If Darian Grubb, Tony Stewart's crew chief, isn't a household name, watch out because, one day, it will be.
Stewart credits Grubb with the two-tire call, on the last pit stop in Kansas on Sunday, which gave him the track position to win a key race in NASCAR's Chase to the Sprint Cup.
The two-time Cup champion had been floundering since his victory in Watkins Glen, i.e. six races of ninth or worse, and had been, just about, written off by the pundits in his quest for a third title in the first year as co-owner of Stewart Haas Racing.
One of the keys to the turnaround of the team, and the season, falls squarely on the shoulders of Grubb.
Grubb came up through Petty Enterprises, then a six-year stint at Hendrick Motor Sports team, where he worked under Chad Knaus, the crew chief to three-time Cup Champ Jimmie Johnson.
When NASCAR officials found Johnson's No 48 Chevrolet to be so far outside a template at Daytona, in 2006, Knaus was suspended for four races and Grubb was elevated to the position of crew chief.
Johnson bounced back winning the Daytona 500, and a few weeks later ,in Las Vegas.
"We didn't expect to come out this strong," said Johnson at the time. "Obviously, we've had a very good record so far, but our cars have been very strong from all the work Darian and Chad have done in the offseason."
Grubb went back to virtual anonymity working as engineer and crew chief to Casey Mears.
When Stewart was renovating Haas-CNC Racing he offered Grubb an important job, and the Virginia Tech grad took it.
Now Grubb and Stewart have melded together as a great team in the mould of Knaus and Johnson. On Sunday he made the calls and Stewart listened.
While Knaus admitted, after the race that he "messed up," an early pit call, which cost Johnson track position; his student, Grubb, made the right decisions.
As Stewart said - about Grubb - "he's like that. He's a little gutsy. That's a good thing. Darian, you don't question him. When he makes a call you know it's the right thing to do and you go from there."
Whether Stewart takes his third title this year or not, Darian Grubb is center stage for good.
photo:NASCAR
Stewart credits Grubb with the two-tire call, on the last pit stop in Kansas on Sunday, which gave him the track position to win a key race in NASCAR's Chase to the Sprint Cup.
The two-time Cup champion had been floundering since his victory in Watkins Glen, i.e. six races of ninth or worse, and had been, just about, written off by the pundits in his quest for a third title in the first year as co-owner of Stewart Haas Racing.
One of the keys to the turnaround of the team, and the season, falls squarely on the shoulders of Grubb.
Grubb came up through Petty Enterprises, then a six-year stint at Hendrick Motor Sports team, where he worked under Chad Knaus, the crew chief to three-time Cup Champ Jimmie Johnson.
When NASCAR officials found Johnson's No 48 Chevrolet to be so far outside a template at Daytona, in 2006, Knaus was suspended for four races and Grubb was elevated to the position of crew chief.
Johnson bounced back winning the Daytona 500, and a few weeks later ,in Las Vegas.
"We didn't expect to come out this strong," said Johnson at the time. "Obviously, we've had a very good record so far, but our cars have been very strong from all the work Darian and Chad have done in the offseason."
Grubb went back to virtual anonymity working as engineer and crew chief to Casey Mears.
When Stewart was renovating Haas-CNC Racing he offered Grubb an important job, and the Virginia Tech grad took it.
Now Grubb and Stewart have melded together as a great team in the mould of Knaus and Johnson. On Sunday he made the calls and Stewart listened.
While Knaus admitted, after the race that he "messed up," an early pit call, which cost Johnson track position; his student, Grubb, made the right decisions.
As Stewart said - about Grubb - "he's like that. He's a little gutsy. That's a good thing. Darian, you don't question him. When he makes a call you know it's the right thing to do and you go from there."
Whether Stewart takes his third title this year or not, Darian Grubb is center stage for good.
photo:NASCAR