Everything changed in 2023. After three years atop the pit box, JTG Daugherty Racing decided to replace crew chief Brian Pattie, hoping that bringing in a fresh face would overturn the fortunes of the No. 47 Chevy. By then, Pattie had built a decent rapport with Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and the decision was somewhat of a gamble in a sport that is often defined by the finest of margins. Replacing him was a crew chief who had previously worked with Stenhouse Jr. at Roush Fenway Racing, helping win a couple of Xfinity Series titles along with some promising results at the highest level.

Having worked for over 30 years in NASCAR, Mike Kelley knows a thing or two about the stock car racing world. Now, he’s sharing pearls of wisdom and his leadership style with the community that has given him so much, and also issuing a real warning to the sports’ youngsters during the podcast, ‘Victory Lane by Davey Segal.’

Mike Kelley wants youngsters to enjoy the moment

Being a crew chief isn’t easy. Just ask Mike Kelley, who has been responsible for Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s strategy, performance, and car setup for the years. He was atop the pit box when the No. 47 Chevy famously entered Victory Lane at Talladega Superspeedway last year, and his 11 wins as a car chief for Kurt Busch, as well as that 2004 Cup Series title, are the stuff of legends. It’s fair to say Kelley has been around the block, working across the garage over the years, and now he’s firing a wake-up call to NASCAR’s new generation.

Sharing his thoughts on Victory Lane by Davey Segal podcast, Mike Kelley candidly said, “For someone who has made a living and enjoyed it, traveled around the world and the country on someone else’s dollar and get to do what I still wake up everyday and love to do, I try and tell those guys take advantage of it. Don’t b—- about it all the time. It’s not about the sandwiches on the airplane, sometimes it’s about the journey you did this weekend and the impact you had on other people. Just enjoy it.” 

Mike Kelley feels that NASCAR’s new generation is obsessed with results. While the culture of NASCAR and the format as such have turned the sport’s highest level into a ‘win or nothing’ sport, Kelley feels the best ones are those who enjoy the process. Kelley focuses on being grateful for having an opportunity that most people would dream of having, and channeling tragedy into opportunity rather than lamenting over sour grapes. And Kelley’s impact is undeniable.

When he took over Ricky Stenhouse Jr’s team back in the day, the single-car organization was in somewhat of a rut in the last two seasons, scoring a total of seven top-10 finishes and ending up 22nd and 26th, respectively. But in his very first race atop the pit box for the No. 47 Chevy, the racer won the iconic 2023 Daytona 500 and secured nine top-10 results during the 2023 campaign. He has gone on to secure at least one win every season since then, and will hope that streak continues at Hyak Motorsports as well.

As for Mike Kelley, with everything that he has achieved in the sport, it’s not surprising that he’s not liking the way the ‘younger generation’ is handling things. “I try and tell all the younger guys that are in our sport, it’s so easy with social media and our world today to get on the wrong side of things,” he said. “Man, this is wrong about our sport.” While the world moves forward and becomes more digitally savvy, Kelley clings to his old-school values. Because why not? As he rightly said, “If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it.”

Trending

1

NASCAR Rumor: Popular Chevy Driver to Be ‘Fired’ by End of Season Over Latino Speedster, Claims Insider

2

NASCAR Cup Driver Stripped of Win in Dramatic Nashville Fairgrounds Twist

3

$138 Billion Giant Calls Up Kyle Busch to Be Their New Face Years After M&M Left the ‘Candyman’ Behind

4

“There Aren’t Enough Curse Words”: Teresa Earnhardt’s Name Dragged Through the Mud by Fans Months After Earning Goodwill

5

Fans Mourn the Loss of NASCAR’s Untapped Potential as Insider Reveals Shocking Details

Kelley shares his thoughts on the 2025 campaign

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. isn’t buying the fact that he’s having a pretty ‘solid’ season. As things stand, his team is 13th in the drivers’ standings, a significant improvement over this stage last season, and they’re also holding a provisional playoff spot going into Nashville Superspeedway. But some obvious improvements could be made, such as the pit road penalty he incurred at Kansas was easily avoidable, especially since he had a good, long-run car. “Yeah, I definitely think we’re still leaving stuff on the table,” Stenhouse Jr. admitted, and he’s not wrong.

Mike Kelley also echoed that sentiment. “We’re not where we would need to be to win a championship yet,” the crew chief said. But he’s also optimistic about the No. 47 Chevy’s chances in the future, saying, “We just got to get there, and hopefully find a little more speed over the next six to eight weeks, and continue to make gains. We’ve got Mexico circled on the calendar, and we know what we’re always capable of at Atlanta and Daytona. Iowa is good for Ricky, and we’ve got a lot of races that we are capable of capitalizing on.”

Finishing 11th at Charlotte Motor Speedway was a decent outcome, although not what Stenhouse Jr. or Mike Kelley envisioned going into the Coca-Cola 600. Now, the crew chief will shift his attention to improving the short runs and qualifying results, which should, in turn, improve the overall results going forward. Do you think Stenhouse Jr. will make it to the playoffs this year? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!