Saturday, January 28th 'What If' Question

Before Tony Stewart went on his historic run through the 2011 Chase for the Sprint Cup he had to first make the Chase, which he almost didn't.

The No. 14 Office Depot / Mobile 1 team ran so poorly during the summer months that Stewart went on national television after the race in Michigan and said his team didn't deserve to be in the Chase. That they were just taking a spot away from another team who would probably compete for the championship while they just logged laps.

It was hard to find Stewart on the top of any list of those who were predicted to win the 2011 championship, including his own when he marked off Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Carl Edwards, Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski, Jeff Gordon and Ryan Newman as those in the Chase who would be the ones fighting for the title. It certainly looked that way when at Bristol in August Stewart ran so bad that he finished 28th and multiple laps down, never in contention.

It wasn't that they had any problems, the 14 was slow all night and couldn't figure out what the problem was. It left him 10th in points where he would end up when the Chase started three weeks later. Little did anyone know, except for maybe Stewart at the point, the decision was about to be made that Darian Grubb was not going to be the crew chief on the No. 14 come 2012.

Meanwhile the Chase started and Stewart and company won the first two races and suddenly were looking like a different team than those who were counting themselves out a few weeks prior. Following the Kansas race Stewart sat seventh in points, only 19 markers behind leader Carl Edwards as the series headed to Charlotte for the Chase's fifth race, the halfway mark.

Again, little did anyone know Stewart and officials at SHR got together and informed Grubb that he indeed would not be the crew chief next season. The public unaware and the decision made, the 14 team went out to win three more times and grab the championship in the final race of the season, after tying Carl Edwards in points but earning the tie breaker with more wins.

Then not even an hour after the race Grubb told the world that he would not be back in 2012. An awkward celebration and offseason commenced soon after before Grubb left SHR for Joe Gibbs Racing and the No. 11 team of Denny Hamlin. However, what he did with Stewart in 2011 will go down in history as one of the best and most exciting championship battles. He'll be remembered as the man who helped Stewart win his third title and first as a car owner.

But ...

What if TStewart & 14 team hadn't performed so bad during the summer, would he still have made the decision to replace Darian Grubb? #NASCAR

@Matt_Kacar tough one. I would say no but im glad he did since Grubb is now Hamlin's crew chief

@14Patti14 I think so. There had been a bit of grumbling going on for a while.

@ARosser14 Depends on how well he performed. There have been many lean periods during the three years of SHR, change needed to happen

@rustywings no way. I think his leaving was more his decision than Smoke's anyway. #noteasytoworkfor.

Monday, December 19th 'What If' Question

Not even two hours after he won his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship with Tony Stewart, crew chief Darian Grubb revealed that he had been informed weeks earlier that he would not be back in that position in 2012.

Whether he stayed with Stewart-Haas or moved on wasn't yet known but rumors quickly started. The biggest was that Grubb would stay would SHR in a management position and that Stewart would be reunited with Greg Zipadelli, who he worked with at Joe Gibbs Racing when he entered the sport in 1999 to his departure in 2008. The two were the longest running driver-crew chief combination up until Stewart left and they were one of the most successful.

They won two championships together, 2002 and 2005, and over 35 races. Every high and low that could be thrown there way was and they battled through it. The two have always been close, acknowledging it's almost like they're brothers they say. To some though, it seemed highly unlikely that Zipadelli was going to leave JGR and driver Joey Logano, at least there certainly wasn't any indication.

While the two were never very successful - winning only one race, never making the Chase and their best point finish being 16th in 2010 - Zipadelli had always denied the rumors thrown his way about his departure. He felt a loyalty to JGR, one reason he didn't initially leave with Stewart in 2008. Zipadelli always appeared off the table when deals were being made.

Except when Grubb was named crew chief for JGR driver Denny Hamlin did the odds look better. Perhaps it would be a trade, Zipadelli for Grubb. That's exactly what happened when it was announced that no, he wouldn't be Stewart's crew chief, that job going to former Kurt Busch crew chief Steve Addington, but Zipadelli would become SHR's competition direction. And just as an added bonus, he would be a part-time crew chief for the races that Danica Patrick ran, including the season opening Daytona 500.

The news is some of the biggest in an offseason where no organization is sitting still and enjoying the holidays. With Zipadelli and Stewart back together it's a great feeling for their fans. Long awaited too. They know each other, they know success and with the company attempting to back up their first championship in 2012, they have the right people in place to do so.

But ...

What if Joey Logano & Greg Zipadelli had had better success from 2009-2011, would Zippy still be leaving to head for Stewart-Haas? #NASCAR

@Spacie_Stacie I honestly do think so, Kelly, Zippy has young kids who he is missing a lot of their growing up, this way he will be around.

@NancyatStudioN Definitely - He'd have had to win Championship to even consider not rejoining Stewart

@rcracer20 with what has gone on with kyle,i would get away myself,plus beening able to CC for @DanicaPatrick #priceless:)

Beth Robinson Bunch (via Facebook) I Think So.

Monday, December 12th 'What If' Question

It'll be known as one of the worst championship hangovers in recent NASCAR memory.

Denny Hamlin won eight races in 2010 and came one race short of winning his first championship and dethroning Jimmie Johnson. Except it wasn't meant to be as Hamlin finished second and vowed to capitalize on missed chances heading into the 2011 season, feeling his team was in perfection position to get better and stronger.

It couldn't have been more of the opposite has Hamlin struggled in 2011. He only won one race and dominated the headlines for reasons like blown engines, bad races and making the Chase thanks to NASCAR's new wildcard format. The domination that he had unleashed in 2010 when appearing champion-like seemed nothing but a mirage this past season.

Confusion seemed to be the biggest theme. Confusion on why they were running so badly when they had great equipment. Confusion as to why they were catching all the bad breaks while teammate Kyle Busch was winning races and challenging for the point lead. And confusion as to why things were suddenly no longer gelling with the only team and crew chief that Hamlin had ever known since he entered the series in 2006.

Just days after the Sprint Cup Series awards banquet in Las Vegas crew chief Mike Ford was released by Joe Gibbs Racing. There would be no repeating 2011, not even a chance to get things right. Changes were being made and someone had to go. When the No. 11 FedEx team rolls into Daytona 2012 it will be with Darian Grubb atop the pit box, the man Hamlin watched lead Tony Stewart to his third Sprint Cup Series championship.

Hamlin and company were one of the many surprises in 2011, one that wasn't expected to happen. The way they performed in 2010 would have indicated they would have been more determined to come back this year ready to fight for the title again. Instead they experienced anything and everything that could have gone wrong. Ford's release was another surprise, considering the strong relationship that he and Hamlin are said to have, as well as the support they showed each other through the good and bad times.

Yet, in a sport where it's all about winning decisions have to made. The Virginia native wants to see a Sprint Cup trophy on his mantle in the very near future, not a sports psychologist. It'll only happen if he and Grubb have instant chemistry and don't have the 2012 season end up being a rebuilding year.

But ...

What if Denny Hamlin had won the 2010 title, followed by his 2011 struggles, would crew chief Mike Ford still have been released? #NASCAR

@Talon64 I'd say yes. Especially in a sport where the 2011 champ's CC was told he'd be gone at least 2 months prior to end of season!

@cruetten not at all, but he would've only been given 2012 to redeem himself.

@TrackDiva141811 No he wouldn't have because Denny and team would have had a totally different attitude. :)

@31SpazCat15 I think the change is 1 that Denny wanted last year regardless of what he has said..Im not opposed to change, change is good