Greg Ives named Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s 2015 crew chief

The speculation as to the identity of Dale Earnhardt Jr.‘s crew chief for 2015 ended Wednesday when Hendrick Motorsports announced Greg Ives would assume the position.

Currently a crew chief for JR Motorsports in the Nationwide Series, Ives works with rookie driver Chase Elliott, who has three wins and is the current points leader. JRM is co-owned by Earnhardt and shares a close technical alliance with Hendrick.

Ives will replace Steve Letarte at the conclusion of the season. Letarte announced in January he was leaving Hendrick to become an analyst for NBC next year when the network will began airing the second half of the Sprint Cup schedule.

That Ives was tabbed is of little shock as he meets several criteria.

Foremost is the close relationship he shares with Chad Knaus, the crew chief for defending and six-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson. Ives was a former engineer on the No. 48 car and contributed to Johnson winning five consecutive titles from 2006 to 2010.

The teams for Johnson and Earnhardt are housed in the same shop and the synergy between Knaus and Letarte is often credited for the success both drivers have enjoyed recently.

“Greg was our No. 1 choice,” team owner Rick Hendrick said in a statement. “This is a talented guy who already has a terrific rapport with Dale Jr. and is a fit with the organization. He and Chad had a lot of success together.

Ives has shown great promise in Nationwide winning five races since taking a crew chief position with JRM last season. In 2013 he led Regan Smith to a pair of victories and third-place finish in the standings. He moved over to Elliott’s team this year and the two have gelled.

It was thought that with Elliott considered the future of Hendrick, the organization would keep him and Ives together long term. However, Letarte’s departure created an unexpected opening and Hendrick prefers to promote from within.

The role of being Earnhardt’s crew chief comes with great scrutiny and pressure. Since being teamed with Letarte in 2011, NASCAR’s most popular driver has seen his career rejuvenated. The No. 88 team has qualified for the Chase for the Sprint Cup each year, and Earnhardt owns a pair of wins this season and is ranked second in the standings.

Frequently citing his confidence and positive attitude, Earnhardt has credited Letarte for reviving his career. Before his arrival Earnhardt finished 21st and 25 in points, and his relationship with previous crew chiefs was often testy, marked with terse exchanges on the radio mid-race.

“I think that my fear is just, can we replace Steve?” Earnhardt said in January shortly after Letarte stated he was leaving. “It’s a guy that’s going to be hard to replace. I’m not worried about the specific qualities that Steve has, but just, will we be able to get a guy in there of equal talent, and how well will we be able to make that transition seamless? It’s going to be a real challenge to do that, and I guess that’s my only concern.”

Earnhardt seems happy with Ives’ appointment. Shortly after the announcement Earnhardt tweeted he was “excited to have (Ives) come on board.” A message Earnhardt reiterated in a statement released by the team.

“I know what Greg is all about and really respect him,” Earnhardt said. “He’s a strong leader with a cool personality, and we’re both competitors who want to win. It was important to find someone who would fit at Hendrick Motorsports and inside our shop, and he will for sure do that. We got the best guy for the job, and I look forward to working with him next year.”