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Steve Addington
Steve Addington
Steve Addington
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Steven J. Addington (born July 4, 1964) is an American NASCAR crew chief who works for DGM Racing as the crew chief of their No. 92 Chevrolet Camaro SS in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series driven by Josh Williams. He has won 20 NASCAR Cup Series races and 11 Xfinity Series races as a crew chief.

Key Information

Addington started his crew chiefing career in 1993 in the Xfinity Series when it was known as the NASCAR Busch Series for Jason Keller's own team, KEL Racing. In 1997, he left for Billy Ballew Motorsports in the Truck Series and came back to Keller's No. 57 car in 1999, now owned by Progressive Motorsports/ppc Racing. In 2004, he became a crew chief for Joe Gibbs Racing in the Busch Series and the Cup Series. He worked as a Cup Series crew chief for Team Penske in 2010 and 2011, Stewart–Haas Racing in 2012 and 2013, and HScott Motorsports in 2014, 2015 and 2016. He was also the competition director at HScott in addition to being a crew chief for one of the team's cars. After being out of the sport after HScott closed down after the 2016 season, he returned in 2022 and worked for RSS Racing from 2022 to 2024 as an Xfinity Series crew chief.[1]

Racing career

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Addington worked as Jason Keller's crew chief in the Busch Series, and the combination collected 10 wins.[2][3]

Addington worked in 2004 as the Joe Gibbs Racing crew chief for their No. 20 NASCAR Busch Series driven by Mike Bliss, who finished fifth in points.[2] Bliss also part-time in the Cup Series for JGR in a fourth car for the team, the No. 80, and Addington was also his crew chief in that series.

In 2005, Addington became the crew chief for Joe Gibbs Racing's No. 18 car in the NASCAR Cup Series driven by Bobby Labonte, replacing Michael "Fatback" McSwain.[2] Labonte left for Petty Enterprises and was replaced by J. J. Yeley in 2006.[3] Kyle Busch replaced Yeley as the driver of the No. 18 car in 2008 and Addington remained as the crew chief.[4] JGR also switched from Chevrolet to Toyota that year.[5][4] On March 9, 2008, Addington scored his first win as a NASCAR Sprint Cup crew chief when the 18 team won the Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway and he was also awarded the "Crew Chief of the Race".[6] Busch lead the points with eight wins going into the Chase for the Cup.[7] The team had numerous problems as soon as the Chase started, such as engine failures and wrecks,[8] and Busch finished tenth in the twelve drivers in the Chase.[4] Addington was named the DirecTV Crew Chief of the Year Award at NASCAR's award banquet.[9] Busch ended the season with 21 victories in NASCAR's big three divisions (Sprint Cup, Nationwide, and Craftsman Truck Series), which was seven more wins that any driver had made since the Craftsman Truck Series began in 1995.[5] Busch said "I think the final ten races certainly humbled all of us. Everyone already had virtually guaranteed us the championship after seeing the first 26 races, but it changed so quickly."[4] After Busch missed the 2009 Chase, Addington was relieved of his crew chief duties with three races left in the 2009 season was replaced by Dave Rogers.

On December 14, 2009, it was reported that Addington would become the next crew chief for Kyle's brother Kurt Busch at Team Penske, replacing outgoing crew chief Pat Tryson, who had been relieved of his duties following the 2009 Sprint Cup Season. In 2011, Addington and Busch would move from Penske's No. 2 car to the team's new No. 22 car.

Addington ended his tenure as Busch's crew chief at the end of 2011. He joined Stewart–Haas Racing as the crew chief of the team's No. 14 Chevrolet, driven by SHR owner/driver Tony Stewart and Team Chevy, taking over for 2011 Sprint Cup championship-winning crew chief Darian Grubb. Addington and Stewart had previously worked together at Joe Gibbs Racing.

Addington missed the race at Talladega in October 2013 as his wife was about to give birth to a child. SHR competition director Greg Zipadelli filled in as the crew chief for the No. 14 car in that race,[10] which was driven by Austin Dillon as Stewart had been injured in a dirt racing crash before the race at Watkins Glen which sidelined him for the rest of the season.

