Crew chief Luke Lambert, Noah Gragson‘s team leader at JR Motorsports, will join Gragson next season as the driver moves to the NASCAR Cup Series at Petty GMS.
Gragson, racing for the Xfinity Series championship with JRM, will move to the Cup Series full time next season with the Petty team.
Under Lambert’s guidance, Gragson has won eight Xfinity races this season. That run has included a stretch of four consecutive wins.
Gragson won last week at Homestead-Miami Speedway and will race for the Xfinity championship Nov. 5 at Phoenix Raceway
“Hiring Luke was the right choice for us when it came to finding a crew chief for Noah,” said Petty GMS director of competition and engineering in a statement released by the team. “The chemistry and success they have had this year in the Xfinity Series is one that can’t be replicated, and we know with the right resources and tools that success can carry over to the Cup Series next year.”
Lambert, a graduate of North Carolina State University, began his racing career at Richard Childress Racing. He worked in the Cup Series at RCR and Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing for 11 years before moving to JRM this season.
“I look forward to continuing this journey with Noah,” Lambert said in a team release. “This year has been fun and rewarding, and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. When I joined JRM, it was because I believed in the organization and knew I’d have the opportunity to compete for race wins and a chance at the championship, and that’s exactly where we are right now. I see the same opportunity with Petty GMS.”
