After a poor showing in the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Matt Kenseth has made some changes for the team in 2010. (Photo: LAT Photographic)

Reiser was considered as a replacement but Roush didn’t want him to leave his current role. Roush was emotional when talking about the decision, saying he was conflicted.

“Drew was my choice, he was Matt’s choice a year-and-a-half ago to lead the 17 team,” Roush said. “He had done everything we asked him to do. He is a person who is extraordinarily talented and able. … Drew will be in the Roush Fenway organization hopefully for a long time and he will be a factor in Sprint Cup racing in the future for one of our teams.”

Roush said the No. 17 team’s lack of chemistry was “my failing” but that a change was necessary because the team had not excelled. Kenseth said the change had to be made because with only 25 races before the Chase field is determined, the team could not afford a slow start.

“It’s something that needed to be done,” Kenseth said. “We’ve got a lot of racing yet to do this year. … Get a head start on this thing instead of waiting until we’re halfway into the season and it’s too late to dig ourselves out.”

Kenseth said his team needed a spark and needed someone who could fire up the team.

“I’m not a very good leader, I’ll admit that,” Kenseth said. “I’m probably not the guy to do that. I just felt like something needed to be changed, and unfortunately it usually starts with the driver or the crew chief. … You guys say I don’t show emotion sometimes; I kind of felt the whole group was like that.”

Roush termed Parrott’s role as crew chief as “interim” because Parrott did such a good job overseeing the building of the organization’s restrictor-plate cars. He said Parrott’s experience as a championship crew chief with Robert Yates Racing and Dale Jarrett in 1999 was one of the reasons he is taking over the No. 17 team.

“I hope that I can just continue on, get the 17 car back to where it belongs in victory lane,” Parrott said.

Parrott was crew chief last year for part of the season with Bobby Labonte, whose car was operated by Yates Racing.

“I missed … the competition side of it, fighting tooth and nail to try to be the best team in racing and to win races and championships,” said Parrott, who also has been crew chief for other Yates Racing cars the last couple of years. “It just didn’t work out the last few years.”

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