Addington was relieved of his duties as crew chief of the No. 14 on November 19, 2013. On November 21, 2013, it was announced that Addington would join HScott Motorsports in 2014 as the crew chief of their No. 51 car, driven by Justin Allgaier, as well as the team's competition director.[11][12] In 2016, Allgaier went back to the Xfinity Series was replaced by Clint Bowyer and the car was renumbered to the No. 15.

In 2016, HScott Motorsports closed down after the end of the season, leaving Addington a free agent. He remained without a crew chiefing job for five years. In 2022, Addington returned to NASCAR and became the crew chief for the No. 38 car for RSS Racing in the Xfinity Series driven by C. J. McLaughlin and Parker Retzlaff.[13] In 2023, he returned to crew chief the RSS No. 38 car, primarily driven by Joe Graf Jr.[14] For the season-opener at Daytona, Graf Jr. and Ryan Sieg switched rides with Sieg driving the No. 38 and Graf driving the No. 39, with Addington crew chiefing Sieg in that race.[15] For the next two races at Fontana and Las Vegas, Graf drove the No. 19 car for Joe Gibbs Racing instead with Kyle Sieg, Ryan's brother, moving from RSS's No. 28 car to the No. 38 and Alex Labbé driving the No. 28. Addington and Brad Parrott, normally the crew chief of the No. 28 car, switched cars for these races with Addington crew chiefing the No. 28 driven by Labbé and Parrott crew chiefing the No. 38 driven by Kyle Sieg.[16]

Personal life

[edit]

Addington was born in Spartanburg, South Carolina. As a kid, he was a fan of dirt track races. At age 14, Addington's mother remarried and then the family moved to Batesville, Arkansas where his stepfather began working for Mark Martin.[citation needed]

Although his stepfather worked in racing, Addington preferred to play football as a child. He graduated from Central High School in Texas and moved back to Spartanburg. Addington's start in racing came as he helped friends compete in dirt cars.[17]

Addington has a daughter named Ashlyn. He left qualifying early for the June 2008 race at Dover to attend Ashlyn's graduation from Boiling Springs High School in Boiling Springs, South Carolina.[3] He also has another child who was born in October 2013. Because the baby was about to be born around the time of the race at Talladega that month, Addington did not crew chief the No. 14 SHR car in that race.[10]

References

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Steve Addington

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from Grokipedia
Steve Addington is an American NASCAR crew chief known for securing 20 victories in the NASCAR Cup Series, most notably during a highly successful period from 2008 to 2012 that included eight wins with Kyle Busch at Joe Gibbs Racing in 2008 alone. He also led Kurt Busch to victories at Penske Racing and Tony Stewart at Stewart-Haas Racing, contributing to his reputation as one of the sport's experienced crew chiefs capable of maximizing performance with top-tier drivers. Born and raised in Spartanburg, South Carolina, Addington moved to Charlotte in 1998 to pursue a full-time career in NASCAR after building early experience in lower series. His career began in the Xfinity Series (formerly Busch Series), where he achieved 11 wins, primarily with driver Jason Keller across a decade-long partnership that included multiple top-five points finishes. After his prominent Cup Series run ended in 2016, Addington shifted focus to the Xfinity Series, serving in crew chief roles for teams such as RSS Racing and DGM Racing, including leading the No. 92 Chevrolet entry at DGM Racing in recent seasons. His longevity and adaptability across NASCAR's national series have marked him as a veteran contributor to the sport's competitive landscape.

Early life

Background and entry into racing

Steve Addington was born on July 4, 1964, in Spartanburg, South Carolina. He was a native of Spartanburg, where he was born and raised before later opportunities led him to relocate temporarily for his NASCAR career. Addington's entry into racing began through hands-on work with dirt cars, marking his initial involvement in motorsports. He started off working on dirt cars in collaboration with driver Jason Keller, which laid the foundation for his later progression in stock car racing. This early experience in the dirt track scene provided practical exposure to race car preparation and team dynamics prior to his move into national series competition.

