Darian Grubb: I'm Out Of A Job After Winning NASCAR Champion

Till the chase,the majority felt Darian should go and now he should stay? The same said with the #39 crew chief,he should go? Personally,i wonder how much help HMS gave the #14 team if Darian was so bad or was it all just luck things finally went their way? HMS didn't have the usual season,JJ outside the top five and where the #### did Jeff go? Confuses the #### out of me,so did the last race as good as it was and as happy as i am Tony won,it looks like Hollywood to me.

I know that I'm new Tony's fan base, but I feel that he's a fair person. I for one hope that he keeps Darian on in some capacity. I believe he proved what he can do. Talking about his future in front of the media wasn't the time or place, that is something that should be discussed in private so that the press couldn't take something out on context.

Yesterday jayski reports Darian is gone. Now it's not set in stone if he'll be back with Hendricks or going over to Michael Waltrip Racing. If he was smart, he's go back to Hendricks.

Then rumor still out there Zippy coming to be director of competition and Steve Addington to be his crew chief. But Zippy is under contract for 2012 and beyond with Gibbs.

It wouldn't be the first time Tony bought out a Gibbs contract, just saying. LOL

I agree with those who think that the situation is way more than what rumors we've heard. Also I have a tidbit to throw in....Why would Tony give Darian the Clock he won even tho he has two others? Why would he rave about Darian when the guy is supposedly on his way out? None of it makes sense to me. But on the other hand does anything make sense?

Giving him glowing endorsements looks goods and is a lot cheaper than paying unemployement. Giving endorsements also encourages other teams to pick him up so he does not have to pay that unemployment.

In that respect...smart move.

Addington gone from Penske..as of yesterday..no word on where he is going. As for DG...no word yet.

I think after his performance during the chase, he should be offered a place to stay at SHR.

I think after his performance during the chase, he should be offered a place to stay at SHR.

at some point & time, people might have to consider the fact, he doesnt want to be at SHR.
I have no clue if this is true, but it is definitely possible.

I heard on Race Hub that he might have wanted to go back to being an engineer. I would really like to see him stay on at SHR in some capacity.
I honestly don't know about the Zippy thing. one thing that alot of people don't look at, is that when they were at JGR, Tony was not the boss, They had a couple of bad years (like 2006, they didn' even make the chase). Zippy has said that dealing with Tony back then was like dealing with a spoiled child. Yes Tony has matured alot in the last 4 years, and that is why I am not so sure that the chemistry between them would be a winning one.
I am taking the wait and see approach with addington.

Me too will have to wait & see how things go. It's just like Tony's 1st yr with SHR & a new crew chief, Darian. Now Darian is gone & we have Mr. A. Tony might know Mr A, but Mr A was not his crew chief either nor had to fix an ill handling car on the track during a race.

I don't know how long of time Darian had for contract. It might have been up at the end of this yr or not. Maybe he wanted gone & didn't want to be crew chief any longer so to let him out of a contract he was fired so it was a quick release. I don't know, it's just a thought. A dumb one I know, but still a thought.

Or maybe he was the "dead weight". No one will ever know other than who's involved & I don't think that will ever come out either. Him, JZ, someone other worker......who really knows is Tony & who it involved, & who Tony trusted in talking to about it (if he even talked about it to trusted people).

Anyway, I just want to enjoy the Championship win & what we get to see the rest of this yr & will impatiently wait on 2012 racing to start up again..............& hope for another Championship win.

I just get nervous over change, that's just how I am myself.

Who would have thought it?
A series champion who looked nothing like a title hopeful two-thirds of the way through the season, who scraped his way into the Chase only to set a record for wins in the playoff, who ended the reign of a five-time defending champion -- and then fired his crew chief after it was all over.
Who would have thought it? Any of it?

I have read article after article on this...this was no suprise to Grubb. He knew this with 7 races to go. It is not like he and Tony had just won the Championship and Tony said this is great...now you're fired, and that would have left everybody guessing. But, we all saw this coming and have seen it coming for weeks.

I agree, Darian was told well in advance and I have to believe with the way the season was going he had to have known that he was under fire. Yes, they made the chase and yes they won the first 2 races and then he was told he was out at the end of the season seems off to some. However, I saw an interview with Tony where he said that they had gotten together(I am assuming Gene and others in management) before the chase and decided that they were going to make the change.

The other thing that I found interesting is that during the chase they were using the 39's setups.

I agree, Darian was told well in advance and I have to believe with the way the season was going he had to have known that he was under fire. Yes, they made the chase and yes they won the first 2 races and then he was told he was out at the end of the season seems off to some. However, I saw an interview with Tony where he said that they had gotten together(I am assuming Gene and others in management) before the chase and decided that they were going to make the change.

The other thing that I found interesting is that during the chase they were using the 39's setups.

I know during the chase they relied heavily on the 39 for qualifying, since they ignored that package during practice. I also know the Ryan had said he was doing everything possible to help the 14 team with set ups & notes. Just didnt know they were useing the 39's set ups. Which only proves whaat an idiot the 39's CC is. He screws up a good race car almost every race.

I doubt we'll ever know exactly what the reasons were that Darian Grubb was let go. I read an article in a southern Indiana newspaper that Tony said they reviewed Grubbs fate and the word he used was there were "variables" to be considered. Now if I have the definition correct that means change. It looks to be more than one thing. We know the season up to the chase wasn't up to what Tony is used to but what we don't know is what Darian is all about. Tony didn't make the decision alone as Gene Haas is not quite a silent partner.