NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Tony Stewart Racing has announced that Mike Knudsen has been promoted to crew chief on Matt Hagan’s Funny Car, with Phil Shuler joining the championship-winning team heading into 2025.

Veteran co-crew chief Knudsen, who is getting promoted to crew chief, has been with Hagan since 2013, having made the move to TSR from Don Schumacher Racing in 2022 with the formation of the new team. The pair has earned three championships together in 2014, 2020, and 2023. Knudsen began his career in Funny Car with Jim Head Racing and later moved to Funny Car with Jerry Toliver. In 2005, Knudsen joined DSR, where he worked with Whit Bazemore, Gary Scelzi, Cory McClenathan, and Spencer Massey before joining Hagan’s crew.

“I’m really excited to take the next step in my career,” said Knudsen. “Thank you to Dickie’s [Venables] mentorship, I feel very prepared to step into the crew chief role. I couldn’t ask for a better situation. Tony [Stewart] is the best owner in the NHRA, and we have a championship-winning team that’s led by Alex Conaway [car chief], also with Matt being a four-time championship-winning driver. I’m also excited to bring Phil on board. He and I have multiple years of experience working together at DSR. I feel we will really complement each other as co-crew chiefs. We’re excited to get the 2025 season underway and hunt down that fifth championship for Matt.”

Shuler, who will be joining Knudsen in co-crew chief duties, has a notable background in the NHRA, most recently serving as assistant crew chief at Maynard Family Racing on Tony Schumacher’s Top Fuel operation. From 2003 to 2006, Shuler worked for Don Prudhomme, before joining Don Schumacher Racing in 2006, where he collaborated on the cars of Jack Beckman, Scelzi, Jerry Toliver, McClenathan, and Massey through 2016. 

Ahead of the 2017 season, Shuler joined the U.S. Army team, where he served as assistant crew chief on the Schumacher-driven dragster. He stepped away from nitro racing in the NHRA after the 2019 season to work on Pro Mods and returned to nitro with Maynard Family Racing in 2022.

“I’m really excited to get the opportunity to work with Tony Stewart Racing,” stated Shuler. There are a lot of people there that I’ve worked with over the years at DSR and have a good relationship with. I’ve worked with Mike Knudsen a lot. He handled the clutch on a car I was one of the crew chiefs on back in the day. He has always been a very sharp individual and has moved up the ranks. This is a well-deserved opportunity for him, and I’m excited to help him wherever I can. We will try to have the best Funny Car in the NHRA in 2025.”

Tony Stewart Racing has earned 16 wins since the team’s inception in 2022. Hagan brought home 13 of those victories, as well as TSR’s first Funny Car championship in 2023, which marked the fourth of his career. Knudsen took on a greater role, making the tuning decision for Hagan’s 52nd and most recent win at the Texas NHRA FallNationals. 

“First, I’d like to thank Dickie for all of his contributions at TSR,” said team owner Tony Stewart. “He and Matt were able to accomplish a lot together over the years, and we’re honored they were able to earn the team’s first Funny Car championship together. His mentorship and talents have been an asset to all the men around him. 

“Many in the industry may question why the change, and all I can say is as a team owner you are presented with difficult decisions often, and the call we made to elevate Mike Knudsen to the crew chief role is what is ultimately best for the dynamic of this team. I’m very proud of Mike for being promoted to the crew chief role. He is a strong leader and great tuner and is well-prepared to take on this new position. With this change, we are also excited to have Phil Shuler join the team alongside Mike. He has a prominent background in the NHRA, and I’m looking forward to seeing what they can accomplish together.”