Darian Grubb named vehicle production director at Hendrick
Former Joe Gibbs Racing and Stewart-Haas Racing crew chief Darian Grubb is returning to Hendrick Motorsports.
The team announced Monday that Grubb would be the team’s vehicle production director. He will oversee the team’s car manufacturing.
“We’re excited to welcome Darian back to Hendrick Motorsports,” HMS general manager Doug Duchardt said in a statement. “His résumé speaks for itself, and he already has a deep understanding of our people, processes and culture. Teaming him with Kenny on our vehicle efforts mirrors the management structure of our engine operation, which has been very effective, and it adds more depth to the organization as a whole. Darian brings a wealth of knowledge and experience, and we know he will make us stronger.”
Grubb was an engineer on Jimmie Johnson’s team from 2003-2006. He served as Johnson’s crew chief during his 2006 Daytona 500 win when crew chief Chad Knaus was serving a suspension. He was a crew chief for Casey Mears in 2007 and left before the 2009 season to become Tony Stewart’s crew chief at Stewart-Haas Racing.
He and Stewart won the 2011 title together but parted ways after the end of the season. Grubb then joined Joe Gibbs Racing where he served as crew chief for Denny Hamlin and Carl Edwards. Grubb and Edwards had two wins in 2015, though the team reshuffled its crew chief lineup in anticipation of the 2016 season.
“It means a lot to come back to Hendrick Motorsports,” Grubb said. “This is a role that will allow me to contribute to the success of the entire organization, which was very important to me. Kenny is someone I greatly respect, so the chance to work side-by-side with him was a big factor. Everything is familiar, and I think that will make for a smooth transition. The more we talked about the opportunity, the more it felt right. I’m ready to get started.”
– – – – – – –
Nick Bromberg is the editor of From The Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter!
