Nead will be Waltrip's crew chief starting Monday

Gene Nead will be the crew chief for Michael Waltrip and the No. 55 NAPA Toyota starting Monday, until the end of this season.




Nead won the Craftsman Truck title with Ted Musgrave at Ultra Motorsports in 2005 and has worked with Robby Gordon, the Wood Brothers, Kevin Harvick Inc. and Bill Davis Racing.

Bootie Barker, who started with Waltrip this season, will remain with the organization as an engineering advisor.

Waltrip is currently 31st in points but opted out of the two road courses. His best finish of the season was seventh in the Daytona 500. Waltrip will run a limited season in 2010, which has yet to be finalized.