A change from one team to another is quite a risky business in NASCAR. On the one hand, the drivers may be able to adapt easily to a new environment, while on the other hand, there are drivers who fail to achieve the previous level of success. Here are five drivers who switched teams and did not perform well or even failed.
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
From: DEI
To: Hendrick Motorsports
A major switch in NASCAR was when Dale Earnhardt Jr. moved from Dale Earnhardt, Inc. (DEI) to Hendrick Motorsports in 2008. At DEI, the team founded by his father Dale Earnhardt Sr, Junior got 17 wins and was always a part of the NASCAR playoffs. Although he was a popular driver and demonstrated his talents, he left DEI due to certain conflicts and poor performance. That is when he transferred to Hendrick Motorsports in a bid to have a fresh start. During his time at Hendrick Motorsports, even though he won some races, including the 2014 Daytona 500, his car had more frequent mishaps, accidents, and mechanical failures, as well as more crashes and injuries, resulting in his retirement from full-time racing in 2017.
Also Read: LEGACY Motor Club parts ways with Jimmie Johnson’s crew chief
Kasey Kahne
From: Red Bull Racing
To: Hendrick Motorsports
Prior to joining Hendrick Motorsports in 2012, Kasey Kahne raced for Red Bull Racing. This was quite a risk for him, given that he had previously done well with Red Bull, especially after his win at Phoenix International Raceway in the 2011 season. But his tenure at Hendrick Motorsights was characterized by inconsistency and a feeling that more should have been achieved.
While the 2012 season looked relatively bright, Kahne finished in fourth place in the standings. However, he could not sustain this and had a variety of problems, such as changes in crew chiefs, crew conflicts, and mechanical failures. All of this contributed to his failure to consistently challenge for championships. His move to Hendrick Motorsports was not as fruitful as expected, and he left the team in 2017.
Related: 7 NASCAR drivers who switched teams and found success, including Joey Logano and Kurt Busch
Jamie McMurray
From: Roush Fenway Racing
To: Earnhardt Ganassi Racing
After switching to the Earnhardt Ganassi Racing team in 2009, Jamie McMurray found a certain level of success. For instance, in the following year’s Daytona 500 race. But he failed to maintain the same level and his performance was quite inconsistent throughout the season. The performances were not as promising as McMurray had expected. He struggled to finish in the top five most seasons and thus could rarely compete for championships.
Thus, despite some successes here and there, McMurray brought the same fluctuation in his performance to Earnhardt Ganassi Racing as he experienced in Roush Fenway Racing. These challenges were responsible for the idea that the transfer did not satisfy expectations as far as improving his career performance was concerned.
Related: 10 best NASCAR drivers of all time
Clint Bowyer
From: Richard Childress Racing
To: Michael Waltrip Racing
Clint Bowyer’s switch from Richard Childress Racing (RCR) to Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) at the end of the 2011 season. It started well with a great 2012 season in which he won three races and ended the season with second place in the championship. However, the performance of the team was impacted in early 2013 over the ‘Spingate’ scandal where it was discovered that the team manipulated the race results in a bid to favor MWR drivers in the championship. This controversy involved fines and tainted the reputation of the team, thereby producing fluctuating performance. Therefore, Bowyer left MWR in 2015.
Also Read: Denny Hamlin adds context to NASCAR revenue sharing negotiations over podcast commentary
Richard Petty
From: Petty Enterprises
To: Mike Curb Racing
One important moment in Richard Petty’s career was his switch from Petty Enterprises to Mike Curb Racing in 1984. Petty Enterprises, which was owned by his father, Lee Petty, was the team he won the majority of his records with. Namely, the 200 NASCAR Cup Series wins and seven championships. But this changed in the early 1980s when Petty Enterprises’s poor performance forced Richard to take a bold step.
He joined Mike Curb Racing in 1984 and took with him his iconic №43 car. Fortunately, this decision proved to be profitable almost immediately. Petty claimed his historic 200th win on July 4, 1984, at the Firecracker 400 in Daytona in front of President Ronald Reagan.
But this victory is considered the highlight of his career with Mike Curb Racing. His overall time there was not as successful and not as long as his career with Petty Enterprises. In 1986, he went back to the latter to race competitively until he retired in 1992.
Related: 7 NASCAR drivers who switched teams and found success, including Joey Logano and Kurt Busch