Eury joins Swan team as Stremme's crew chief

David Stremme will begin the 2013 season with newly formed Swan Racing and a new crew chief in Tony Eury Jr., who's worked with two of NASCAR's biggest stars.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- David Stremme will begin the 2013 season with newly formed Swan Racing and a new crew chief in Tony Eury Jr., who's worked with two of NASCAR's biggest stars.

Swan Racing announced on Monday that Eury, who was Danica Patrick's crew chief in the Nationwide Series and a former crew chief for Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the Sprint Cup Series, would lead the No. 30 Toyota Cup team.

Eury left JR Motorsports, where he was the co-owner with Earnhardt, Kelley Earnhardt-Miller and Rick Hendrick, in September, 10 days after the organization severed ties with his father.

Eury served as Patrick's crew chief for her first 51 Nationwide Series starts, including a fourth-place finish at Las Vegas in 2010 that was the highest finish ever for a female driver in one of the sport's top three series.

Eury worked on and off with Earnhardt at Dale Earnhardt Inc. from 1993 through 2007. He moved to Hendrick Motorsports with Earnhardt in 2008 and served as the crew chief for NASCAR's most popular driver -- also his cousin -- until May 2009.

He later moved to JRM where he served as co-owner and crew chief. His father, Tony Eury Sr., was replaced by veteran crew chief Ryan Pemberton as JRM's director of competition in early September.

The move to Swan Racing was announced by owner Brandon Davis.

"We have a long-term vision for Swan Racing and the addition of Tony Jr. is another step in that process," Davis said in a statement. "Tony brings a world of experience to Swan Racing and will be part of our long-term success."

Eury will be reunited with competition director Steve Hmiel, a former DEI employee.

"I am really impressed with the team Swan Racing is building and I am proud to be part of it," he said.