Montoya gets third new crew chief this season
By early Tuesday, the duo decided to go in different directions.
Sources at Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates have confirmed that Brian Pattie has been named the interim crew chief for Montoya and the No. 42 Texaco Havoline Dodge. Elledge, 37, has parted ways with the company he first joined in 2003.
The crew chief change is the third for Montoya this season. Before the Talladega race in April, Elledge took over the helm for Donnie Wingo, who swapped positions and assumed crew chief duties for the No. 41 Target Dodge driven by Reed Sorenson.
Pattie joined Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates as a Nationwide Series crew chief for Reed Sorenson in 2004. Last year he worked with Montoya in the NNS during the driver's rookie season.
In 11 Sprint Cup Series starts this season, Montoya has a best finish of second at Talladega — his sole top-10 of the year. In the two races since, however, JPM has finished 32nd and 23rd at Richmond and Darlington respectively. Montoya is 16th in the championship standings and has an average finish of 18.8 in his second full year of Cup competition.
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