Todd Smith

Crew chief Rob Flynn and assistant crew chief Mike Guger were released from their duties tuning the Brandon Bernstein-driven Copart/Lucas Oil Kenny Bernstein Racing Top Fuel dragster Tuesday. Todd Smith will take over as the team's crew chief.

“We’ve been struggling and felt a change was necessary,” team owner Kenny Bernstein told NHRA.com. “Rob Flynn and Mike Guger tried as hard as they could, and we appreciate their efforts. We have been in a tailspin and just needed to go a different direction."

Brandon Bernstein currently sits ninth in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series points standings after posting just two round-wins in the season's first three races.

Smith, who has worked for a number of top teams, will assume sole tuning responsibilities for the car beginning with the upcoming NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway in Charlotte.

“Todd has a wealth of experience and some new ideas that we felt might be beneficial, so we are going to try a new path,” explained Kenny Bernstein.