“We have had success this season, and now we’re just looking for more consistency as we prepare for next season,” Ambrose said. “Drew brings a strong resume to our team and can help us find the results that we want each week. I’m looking forward to working with him.”

Blickensderfer was in his first year with Childress. He made the move to RCR during the offseason after several years at Roush Fenway Racing. In 33 races with Burton and the No. 31 team, Blickensderfer led the team to two top-fives and six top-10 finishes. Blickensderfer leaves that team with Burton 19th in the points standings.

Blickensderfer did experience success, though, during his time with RFR. While with the Roush Fenway organization, Blickensderfer called the shots for several race wins — including a Daytona 500 victory — working with drivers Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth.

“Drew has a lot of experience with Ford Racing and also how our current operation works,” team owner Richard Petty said. “His knowledge can immediately improve the performance of the No. 9 race team. Marcos has proved to win races and compete in the top-five. The addition of Drew will, hopefully, provide those results on a more consistent basis.”

Blickensderfer was a part of the Ford Racing family when he was with Roush Fenway Racing. Richard Childress Racing is a Chevrolet organization.

Blickensderfer’s replacement at RCR for the remaining three races this season will be Shane Wilson, with Luke Lambert taking over in 2013.

Ford joined RPM at the start of the 2012 season to work as crew chief for Aric Almirola and the No. 43 team, he was moved to Petty’s No. 9 team seven races ago.

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“I want to thank Drew for all of his effort with the No. 31 Caterpillar team this season,” team owner Richard Childress said. “He’s a great crew chief, and I can’t say enough about his dedication to RCR. Making the move now, before the season is over, gives Drew some additional time to pursue other opportunities.”

So far, with only three races to go in the 36-race 2012 season, the No. 31 team is winless with two top-five and six top-10 finishes. Burton is 19th in the points standings.

According to a report from FOX Sports, Blickensderfer is heading to Richard Petty Motorsports to replace Mike Ford as crew chief on the No. 9 team (driver: Marcos Ambrose), but no official announcement has come from RPM. Ford started the year with Petty’s No. 43 team (driver: Aric Almirola) before being moved to the No. 9 just a handful of races ago.

Shane Wilson will call the shots from atop the pit box for Jeff Burton for the remainder of 2012. Luke Lambert, currently crew chief on RCR’s No. 2 NASCAR Nationwide Series team (driver: Elliott Sadler) will take over as permanent crew chief on the No. 31 team in 2013.

“Luke is proving this season that he’s a strong, young crew chief who can win races and compete for a championship,” Childress said. “Announcing his move to the No. 31 team in 2013 will not take anything away from his focus on the No. 2 team winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series championship. That’s his number one priority. We mrely wanted to show that we have both an interim plan for the rest of this season and a long-term plan for the future.”

Lambert worked as crew chief for Burton and the No. 31 team in the second half of the 2011 Sprint Cup season before making the move to Sadler and the No. 2 Nationwide team for 2012.

Elliott Sadler is the championship points leader in the Nationwide Series with only three races remaining on that circuit’s schedule. With Lambert at the healm this season, Sadler and company has claimed four wins, 15 top-fives and 23 top-10 finishes.

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