Gordon's crew to pit Johnson's car for rest of year
Hendrick Motorsports is trading pit crews between Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson for the remainder of the season.
Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway, Johnson's team utilized Gordon's pit crew for the final stops in the NASCAR Sprint Cup race. Gordon was sidelined following a crash with Jeff Burton, while Johnson's team had been surrendering positions on stops.
Monday, the organization made the change permanent for the remainder of the season. Four-time champion Johnson is in the heart of the championship battle, sitting second to Denny Hamlin in the Chase for the Sprint Cup. He trails by 33 points after surrendering the lead Sunday. Gordon is sixth in the standings (331 points behind) and out of contention for the title this season.
In a statement, Hendrick said the change would remain in effect for the upcoming races at Phoenix International Raceway and Homestead-Miami Speedway. The change is limited to the seven primary over-the-wall members of the respective pit crews. Roles of additional team personnel will not be affected.
