Chip Ganassi Racing’s Kyle Larson will have a new Cup Series spotter in 2020.
Derek Kneeland who has spent the last seven years spotting for Chip Ganassi Racing’s No. 42 Chevrolet will spot his final race for the organization in Sunday’s Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway.
Kneeland told CATCHFENCE.com that he will join Richard Childress Racing as the spotter for Tyler Reddick who will graduate full-time to the Cup Series beginning with the Daytona 500 on Sun., Feb. 16, 2020.
“I’m thankful to Max Jones (general manager) and Chip (Ganassi) seven years ago giving a little no-name a guy a shot,” said Kneeland. “Since then we have won races in Cup, have double-digit wins with the No. 42 Xfinity Series and made so many memories. I’m lucky.”
Kneeland was set to guide Ross Chastain in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Chip Ganassi Racing this season, but when the DC Solar sponsorship vanished weeks before Daytona, the Xfinity team abruptly shut down and left him without a spotting gig on Saturdays.
Within a couple of weeks of leaving for Speedweeks in February, Kneeland’s phone rang, and it was Reddick who called with a question – wanting his former Xfinity Series spotter to join him as he transitioned from JR Motorsports to Richard Childress Racing.
The two had worked together during the 2017 Xfinity season when the reigning Xfinity Series champion competed in a partial schedule with Chip Ganassi Racing.
The reunion paid off.
The guidance of crew chief Randall Burnett, the raw talent of Reddick and the calmness from Kneeland above has propelled the No. 2 Xfinity Series team into Saturday afternoon’s Championship 4 race at Homestead – where Kneeland is seeking his first Xfinity Series title.
“It’s been a great year with five wins thus far and a chance to win the championship this weekend at Homestead, I’m going to let it all soak in,” added Kneeland.
His spotting duties though didn’t just stop at Larson and Reddick.
In addition to Larson and Reddick, the Windham, Maine native has also spent the year spotting Sheldon Creed in the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series, Bret Holmes in the ARCA Menards Series and even Sam Mayer in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East where the duo won three times en route to the K&N championship at Dover (Del.) International Speedway in October.
With a hectic schedule, Kneeland never lost sight of his duties and responsibilities with Larson for the main attraction.
The No. 42 Cup team returned to Victory Lane at Dover last month and made it to the semi-final round of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs before being eliminated last Sunday at ISM (Ariz.) Raceway.
Kneeland who first started spotting in NASCAR with driver Brian Scott says it wasn’t an easy decision to leave Larson and Chip Ganassi Racing, but despite his tight bond and chemistry with his teammates, it was time to pursue a new endeavor.
“The last seven years with Chip Ganassi Racing has been a dream come true and a lot of success, but I felt it was time to move on and venture other opportunities,” he said. “My friendship and relationship with Kyle (Larson) and Chad (Johnston, crew chief) is still great and secure. And thankfully, there are no hard feelings.
“I hope to work with Kyle again in the future. We have a lot of chemistry and work very well together. We don’t have arguments and always are on the same page. Sometimes, its just time for a change.
“I’m excited for my new opportunity and chapter to work with Tyler, Randall, and the RCR organization and I am fortunate they were so overwhelmingly appreciative through this year and wanting me to join them in their Cup program and hopefully help build that to be a championship-contending team as well.”
While Kneeland who still occasionally trades his radio for a steering wheel in Late Model competition is eager for his new venture, he has 267 laps on Sunday to try and have the perfect send-off with his life-long friends at CGR.
“Before I focus on 2020, I have work to do at Homestead this weekend with the No. 42 team,” he added. “We’re going to Homestead to win. That would be a great way to put an exclamation point on seven years.
“I just owe a huge thanks to Kyle, Chad, Chip, Max Tony (Lunders, competition director) and the entire CGR organization for treating me so generously over the last seven years. I wish them nothing but the best and continued success in the future.”
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01.
