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Just past the halfway point of the season, with just seven races until the Chase begins, several teams have decided now is the prefect time to start making some serious changes on the ground.

Roush Fenway Racing announced last week Greg Erwin was being replaced by Matt Puccia as Greg Biffle’s crew chief. The #16 team hasn’t performed as well this season as past seasons and the strain was apparent between Biffle and Erwin. Prior to this past weekend the pair had just one top-five and five top-10s – they sat 14th in the points.

With the first week under their belts, Puccia led Biffle to a 16th place finish – not a rousing start, but we’ll give the pair a little more than a week to make any judgments.

While Greg Erwin was out of a job for a few days, he found a new home just down the block at Richard Petty Motorsports, working with AJ Allmendinger. Allmendinger was with crew chief Mike Shiplett for most of the last three seasons. Together the two have scored three top-fives, 14 top-10s and one pole. Their best full season points finish is 19th, last season. The two haven’t had a bad run together, but things could definitely be better. Erwin has the experience and success at the sport’s top level, but does he have the support at RPM? Time will tell.

Earnhardt Ganassi Racing announced this week Juan Pablo Montoya would get his fourth different crew chief in less than five seasons. The driver’s been with immediate past crew chief Brian Pattie since the midway point of 2008. This was after stints with Donnie Wingo and Jimmy Elledge. Together, Pattie and Montoya have scored one win, 16 top-fives and 39 top-10s. These are solid statistics for Pattie to be proud of.

This season though has been a struggle for both EGR teams. And after issues like last season’s Brickyard 400, Montoya’s and Pattie’s relationship has been less than great. If there is a lesson to learn, it’s that when Juan’s not happy, no one’s happy.

Is Jim Pohlman any more the answer to Montoya’s performance issues than Elledge and Pattie were? Again, only time will tell.

So how do you feel about the crew chief shifts? Do you expect swift performance improvements? Any of the moves better than others? Let us know!

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FoxSports first reported Monday that Greg Erwin had been replaced as crew chief for Greg Biffle’s #16 at Roush Fenway Racing. Matt Puccia, who was working on Roush’s R&D team, was announced as Erwin’s successor beginning this weekend.

Erwin and Biffle have struggled this season capturing just one top-five and five top-tens – they sit 14th in the points. Biffle finished an abysmal 21st on Sunday. Compare that to his teammates: an eighth place finish for David Ragan, a sixth place finish for Matt Kenseth and a fifth place finish for Carl Edwards. Those three also have at least one win each and combine for a total of four.

Still, the move came as a bit of a surprise. Together Erwin and Biffle have racked up four wins and three Chase appearances – including a third place points finish in 2008. For all intents and purposes, it’s been a good marriage.

That apparently has been in flux recently. Biffle is known to harangue his crew and crew chief on the radio when he doesn’t think things are going like they should. We heard that this weekend’s ranting from Biffle was enough for Erwin and he told Roush management he had enough.

It sounds as if he’s still with the organization, but was unwilling to continue in his role as crew chief of the #16. Erwin is no doubt a talented crew chief, but no one can blame him for finally deciding it was time to move on.

As we say here so often, success in this sport is all about chemistry. When you’re driver is constantly telling you you’re “ruining his career” or are incompetent it’s only a matter of time before things start to sour.

While I don’t necessarily think Matt Puccia is the answer to Biffle’s performance issues this season, perhaps a change at the top will be enough to improve that all important chemistry. Good luck to Matt Puccia in his new endeavor – I think he may need it.

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Just less than a month after NASCAR veteran Larry Carter joined Robby Gordon Motorsports as a “consultant” we are hearing he has been named crew chief of the #7 team. Carter would take over the spot from Iain Watt who has been in the position since January.

Gordon and his team have struggled this season, averaging just a 34th place finish. On top of that they are in a precarious owner points situation. With one race to go before this season’s points take effect, Gordon sits 38th. Given his average qualifying position (38.8), without the guaranteed starting spot he runs the risk of not making races.

That struggle with performance coupled with RGM’s history of crew chief longevity (or lack thereof) make this move less than surprising.

Over the last few seasons Robby Gordon has had a staggering number of guys on top of the box. Since 2005 Doug Richert, Peter Sospenzo, Kirk Almquist, Frank Kerr, Gene Nead, Walter Giles, Bob Temple and Greg Erwin (in no particular order) have all come and gone.

Many throughout the sport have their opinions about the organization and the reasons for the high turnover. Gordon’s demeanor has been blamed, as has his unrelenting control over the team. Beyond second hand information though I unfortunately can’t give a comprehensive explanation.

Obviously Gordon has a drive and passion for racing that few others around the world of motorsports have. That said, his Cup operation has problems. There is absolutely no reason why any team should go through the number of crew chiefs his has gone through. All of the guys who have held the position are competent team managers (most have wins, one has a championship) so you’d think one of them would have clicked.

At this point the team would be well served to do some self reflection. Without some changes in the very near future I would be willing to bet Larry Carter and Iain Watt won’t be the last guys to hold the title of crew chief at Robby Gordon Motorsports.