# Chris Lawson (NASCAR)

Christopher W. Lawson (born November 6, 1985) is an American professional stock car racing crew chief who works for Front Row Motorsports as the crew chief of their No. 34 Ford Mustang Dark Horse in the NASCAR Cup Series driven by Todd Gilliland. He previously worked with Gilliland in the NASCAR West Series for Bill McAnally Racing, where the duo won two consecutive championships in 2016 and 2017 and twelve races together, as well as in the Truck Series for FRM. He is the 2022 Truck Series championship-winning crew chief with driver Zane Smith at FRM. Prior to becoming a crew chief, Lawson was a driver for underfunded, start and park teams in NASCAR and ARCA until 2011.

## Racing career
### Driving career

Lawson gained notoriety in 2011 as the driver who replaced Jennifer Jo Cobb at Bristol Motor Speedway in the 2nd Chance Motorsports No. 79 entry after Cobb left the team on the day of the race after a dispute with team owner Rick Russell on being told to start and park in that race. Rookie of the year contender Charles Lewandoski was initially set to be the team's substitute driver, but was unable to get prepared in the car in time for the start of the race, so Russell then got Lawson to jump in Cobb's car and start and park it. Lawson had failed to qualify for the Bristol race in another start and park entry, the No. 03 for R3 Motorsports. He was the only DNQ for the race, and was still at the track when it was about to start. This race would end up being Lawson's last as a driver.

### Crew chiefing career

In 2019, Lawson served as Tanner Gray's crew chief in the ARCA Menards Series for DGR-Crosley.
On December 14, 2023, FRM announced that Lawson would not continue as crew chief of the No. 38 truck in 2024 with new driver Layne Riggs and would take a step back to become a consultant as he would pursue other projects outside of NASCAR. However, the consultant work and side projects did not end up happening as Lawson would sign with Rick Ware Racing on January 16 to be the crew chief of their No. 51 car driven by Justin Haley in the NASCAR Cup Series for the 2024 season.
On December 12, 2024, Front Row Motorsports announced that Lawson would be returning to their team in 2025 as the crew chief of the No. 34 car in the Cup Series where he would reunite with Todd Gilliland.

## Motorsports career results
### NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

#### Nationwide Series

NASCAR Nationwide Series results :
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | NNSC | Pts |
| 2007 | Jimmy Means Racing | 52 | Ford | DAY | CAL | MXC | LVS | ATL | BRI | NSH | TEX | PHO | TAL | RCH | DAR | CLT | DOV | NSH | KEN | MLW | NHA | DAY | CHI | GTY | IRP | CGV | GLN | MCH | BRI | CAL | RCH | DOV | KAN | CLT | MEM DNQ | TEX | PHO | HOM | N/A | 0 |
| 2009 | Jimmy Means Racing | 52 | Chevy | DAY | CAL | LVS | BRI | TEX | NSH | PHO | TAL | RCH | DAR | CLT | DOV | NSH | KEN | MLW | NHA | DAY | CHI | GTY | IRP 36 | IOW | GLN | MCH | BRI | CGV | ATL | RCH DNQ | DOV | KAN | CAL | CLT | MEM | TEX | PHO DNQ | HOM | 141st | 55 |
| 2010 | Jimmy Means Racing | 52 | Ford | DAY | CAL | LVS | BRI DNQ | NSH | PHO | TEX | TAL | RCH | DAR | DOV | CLT | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 122nd | 83 |
| 2010 | Jimmy Means Racing | 52 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | NSH 40 | KEN | ROA | NHA DNQ | DAY | CHI | GTY DNQ | IRP 41 | IOW | GLN | MCH | BRI DNQ | CGV | ATL | RCH | DOV | KAN | CAL | CLT | GTY | TEX | PHO | HOM | 122nd | 83 |
| 2011 | R3 Motorsports | 03 | Dodge | DAY | PHO | LVS | BRI DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 88th | 3 |
| 2011 | 2nd Chance Motorsports | 79 | Ford | | | | BRI 41 | CAL | TEX | TAL | NSH | RCH | DAR | DOV | IOW | CLT | CHI | MCH | ROA | DAY | KEN | NHA | NSH | IRP | IOW | GLN | CGV | BRI | ATL | RCH | CHI | DOV | KAN | CLT | TEX | PHO | HOM | | 88th | 3 |

#### Camping World Truck Series

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series results :
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | NCWTC | Pts | Ref |
| 2009 | Fast Track Racing Enterprises | 47 | Chevy | DAY | CAL | ATL | MAR | KAN | CLT | DOV | TEX | MCH | MLW | MEM | KEN | IRP | NSH | BRI | CHI | IOW | GTW | NHA 33 | LVS | MAR | TAL | TEX | PHO | HOM | 106th | 64 | |

### ARCA Racing Series

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
ARCA Racing Series results :
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | ARSC | Pts | Ref |
| 2011 | Fast Track Racing | 18 | Dodge | DAY 22 | TAL | SLM | TOL | NJE | CHI | POC | MCH | WIN | BLN | IOW | IRP | POC | ISF | MAD | DSF | SLM | KAN | TOL | 132nd | 120 | |