In a surprise move, NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick has named Darian Grubb the new crew chief of the #5 car of Kasey Kahne to close out the 2017 season. With NASCAR in the heart of the playoffs, will this be the move to bolster Kasey Kahne’s chances to win the championship?
In the light of a less than stellar start to the 2017 NASCAR Monster Energy Series Playoff, Hendrick Motorsports made a huge change. Team owner Rick Hendrick announced today that Kasey Kahne will have a new voice coming through the headset at New Hampshire. That voice he will hear will be that of the 2011 Cup Series championship-winning crew chief, Darian Grubb.
Ultimately, the shake-up could awaken the #5 team and boost their shot at the 2017 title. When professional sports teams struggle, the general manager has the option to trade players or fire the coach. In this instance, Rick Hendrick went with a change in crew chief in an attempt to jump-start Kahne and crew.
Also, it is important to note that Kasey Kahne is a free agent without a confirmed ride in 2018. Is it possible to see Grubb and Kahne paired together beyond 2017? The move could be utilized as a trial period to see how the two work together. With nine races remaining, we could see Kahne and Grubb have instant success. Either way, Hendrick saw the opportunity to make the change and did.
Grubb’s impressive resume
However, it is not as though Hendrick went out and got just anybody. Instead, he brought in a twenty-three time race winner in NASCAR’s top series.
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Most noteworthy, Darian Grubb brings in a rather impressive resume with success with Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin. It is also important to mention that Grubb worked as an interim crew chief for Jimmie Johnson in 2006. Grubb was on the top of the box for Johnson’s Daytona 500 victory that year to open up the season.
Finally, Grubb will join a new team at a crucial point in the season. This is similar to Grubb taking over for Johnson and getting a win in his first race with the new team.
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Do you think the addition of Darian Grubb is the missing piece for Kasey Kahne? Where do you think Kahne will race in 2018? Let us know in the comments below, and be sure to follow along with Beyond the Flag for the latest news, opinions and analysis stemming from a number of different motorsports series. You don’t want to miss any of it. Also be sure to follow Beyond the Flag on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.