Chris Lawson (racing driver)

Last updated
Chris Lawson
Nationality Flag of the United States.svg American
BornChristopher W. Lawson
(1985-11-06) November 6, 1985 (age 39)
Medway, Ohio
ARCA Racing Series career
Debut season 2011
Former teams Fast Track Racing
Starts1
Wins0
Poles0
Best finish132nd in 2011
Finished last season132nd (2011)
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
4 races run over 4 years
2011 position88th
Best finish88th (2011)
First race 2009 Kroger 200 (IRP)
Last race 2011 Scotts EZ Seed 300 (Bristol)
WinsTop tens Poles
000
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series career
1 race run over 1 year
2009 position89th
Best finish89th (2009)
First race 2009 Heluva Good! 200 (New Hampshire)
WinsTop tens Poles
000
Last updated on: December 12, 2024.

Christopher W. Lawson (born November 6, 1985) is an American professional stock car racing crew chief who works for Front Row Motorsports as the crew chief of their No. 34 Ford Mustang Dark Horse in the NASCAR Cup Series driven by Todd Gilliland. He previously worked with Gilliland in the NASCAR West Series for Bill McAnally Racing, where the duo won two consecutive championships in 2016 and 2017 and twelve races together, as well as in the Truck Series for FRM. He is the 2022 Truck Series championship-winning crew chief with driver Zane Smith at FRM. Prior to becoming a crew chief, Lawson was a driver for underfunded, start and park teams in NASCAR and ARCA until 2011.

Contents

Racing career

Driving career

Lawson gained notoriety in 2011 as the driver who replaced Jennifer Jo Cobb at Bristol Motor Speedway in the 2nd Chance Motorsports No. 79 entry after Cobb left the team on the day of the race after a dispute with team owner Rick Russell on being told to start and park in that race. [1] Rookie of the year contender Charles Lewandoski was initially set to be the team's substitute driver, but was unable to get prepared in the car in time for the start of the race, so Russell then got Lawson to jump in Cobb's car and start and park it. [2] Lawson had failed to qualify for the Bristol race in another start and park entry, the No. 03 for R3 Motorsports. He was the only DNQ for the race, and was still at the track when it was about to start. This race would end up being Lawson's last as a driver.

Crew chiefing career

In 2019, Lawson served as Tanner Gray's crew chief in the ARCA Menards Series for DGR-Crosley. [3]

On December 12, 2024, Front Row Motorsports announced that Lawson would be returning to their team in 2025 as the crew chief of the No. 34 car in the Cup Series where he would reunite with Todd Gilliland. [4]

Motorsports career results

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Nationwide Series

NASCAR Nationwide Series results
YearTeamNo.Make1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435NNSCPtsRef
2007 Jimmy Means Racing 52 Ford DAY CAL MXC LVS ATL BRI NSH TEX PHO TAL RCH DAR CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW NHA DAY CHI GTY IRP CGV GLN MCH BRI CAL RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM
DNQ
TEX PHO HOM N/A0 [5]
2009 Jimmy Means Racing 52 Chevy DAY CAL LVS BRI TEX NSH PHO TAL RCH DAR CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW NHA DAY CHI GTY IRP
36
IOW GLN MCH BRI CGV ATL RCH
DNQ
DOV KAN CAL CLT MEM TEX PHO
DNQ
HOM 141st55 [6]
2010 Ford DAY CAL LVS BRI
DNQ
NSH PHO TEX TAL RCH DAR DOV CLT 122nd83 [7]
Chevy NSH
40
KEN ROA NHA
DNQ
DAY CHI GTY
DNQ
IRP
41
IOW GLN MCH BRI
DNQ
CGV ATL RCH DOV KAN CAL CLT GTY TEX PHO HOM
2011 R3 Motorsports 03 Dodge DAY PHO LVS BRI
DNQ
88th3 [8]
2nd Chance Motorsports 79 Ford BRI
41
CAL TEX TAL NSH RCH DAR DOV IOW CLT CHI MCH ROA DAY KEN NHA NSH IRP IOW GLN CGV BRI ATL RCH CHI DOV KAN CLT TEX PHO HOM

Camping World Truck Series

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series results
YearTeamNo.Make12345678910111213141516171819202122232425NCWTCPtsRef
2009 Fast Track Racing Enterprises 47 Chevy DAY CAL ATL MAR KAN CLT DOV TEX MCH MLW MEM KEN IRP NSH BRI CHI IOW GTW NHA
33
LVS MAR TAL TEX PHO HOM 106th64 [9]

ARCA Racing Series

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

ARCA Racing Series results
YearTeamNo.Make12345678910111213141516171819ARSCPtsRef
2011 Fast Track Racing 18 Dodge DAY
22
TAL SLM TOL NJE CHI POC MCH WIN BLN IOW IRP POC ISF MAD DSF SLM KAN TOL 132nd120 [10]

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References

  1. "Cobb replaced for refusing to 'start and park'". Fox Sports . March 19, 2011. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  2. "UPDATE: Jennifer Jo Cobb Refused to Start-and-Park, Stands up for what is Right". Speedway Digest. STS Motorsports Inc. March 19, 2011. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  3. "David Gilliland says massive NASCAR penalty was the result of a '100 percent legal' ARCA test". Autoweek. 2019-02-01. Retrieved 2020-02-28.
  4. "Chris Lawson to crew chief Todd Gilliland in 2025". Jayski's Silly Season Site . NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. December 12, 2024.
  5. "Chris Lawson – 2007 NASCAR Busch Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  6. "Chris Lawson – 2009 NASCAR Nationwide Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  7. "Chris Lawson – 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  8. "Chris Lawson – 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  9. "Chris Lawson – 2009 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  10. "Chris Lawson – 2011 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 17, 2020.