NASCAR career

Busch Series beginnings (1993–2004)

Addington began his career as a crew chief in the NASCAR Busch Series in 1993 with Jason Keller at KEL Racing, marking the start of a long and successful partnership that originated from their earlier collaborations on South Carolina short tracks in the late 1980s. Their first full seasons together produced steady results, culminating in one victory in 1995. After parting ways following the 1996 season, Addington had a brief stint in the Craftsman Truck Series in 1997 with Billy Ballew Motorsports. He reunited with Keller in 1999 at Progressive Motorsports/ppc Racing, where they fielded the No. 57 car and enjoyed their most productive years together. From 1999 to 2003, the duo secured nine more victories: two in 1999, one in 2000, one in 2001, four in 2002, and one in 2003. These successes, combined with their 1995 win, brought their total to 10 Busch Series victories as a team, establishing Addington as a reliable crew chief capable of contending for top finishes. In 2004, Addington joined Joe Gibbs Racing to crew chief Mike Bliss in the No. 20 Chevrolet, earning one victory across 26 starts. This win brought his career total in the Busch Series to 11. That season marked his final year in the series before transitioning to the Cup Series with Joe Gibbs Racing the following year.

Peak Cup Series success at Joe Gibbs Racing (2005–2009)

Steve Addington assumed the role of crew chief for Joe Gibbs Racing's No. 18 NASCAR Cup Series car in 2005, replacing Michael McSwain to oversee driver Bobby Labonte across all 36 races that season. The pairing produced no wins but delivered four top-5 finishes and seven top-10 results. For the 2006 and 2007 seasons, Addington continued with the No. 18 team, now led by driver J.J. Yeley, completing 72 starts with one top-5 finish, six top-10 finishes overall, and one pole position in 2007. Addington's tenure reached its peak in 2008 and 2009 when Kyle Busch took over driving duties for the No. 18 car, coinciding with Joe Gibbs Racing's transition to Toyota as its manufacturer. In 2008, the combination achieved eight wins, 17 top-5 finishes, 21 top-10 finishes, and two poles across 36 starts. Busch's first victory with Addington came on March 9, 2008, at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the Kobalt Tools 500, which also marked Toyota's inaugural win in the NASCAR Cup Series. For his strategic leadership in that race, Addington was named the WYPALL Wipers “Crew Chief of the Race.” Busch led the points standings for 21 weeks and entered the Chase for the Sprint Cup as the top seed, but late-season setbacks including engine failures and wrecks resulted in a 10th-place finish in the final standings. In 2009, Addington and Busch continued together for 33 races, recording four wins, nine top-5 finishes, 12 top-10 finishes, and one pole. Despite the solid results, the team missed the Chase for the Championship by eight points following a mid-season slump marked by inconsistent performances. Joe Gibbs Racing relieved Addington of his duties after the Talladega race in November 2009, replacing him with Dave Rogers for the remainder of the season.

Mid-career Cup roles at Team Penske and Stewart-Haas Racing (2010–2013)

In 2010, Steve Addington joined Team Penske as crew chief for Kurt Busch, leading the No. 2 Dodge through a full 36-race season that produced 2 wins, 9 top-5 finishes, 17 top-10 finishes, and 2 poles. In 2011, Busch switched to the No. 22 car under Addington's guidance for another 36 races, yielding 2 wins, 8 top-5 finishes, 16 top-10 finishes, and 3 poles. Across his two seasons with Busch at Penske, the pairing achieved 4 wins, 17 top-5 finishes, 33 top-10 finishes, and 5 poles overall before Addington departed the organization at the end of 2011. Addington transitioned to Stewart-Haas Racing for the 2012 season, serving as crew chief for Tony Stewart in the No. 14 Chevrolet and delivering 3 wins, 12 top-5 finishes, 16 top-10 finishes, and 1 pole. In 2013, he continued with the No. 14 team for 21 races, recording 1 win, 5 top-5 finishes, and 8 top-10 finishes. Addington missed the October 2013 Talladega Superspeedway race due to the birth of his child, with team competition director Greg Zipadelli filling in as interim crew chief while Austin Dillon drove the No. 14 car. On November 19, 2013, Stewart-Haas Racing relieved Addington of his role as crew chief for the No. 14 team.

