Stewart: Trusting in Crew Chief Grubb 'the right thing to do'

Whether it's quarreling with NASCAR officials, the media or his peers, Tony Stewart has staked his career reputation on being a Sprint Cup star who doesn't back down.

But there is one authority figure the often headstrong driver isn't challenging these days: Crew chief Darian Grubb.

"You don't question him," Stewart said. "When he makes the call, you know it's the right thing to do."

Grubb nailed the right decision in Sunday's Price Chopper 400 at Kansas Speedway. A two-tire call on the final pit stop with 30 laps remaining vaulted Stewart into the lead and his fourth win of the season.

It marked the second of the first three Chase for the Sprint Cup races in which strategy sealed a victory, and if NASCAR's premier championship continues to be decided by those who formulate race tactics atop the war wagons on pit road each week, Stewart likes his chances of capturing a third title.

In their first year together, Stewart already has built the trust with Grubb that he once placed in Greg Zipadelli, his crew chief for the previous 10 seasons -- and two championships -- at Joe Gibbs Racing.

With Grubb, who joined Stewart-Haas Racing from technical partner Hendrick Motorsports, Stewart has exceeded expectations in his first season as a driver-owner. He built an enormous points lead during the "regular season," notching 18 top 10s and three victories.

The team had slipped since an Aug. 10 win at Watkins Glen, finishing outside the top five in six consecutive races before Kansas. Yet even while posting less than stellar results in the first two Chase races (a 14th a New Hampshire and ninth at Dover), Stewart managed to rebound from mechanical problems and body damage that could have dealt fatal blows to his title bid.

"We were able to salvage what we could out of those races, and we actually became a stronger team and fixed some problems," Grubb said. "We know what details we're missing now. You have to take a positive out of it every week. If you just take negatives, all you're going to be doing is beating yourself down."

Stewart, who trails Mark Martin by 67 points with seven races left in the Chase, had to apply the power of positive thinking while getting acclimated to Grubb tuning on his car during practices early this season.

"In the spring, there were times he told me what he was going to change, and I was like, 'Wow, is that the right way to go?' " he said. "I told him that, too. It's just learning each other."

The partnership was cemented with Stewart's breakthrough win in the NASCAR All-Star Race at Lowe's Motor Speedway. After Stewart wasn't a factor in the first 90 laps, Grubb threw a boatload of adjustments at the No. 14 Chevrolet before a final 10-lap segment. The car jumped to life, and Stewart earned SHR's first trip to victory lane.

"Darian obviously knows what these cars like and what this chassis package likes," Stewart said. "It's just a matter of tailoring it to what I like in the car. There were times the first couple races where I didn't necessarily understand why we were doing something. But when it responds positively to those changes, you gain that confidence right away.

"I have the same confidence in Darian that I had in Zippy for 10 years. I've been really blessed and lucky over the last 11 years to have two really good crew chiefs that I can talk to about anything."