Mike Beam (right) will be moving from the Wood Brothers team over to Galaxy Motorsports.

Beam, who as recently as Sunday was overseeing the preparation of Sadler's No. 21 Wood Brothers-owned Fords at Talladega Superspeedway, was introduced Tuesday as Galaxy's new team manager, effective immediately. The Wood Brothers hope to name a replacement for Beam in the coming weeks, team co-owner Eddie Wood said.

Beam will oversee all competition-related issues while working closely with crew chief Newt Moore, said Darwin Oordt, Galaxy's owner and president. The hiring of Beam is intended to provide what Oordt described as a missing ingredient on the team.

"We're one of the few remaining single-car operations, and to ultimately succeed in this highly competitive circle we needed an individual like Mike to come in and immediately apply his talents and complement the abilities of Newt Moore," Oordt said. "With his career record, reputation as a leader and forward thinker, I truly believe Galaxy has taken the first of many huge steps forward with regard to performance potential."

Beam, 44, has been a crew chief since 1981. His cars have won two races, 13 Bud Poles, and recorded 90 top-10 and 46 top-5 finishes.

"This is really a great opportunity for me to return to the Mooresville area and work with a team I feel has tremendous potential," Beam said. "Darwin and Newt have accumulated all the correct pieces right here under one roof and now we're going to put them together in the best way possible. The bottom line is this team is serious about its racing and they mean business."

Beam spent nearly two seasons with Sadler, who has yet to record a top-5 finish and is 30th in this year's driver standings.