Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM) announced today that Jerry Baxter will join the organization as crew chief of the No. 43 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE driven by Darrell “Bubba” Wallace Jr., in the NASCAR Cup Series.
A native of San Diego, Calif., Baxter is no stranger to teaming with Wallace, as the pair worked together for two seasons dating back to Wallace’s time in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series. It was with Baxter that Wallace finished third in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series driver point standings in 2014. As a duo, Wallace and Baxter have amassed five victories, 14 top-five finishes and 25 top-10 finishes while leading 963 laps collectively, as well as securing three pole awards.
“During our time together, he trusted what I did as a crew chief, and trusted himself more and more, and we got better and better as we went,” Baxter said. “This is an incredible opportunity, and change is good. Having the confidence of Bubba and everyone at Richard Petty Motorsports means a lot to me. I am excited about working with Bubba again, and the foundation Richard Petty Motorsports has in place with their group of guys.”
Since 2012, Baxter served as a crew chief in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Series, building strong foundations for many careers. Most recently, Baxter spent the season on top of the pit box for the 2018 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series champion, collecting four wins en route to championship contention in 2019.
“The 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season is a crucial year for Richard Petty Motorsports,” Wallace said. “As a team, we have made a ton of progress from my debut in 2018, and we are looking to continue that progress with Jerry calling the shots.
“He has been a great mentor, and even better friend, since we were able to work together in 2013 and 2014. I am excited to see him get this opportunity in the NASCAR Cup Series, and use our past success to take this team to new levels.”
With 34 years of experience as a crew chief in NASCAR, Baxter has been atop the pit box in the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, and the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Series. He has scored victories in two of the top three series with nine drivers, including Wallace. In 2007 Baxter led his team to a runner-up finish for the NASCAR Xfinity Series championship and guided David Reutimann to his first-career victory.
In 2015, as a California native, Baxter was inducted into the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame.
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