MOORESVILLE, N.C. (May 5, 2015) – In an effort to further the chemistry of the No. 9 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race team, Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM) announced today Kevin Manion has been assigned as the crew chief of that team with driver Sam Hornish, Jr. Manion will begin his duties immediately and call the race this weekend at Kansas Speedway.
Manion, a native of Boylston, Mass., is a championship-winning crew chief and was a part of leading Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing to wins at both the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard 400 in 2010. Manion has five wins in the premier Sprint Cup Series and 15 wins in the NASCAR XFINITY Series. In addition, he has led his race teams to over 60 Top-10 and 25 Top-Five finishes in his Cup career. He also has 10 poles.
Having success with different drivers with different racing backgrounds, Manion has led the sports best including Martin Truex, Jr. during his XFINITY and early Sprint Cup Series career. During his time with Truex, Jr., Manion earned two XFINITY Series championships. He then became a trusted leader to Jamie McMurray, leading him to four Sprint Cup Series wins. Manion is a respected crew chief in NASCAR and has the experience to get the No. 9 team in victory lane.
“We began the season with changes to the No. 9 race team, most notably with the addition of Sam as our driver,” said Sammy Johns, Director of Competition. “We are now looking to give Sam all the tools he needs to be successful. We feel that Kevin will bring in some new ideas to help better our performance. We welcome him to the Petty family.”
Manion will begin his duties with RPM immedialty. Manion replaces Drew Blickensderfer who has been offered another position within the organization.
A performance and marketing driven company, Richard Petty Motorsports, co-owned by
NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty and successful business entrepreneur Andrew Murstein, is one of the most recognized brands in all of motorsports. With a history of over 200 wins and business partnerships with national and global leaders, today the race operation fields two teams in competition in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Aric Almirola pilots the famous No. 43 Ford Fusion with primary partners Smithfield Foods, U.S. Air Force, STP and Fresh From Florida, and Sam Hornish Jr. drives the No. 9 machine with primary partners Medallion Bank and Twisted Tea. In addition, Dakoda Armstrong wheels the No. 43 WinField Ford Mustang full-time in the NASCAR XFINITY Series. The team is headquartered in Mooresville, N.C.
