Steve Addington will replace Darian Grubb as crew chief for 2011 Sprint Cup Series Champion Tony Stewart and the No. 14 Stewart Haas Racing team in 2012. Grubb was told midway through the Chase that he would be let go at the end of the season.
Addington informed Penske Racing that he would not return to the team as crew chief for Kurt Busch and the No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Dodge next season.
Stewart said of Grubb, who has been with SHR and Stewart since the team’s inception:
Darian was a very important part of the success we’ve had at Stewart-Haas Racing. I’m very proud of everything he helped accomplish, especially this year when we all rallied to win the championship. He’s a great person and I know he’ll continue to be successful in this sport.
The move is somewhat surprising, considering that SHR informed Grubb of the decision to let him go after he helped Stewart win the first two Chase races. Even more surprising is that SHR went through with the move considering that since he was informed of his impending firing, he helped Stewart win three more races and the title.
[...] speculate that the move was made due to the availability of Darian Grubb, the Sprint Cup Championship crew chief. Grubb was told halfway through the Chase that he would be [...]
[...] two won two Sprint Cup championships together. But, following the firing of Darian Grubb, Stewart chose Steve Addington to sit atop the pit box. Grubb joined JGR as crew chief for Denny Hamlin, with Mike Ford getting [...]