NASCAR Cup Series

Stewart-Haas Racing swaps Tony Stewart, Kevin Harvick pit crews

Published Sep. 9, 2014 2:12 p.m. ET

Jared Turner

Kevin Harvick's continuous pleas for faster work on pit road have finally been heard.

Stewart-Haas Racing announced Tuesday afternoon that, effectively immediately, the tire changers, tire carriers and jackmen on SHR driver/co-owner Tony Stewart's team will move to Harvick's No. 4 team, and vice versa.

All five of Harvick's new pit crew members were part of Stewart's 2011 Sprint Cup Series championship-winning team.

Harvick, who has been plagued by issues on pit road all season -- including Saturday night's regular-season finale at Richmond -- is seeded sixth among the 16-driver Chase Grid. The 10-race Chase for the Sprint Cup kicks off Sunday with the Geico 400 at Chicagoland Speedway.

Stewart, who didn't win in the regular season and missed three races following his involvement in the death of sprint car driver Kevin Ward Jr. on Aug. 9, isn't in the Chase.

"We made this change in the best interests of the entire organization," said SHR vice president of competition Greg Zipadelli in a statement issued by the team. "Our primary goal is to win races and championships, and this pit crew swap provides championship experience to the No. 4 team and continued race-winning experience to the No. 14 team."

Harvick, who moved to SHR from Richard Childress Racing this season, is seeking his first Sprint Cup championship, having finished a career-best third in the standings three times at RCR.

Harvick won twice during the regular season -- at Phoenix and Darlington -- but was in contention for victory on numerous other occasions when problems on pit road proved to be his undoing.

VIDEO: Jeff Hammond discusses Stewart-Haas pit crew changes