Blake Harris to Crew Van Gisbergen's No. 97 in 2027
Harris leaves Hendrick Motorsports after four seasons crewing Alex Bowman's No. 48 Chevrolet to join Trackhouse Racing.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Motorsports
Blake Harris will become crew chief for Shane van Gisbergen's No. 97 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet in 2027, according to multiple people familiar with the situation. Harris is leaving Hendrick Motorsports, where he crewed Alex Bowman's No. 48 Chevrolet for four seasons.
Why it matters
The move reshapes crew assignments at two Cup Series teams heading into 2027, and the replacement for Harris at Hendrick has not been confirmed. Trackhouse Racing has signaled further team changes for the coming season.
Bowman and Harris earned their lone win together in 2024 on the streets of Chicago. Van Gisbergen and crew chief Stephan Doran have seven race wins together over two seasons.
The players
Blake Harris
Crew chief who has worked with Alex Bowman at Hendrick Motorsports for four seasons and will move to Trackhouse Racing.
Shane van Gisbergen
Australian driver who joined the NASCAR Cup Series in 2024 after winning the inaugural Chicago street race and was named rookie of the year in 2025.
Alex Bowman
Hendrick Motorsports driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet who won the 2024 Chicago street race with Harris.
Trackhouse Racing
NASCAR team owned by Justin Marks that fields Shane van Gisbergen's No. 97 Chevrolet and is undergoing competition-side changes for 2027.
The details
Harris and Bowman earned their lone win together in 2024 on the Chicago street course. Justin Marks confirmed to SiriusXM NASCAR Radio that changes were coming to the Trackhouse Racing competition side, and Connor Zilisch is planned to keep working with crew chief Randall Burnett in 2027.
Timeline
2024: Bowman and Harris win the Chicago street race together.
2024: Van Gisbergen joins the Cup Series after his Chicago win.
2025: Van Gisbergen is named Cup Series rookie of the year.
Sunday after the Martinsville race: Van Gisbergen says big team changes are coming.
2027 season: Harris begins crewing van Gisbergen's Trackhouse Chevrolet.
Season Trajectory
The 2027 crew reshuffle follows van Gisbergen's path from his 2024 Chicago street race win to rookie of the year in 2025. Trackhouse Racing's broader competition-side changes add to a season of roster movement across the Cup Series garage.
Fantasy managers tracking Bowman and van Gisbergen should watch which crew chief takes over the No. 48 car at Hendrick. The change could affect pit-stop execution and race-day strategy for both teams once the 2027 season begins.
The takeaway
Crew chief moves often ripple across multiple teams, so changes at Hendrick and Trackhouse may shape both organizations' performance well beyond the individuals involved. Readers should watch for confirmation of Harris's replacement at Hendrick as the 2027 lineups take shape.
Further reading
Explore more Motorsports coverage for context on NASCAR team and crew moves.
