Team owner Michael Waltrip and driver Clint Bowyer pose by the #15 5-Hour Energy Toyota at Kansas Speedway on October 7, 2011 in Kansas City, Kansas. Waltrip announced that Clint Bowyer will join Michael Waltrip Racing for the 2012 Season. (Photo by Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR)

Finally the long running rumor is over.

Brian Pattie has been named the crew chief for Clint Bowyer’s No. 15 5-hour ENERGY Toyota Camry in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in 2012.

“Brian is someone whose been on our radar for a very long time,” said Waltrip in a statement released on Monday. “He brings a strong technical background, along with great leadership and Chase experience. We have high hopes for Brian, Clint and the 5-hour ENERGY team heading into 2012 and we think this is the perfect mix of talent, experience and leadership.”

Pattie comes to MWR after 19 victories in a long NASCAR Nationwide Series career with a variety of drivers and a Sprint Cup stint at Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing as the crew chief for Juan Pablo Montoya. Pattie guided him to a spot in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase in 2009 and a victory at Watkins Glen in 2010.

Pattie called MWR “an up-and-coming team making improvements every day. “I know how close it is to joining the upper echelon of the Sprint Cup Series. When I started talking with Michael about opportunities at MWR, I really did my research and was impressed by their commitment to getting to the top of the sport. I feel like this is a great opportunity to join a new team with a new driver and start building something special. Clint’s proven how good he is, and I know that will get even better in 2012.”

Clint Bowyer said he is definitely ready to race.

“I’ve known Brian Pattie for a long time and the thing that impresses me the most is how he calls a race and his knowledge of racecars,” said Bowyer. “We both grew up working on dirt cars and have pretty similar backgrounds. We understand each other and I think we speak the same language. I know once we get together and start working we’re going to see great results.”