Denny Hamlin's new crew chief: The man who just led Tony Stewart to the NASCAR championship -- Darian Grubb

  Championship night, November 20th: Tony Stewart (R) and crew chief Darian Grubb.  Now Grubb will head Denny Hamlin's NASCAR team in 2012 (Photo: Getty Images for NASCAR)
  

   By Mike Mulhern
   mikemulhern.net

   However, after three seasons with Stewart, Grubb got word early this fall that Stewart didn't want him back for next season, a rather stunning development. Grubb responded with one of the sport's epic performances, in which he and Stewart beat Ford's Carl Edwards for the title, in a battle that went down to the final miles of the final race.
   Why Chevrolet would let a crew chief like Grubb get away is unclear. Team owner Rick Hendrick said he had no crew chief openings but did offer Grubb a job somewhere else, unspecified, in the operation.
   Grubb and Hamlin have only up to go, after Hamlin's disappointing season, in which he won only once and then faded in the chase.
   Grubb and Stewart won 11 times together in their three years, with 22 top-fives and 59 top-10s in 108 races.
   Gibbs, whose three teams all struggled at times in 2011 (highlighted by Kyle Busch's four wins), now has to figure out what next for crew chief Greg Zipadelli, who has been long-rumored to be interested in a job with Stewart, the man he led to two NASCAR championships during their 10 seasons together.
   Gibbs called Grubb "a great addition," pointing out "obviously he has proven the ability to guide a team to a championship."
   But Gibbs is setting the bar high for Grubb, anticipating a strong run for the 2012 Cup championship with Hamlin.
   Grubb, whose analytical engineering style of running a team may have chaffed on the free-wheeling Stewart, may find a more willing driver in Hamlin. "The chance to work with Denny is something I'm excited about," Grubb says.
   But despite all the plusses the Gibbs operation would seem to have going for it, this past season was marred by numerous technical issues, including blown engines.
   And simply putting a new man atop the box probably won't solve that.
   Nevertheless Grubb, who does remember have the Hendrick operation for comparison, says he's optimistic "about this opportunity....There is no question about the level of support you get here."

    Ninth just isn't good enough for Denny Hamlin, boss Joe Gibbs says. So they've hired Darian Grubb to run Hamlin's Toyota team. (Photo: Getty Images for NASCAR)