking forward with a great deal of enthusiasm to continue our work in progress at Furniture Row Racing," said Pearn. "The ownership is 100 percent committed to fielding a competitive team on a weekly basis. We have the resources to be a Chase contender."
A native of London, Ontario, and a mechanical engineering graduate from the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Pearn is a former driver in what is now known as the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series. He also raced Late Models and was a three-time Canadian national go-kart champion.
Truex, a two-time Sprint Cup Series race winner, joined Furniture Row from Michael Waltrip Racing prior to the 2014 season. The New Jersey native finished 24th in points this past season with five top-10 finishes, including one top-five, in 36 starts.
