Breaking news
NASCAR Cup
Joe Gibbs Racing to make crew chief changes for 2016
Joe Gibbs Racing is changing the complexion of its Sprint Cup crew chief line up for 2016.
Lee Spencer
Edited: Dec 3, 2015, 12:15 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Sources have confirmed to Motorsport.com that Darian Grubb will no longer oversee the No. 19 Arris/Stanley Tools Toyota driven by Carl Edwards. Dave Rogers, who is currently crew chief for the No. 11 Fed Ex team and Denny Hamlin, is expected to move into the role.
With Rogers taking over the No. 19 team, Mike Wheeler is expected to be named crew chief of the No. 11 crew and Hamlin. “Wheels” was Hamlin’s race engineer on the No. 11 team and even filled in for Grubb for one event before he was promoted to crew chief of the No. 20 Xfinity Series team at JGR.
In Edwards first season at JGR, the Grubb-led crew scored two wins — Charlotte Motor Speedway and Darlington Raceway — seven top fives and 15 top-10 finishes. With the exception of earning three poles and finishing fifth in the 2015 standings, Edwards’s stats were nearly identical to his last season with Roush Fenway Racing.
After winning the Sprint Cup championship with Tony Stewart, Grubb joined JGR in 2012 to work with Denny Hamlin and the No. 11 Fed Ex crew. He led the team to five wins in their first season and Hamlin finished sixth in the standings. Grubb worked with three drivers in 2013 following Hamlin’s back injury at Fontana but the team came back strong in 2014 — the first year of the new Chase format. Hamlin was one of four drivers to transfer to the Champion Round and finished third in points.
Following JGR’s shuffle of crew chiefs last season prior to the expansion of four teams, Grubb was assigned to the No. 19 with Edwards.
Grubb, 40, won the 2006 Daytona 500 in his first race as a crew chief subbing for Chad Knaus with Jimmie Johnson. In nine seasons as a crew chief, Grubb has led teams to the playoffs seven times. His drivers have earned 23 wins, 72 top fives and 130 top-10 finishes in 286 starts.
Grubbs' future with the JGR organization has yet to be determined.
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article 2016 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Axalta scheme unveiled
Next article Dewar: Recent changes will help attract new title sponsor for NASCAR
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Lee Spencer
Harvick reflects on career after Atlanta win, honors Dale Earnhardt
NASCAR Cup
NASCAR Cup
Atlanta
Harvick reflects on career after Atlanta win, honors Dale Earnhardt
Chase Elliott: "We have a lot of work to do" after Atlanta showing
NASCAR Cup
NASCAR Cup
Atlanta
Chase Elliott: "We have a lot of work to do" after Atlanta showing
Harvick leads veteran charge at Atlanta Motor Speedway
NASCAR Cup
NASCAR Cup
Atlanta
Harvick leads veteran charge at Atlanta Motor Speedway
More from
Joe Gibbs Racing
Spire says Joe Gibbs Racing now seeking nearly $150M in damages
NASCAR Cup
NASCAR Cup
Spire says Joe Gibbs Racing now seeking nearly $150M in damages
Winners and losers from a Chase-altering NASCAR Cup race at Phoenix
NASCAR Cup
NASCAR Cup
Phoenix II
Winners and losers from a Chase-altering NASCAR Cup race at Phoenix
Toyota clinches 2026 NASCAR Cup manufacturer championship early after dominant season
NASCAR Cup
NASCAR Cup
Phoenix II
Toyota clinches 2026 NASCAR Cup manufacturer championship early after dominant season
Latest news
Exploring Ferrari's 'less than a tenth' US GP update package
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
21 min
Exploring Ferrari's 'less than a tenth' US GP update package
F1 United States GP: Charles Leclerc pips Max Verstappen to top FP1
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
1 h
F1 United States GP: Charles Leclerc pips Max Verstappen to top FP1
George Russell reveals he lost sleep over his own driving, not the F1 championship
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
2 h
George Russell reveals he lost sleep over his own driving, not the F1 championship
F1 United States GP live commentary and updates - Ferrari leads FP1
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
3 h
F1 United States GP live commentary and updates - Ferrari leads FP1
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe