Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Ernie Cope takes over as crew chief for A.J. Allmendinger

Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race - Practice

CHARLOTTE, NC - MAY 19: AJ Allmendinger, driver of the #47 Kroger ClickList Chevrolet, drives during practice for the Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 19, 2017 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Sarah Crabill/Getty Images)

Getty Images

Ernie Cope is the new crew chief of the No. 47 Chevrolet driven by A.J. Allmendinger effective immediately, JTG Daugherty confirmed to NBC Sports.

Motorsport.com first reported the move.

Cope takes over for Randall Burnett, who will be reassigned within the organization. Burnett has been Allmendinger’s crew chief since the start of the 2016 season.

Cope, who led Chase Elliott to his 2014 Xfinity Series championship, had also joined the team as competition director at the start of 2016.

Allmendinger gets a new crew chief as he sits 30th in the point standings. He finished 19th in 2016.

Allmendinger’s best result through 11 races this year is third in the Daytona 500. His only other top 10 finish was sixth at Martinsville.

Burnett was suspended three races and fined $65,000 earlier this year for three unsecured lug nuts on the No. 47 after the Atlanta race. Cope filled in for a fourth race in addition to the races Burnett was suspended for.

Follow @DanielMcFadin