HScott Motorsports and competition director role (2014–2016)

In late 2013, Steve Addington was announced as the crew chief for the No. 51 Chevrolet at HScott Motorsports (following the transition from Phoenix Racing) for the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, where he partnered with driver Justin Allgaier while also serving as the team's director of competition. During the 2014 and 2015 seasons, Addington led Allgaier through 71 starts in the No. 51 Chevrolet, recording zero wins, zero top-five finishes, and one top-ten finish. In 2016, the team shifted to a single-car operation with the No. 15 Chevrolet driven by Clint Bowyer, with Addington continuing as crew chief and competition director; the pairing completed 36 starts without any wins or top-five finishes but achieved three top-ten results. HScott Motorsports ceased operations following the 2016 season, prompting Addington to step away from crew chief roles for the next five years.

Hiatus and return to Xfinity Series (2017–present)

Following the shutdown of HScott Motorsports at the end of the 2016 NASCAR Cup Series season, Steve Addington entered a five-year hiatus from crew chief positions in NASCAR national series events, with no roles documented from 2017 through 2021. In February 2022, Addington returned to the pit box as the full-season crew chief for RSS Racing's No. 38 Ford Mustang in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, marking his first national series assignment since 2016. He oversaw the entry through 2024, working with multiple drivers including C.J. McLaughlin, Parker Retzlaff, Joe Graf Jr., Ryan Sieg (at Daytona in 2023), and Alex Labbé (in 2023 swaps) in a lower-budget program that yielded no wins and limited top finishes. In 2025, Addington joined DGM Racing as a part-time crew chief for the No. 92 Chevrolet Camaro SS in the Xfinity Series, including two starts with driver Josh Williams. He was elevated to full-time crew chief for the No. 92 with Williams beginning in 2026 as part of a multiyear agreement. No wins have been recorded during Addington's post-hiatus period in the Xfinity Series.

Television appearances

NASCAR on Fox credits

Steve Addington has made limited on-camera television appearances in his professional capacity as a NASCAR crew chief. He appeared as himself, credited as Self - Crew Chief, in two episodes of the TV series NASCAR on Fox in 2008. These appearances represent his only known credits in television, film, or any other media production, with no additional acting, behind-the-camera, or guest roles documented. The 2008 episodes aligned with his role at Joe Gibbs Racing during that period.

Personal life

Awards and recognition

References

  1. https://www.nascarreference.com/crew/crewstats.php?CrewChiefID=1
  2. https://tobychristie.com/nascar/xfinity-series/steve-addington-returns-to-pit-box-calling-shots-for-rss-racings-no-38-in-2022/
  3. https://www.goupstate.com/story/news/2013/11/22/spartanburg-native-addington-named-phoenix-racing-crew-chief/30045492007/
  4. https://www.nascar.com/gallery/key-players-in-2025-2026-silly-season/
  5. https://www.goupstate.com/story/news/2008/02/08/spartanburg-natives-getting-job-done-as-nascar-crew-chiefs/29427534007/
  6. https://au.motorsport.com/nascar-xs/news/busch-keller-and-addington-15-years-together/1957161/
  7. https://frcs.pro/nascar/crew-chiefs/steve-addington
  8. https://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/01/sports/01nascar.html
  9. https://www.jayski.com/2008/03/11/steve-addington-named-wypall-wipers-crew-chief-of-the-race%C2%9D-in-atlanta/
  10. https://www.sbnation.com/nascar/2011/11/22/2580484/steve-addington-kurt-busch-penske-racing-tony-stewart-haas-racing-nascar-crew-chief
  11. https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2013/11/21/addington-turns-page-from-shr-to-phoenix/
  12. https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2013/10/20/zipadelli-fills-in-for-addington-on-no-14/
  13. https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nascar/2013/11/19/tony-stewart-steve-addington-new-crew-chief/3642895/
  14. https://www.performanceracing.com/magazine/industry-news/11-21-2013/phoenix-racing-names-steve-addington-crew-chief
  15. https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nascar/hscott-motorsports-expands-to-two-cars-adds-michael-annett
  16. https://www.jayski.com/2025/11/14/josh-williams-returning-to-dgm-racing-in-multiyear-agreement/
  17. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2979970/
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