July 29, 2019 | By Lee Spencer

Cliff Daniels named crew chief for the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports team

Jimmie Johnson will have a new crew chief this weekend when NASCAR rolls into Watkins Glen International.

Hendrick Motorsports announced Cliff Daniels will replace Kevin Meendering as crew chief of the No. 48 team effective immediately.

Daniels served as the race engineer for Johnson’s 2016 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Championship team. The 31-year-old Smithfield, Virginia native joined Hendrick in 2014. Following the 2018 season, he was assigned to the competition systems group. Daniels rejoined the No. 48 team in May prior to the race at Sonoma Raceway.

“We have great confidence in Cliff’s ability to win races with Jimmie and the team,” said team owner Rick Hendrick. “He’s a natural leader and tremendously talented from both a technical and communication standpoint.

“Cliff’s familiarity with Jimmie and the No. 48 team culture will benefit us a ton. He will bring the spark that’s been our missing ingredient.”

Daniels has the challenge of filling the void left by Chad Knaus, who guided Johnson to seven NASCAR championships and 81 of his 83 Cup wins. He raced late models in Virginia while earning a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in 2011. Daniels served as Tony Stewart’s race engineer for two years at Stewart-Haas Racing prior to moving to HMS.

“We have an opportunity to win an eighth championship and a lot more races with Jimmie,” Daniels said. “I’m proud to be in this position and have total faith in the team and our ability to perform at the level everyone expects.

“We have the best driver, the best organization and the best leadership, so everything we need to be successful is in place. It’s always been my goal to become a crew chief, and I’m thankful to Mr. Hendrick for his confidence.”

Johnson, 43, has been winless since June of 2017. He has one pole, three top-fives and eight top 10s this season and is currently 17th in the standings. With five races remaining in the regular season, Johnson is 12 points outside of the final playoff transfer spot.

“Cliff has really shined since he came back to the ‘48,’” Johnson said. “When he returned, there was an immediate change in the team dynamic that all of us felt. We’ve worked together for a long time, have a ton of mutual respect and a shared vision. I have no doubt the strong connection and working relationship is going to pay dividends right away.

“I’m so grateful to Kevin. He’s a truly awesome person who I think very, very highly of. I’m looking forward to continuing to work with him in his new role. He’s a brilliant guy and will make all of us better.