Darian Grubb is returning to Hendrick Motorsports where his career in NASCAR began.
The 40-year-old was left without a job following crew chief changes at Joe Gibbs Racing this past season. Now the man who has won 23 races as a crew chief rejoins Hendick Motorsports in a newly created role of vehicle production director.
Grubb will work alongside of vehicle technical director Kenny Francis, both of who will be under general manager Doug Duchardt.
“We’re excited to welcome Darian back to Hendrick Motorsports,” Duchardt said. “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 the lead engineer of the No. 48 driven by Jimmie Johnson from 2003-2006 and even served as the teams crew chief for the first four races of the 2006 season in which Johnson won two events including the Daytona 500. He later won a race with Casey Mears before later moving to Stewart-Haas Racing where he won 11 races over three seasons with Tony Stewart culminating with a championship in 2011.
Grubb most recently worked at Joe Gibbs Racing where he won nine races from 2012-2015 with Denny Hamlin and Carl Edwards.
“It means a lot to come back to Hendrick Motorsports,” Grubb said about his return to Hendrick Motorsports. “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.”
