BROWNSBURG, Ind. — With the beginning of a brand new yr, Tony Stewart Racing Dash Automotive will see new faces step into crew roles because the crew kicks-off its twenty fifth season this yr.
Whereas the driving force behind the wheel stays the identical as 10-Time World of Outlaws NOS Vitality Dash Automotive Sequence champion Donny Schatz returns to the No. 15 entry for a run at his eleventh sequence title, the crew will host a mixture of acquainted and new faces behind the wrenches.
5-year TSR veteran Todd Devnich will step into the position of crew chief for the No. 15 crew, marking his first season because the crew’s chief. Hailing from Lincoln, Neb., Devnich’s roots in racing span almost 30 years. Reducing his tooth in dash automotive racing within the late Nineteen Nineties, Devnich began his skilled racing profession working for legendary automotive proprietor Craig Cormack on the No. 1BK entry in 1997.
Working with Schatz for the 1998, 1999 and 2000 WoO seasons on his family-owned crew, Devnich was a part of the crew when Schatz picked up his first profession WoO sequence victory at Cottage Grove (Ore.) Speedway in 1998. He continued to develop his expertise from 2000-2004 whereas working for the Elden Racing dash automotive crew.
In 2004, Devnich moved to North Carolina to work for Evernham Motorsports alongside one other acquainted identify and TSR alum, Rick Warner. When Warner determined to return to his dash automotive roots, Devnich assumed the position of automotive chief for Evernham Motorsports, working with drivers corresponding to Kasey Kahne and Invoice Elliott. In 2012, Devnich’s profession noticed him transfer to Hendrick Motorsports, the place he labored as a automotive chief within the NASCAR Cup Sequence ranks till deciding to return to his dust racing roots in 2020 when he got here to TSR within the position of automotive chief on the No. 14 winged dash automotive entry of Tony Stewart.
Whereas he’s no stranger to racing of all varieties, Devnich is relishing the chance to work with Schatz within the capability of crew chief.
“I’m trying ahead to the problem of moving into the position of crew chief, particularly getting to take action with a driver of Donny Schatz’s caliber and with a crew like Tony Stewart Racing,” Devnich stated.
“I’ve had the privilege of working with many crew chiefs throughout the game who’ve served as mentors, corresponding to Dave Yingst, Steve Swenson, Rick Warner, Kenny Francis and Keith Rodden simply to call a couple of. They have been nice to study from and offered a strong basis of information that I’m lucky to have had publicity to.
“It’s going to be a brand new problem and one which I’m able to deal with head on each day. I additionally recognize the boldness that Tony [Stewart] and Donny [Schatz] have that I’m as much as the duty as we tackle the 2025 World of Outlaws Dash Automotive Sequence schedule.”
Different Modifications
Becoming a member of TSR within the automotive chief position on the No. 15 entry for this season will probably be long-time dash automotive business veteran Gary Patellaro. Hailing from San Jose, Calif., and often called “Woodman” all through the crew ranks, Patellaro bought his introduction to the game through his uncle, the late Billy Albini, a revered west coast crew chief. Beginning his profession within the sport in 1988, Patellaro labored alongside Albini as a part of the dynastic Brent Kaeding Racing crew in California for almost a decade.
Following a hiatus from the late Nineteen Nineties to 2010, Patellaro reentered the dash automotive racing scene in 2010 working with the Kaeding and Brian Matherly owned groups on the west coast.
Working his manner by means of the nationwide crew ranks, Patellaro frolicked with Kasey Kahne Racing (KKR) on the No. 9 entry alongside drivers Daryn Pittman, Kahne and McFadden. In 2021, Patellaro moved to the Roth Motorsports No. 83 crew with McFadden as they competed with each the WoO Dash Sequence and Excessive Restrict Racing Sequence by means of the 2024 racing season.
Within the position of tire specialist for TSR this season, Nebraska newcomer Ian Lyon will be part of the No. 15 crew. Having spent most of his life across the sport, Lyon involves TSR with a background in 360ci and 410ci winged dash automotive racing. Lyon’s expertise contains time spent working with driver Don Droud, Jr., as he competed at Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway and with varied sequence all through the Midwest.
