Jonathan Hassler: Meet Ryan Blaney’s Crew Chief and Chris Gabehart’s Former Classmate

Jonathan Hassler: Meet Ryan Blaney’s Crew Chief and Chris Gabehart’s Former Classmate

Why do NASCAR’s sharpest crew chiefs often come from engineering classrooms, not garages? Ryan Blaney’s crew chief, Jonathan Hassler, was studying race theory and thermal dynamics in a Purdue lecture hall long before Blaney stormed to a Cup Series victory in 2023. Chris Gabehart, who would subsequently lead Denny Hamlin‘s postseason runs, was seated a few seats away. It was more than simply a classroom; it served as a testing ground for two idea…