PHIL SURGEN - ?/?/?
Surgen served as an interim crew chief for the #42 team driven by former Chip Gannassi Racing driver Kyle Larson at Michigan in June 2016, when Chad Johnston was suspended for one race and fined $20,000. In Surgen’s one-race term as crew chief, Larson finished in third place. Surgen, who worked as a race engineer for CGR, and had been part of the team since 2016. He would be atop the #42 pit box as crew chief for Matt Kenseth, the 2003 Cup champion for the balance of that year’s Cup season, replacing veteran Chad Johnston. The duo struggled as their best finish was 14th, on three occasions. Track House Racing was formed in June of 2020, when it purchased Ganassi's racing operation. They assumed the assets at the end of 2022, and had hired Ross Chastain to be one of their drivers in 2021. Surgen was tabbed to stay on board and work with Chastain. In their 36 starts, they had three top five finishes, with a best coming at Nashville when they were second. They had eight top ten finishes and finished 20th in points. Surgen paired together again with Ross
Chastain in 2022. They had a great season for the Track House team. A crash at Daytona was followed by a 29th place finish at Fontana. Then the duo pulled off a great little run. At Las Vegas they finished third; followed by seconds at Phoenix and Atlanta. At COTA, Chastain broke through and got the first Cup win for himself; Surgen and Trach House. A month later he had the team back in victory lane at Talladega. They almost pulled off another win at Atlanta in July. When they play-offs started, they managed to point their way into the round of twelve. They squeaked by into the round of eight after a 37th place finish at the Roval. They got on a roll in the round of eight; finishing second at Las Vegas; second at Homestead; and with a wild last lap, as Chastain rode the wall wide-open the final corner of the race to get into the finals by finishing fourth. At Phoenix, no one had anything for Joey Logano. Chastain finished third in the race and second in the points. The duo was back together again in 2023 looking for more wins and chasing that Championship. Their year was much like 2022. They piled up a lot of good finishes, but it took until race 17 at Nashville to get the first win. That locked them in the Chase and they advanced through the Round of 16. But in the Round of 12, Chastain was caught up in a crash at Talladega and was eliminated from the chase. As the season closed at Phoenix, Chastain had a really good car, led 157 laps and won the race. For the year they had two wins and ten top five finishes. They will be back together again in 2024.
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