JR Motorsports announced that the team has amicably parted ways with competition director Tony Eury Sr effective immediately.

Eury Sr has served as the team’s competition director for the last five years, winning nine races in that span, with the last coming in 2010 with Jamie McMurray driving.

Team general manager Kelley Earnhardt Miller said:

The conversation Tony Sr. and I had was one of the most difficult I’ve ever been a part of. I believe Tony Sr.’s passion for the sport is exceeded only by his yearning to excel in it, and that itself became the issue that both he and I struggled with. At JR Motorsports we do this to win races and compete for championships, and lately we have not met that standard. Being the competitor that Tony Sr. is, I know that bothers him more than anyone.

JRM has gone two years without a win, and the team has been looking for ways to improve performance. Earlier this year, crew chiefs Bruce Cook and Eury Sr swapped teams, with Cook taking over crew chief duties for the No. 88 team and driver Cole Whitt, while Eury Sr took over crew chief duties for the part time No. 5 team with drivers Dale Earnhardt Jr and Ron Fellows.

Eury Sr’s son, Tony Eury Jr, is crew chief of the No. 7 Chevy driven by Danica Patrick.

Eury Sr said:

I want what’s best for Dale Jr., Kelley, Tony Jr., and all those employees. I really do. We accomplished a lot in a short time, and nobody is prouder of that than I am. I’m not sure what’s next for me, and I’m not sure I’m in a hurry to find out.