Stewart-Haas duo focused on more than Chase berth

Tony Stewart and Darian Grubb learned a lot together in their first Sprint Cup Series season as a driver-crew chief pairing. One of their first discoveries? Sarcasm can help engineer success on the race track.

To be clear, though: The sarcastic exchanges between Stewart and Grubb aren't the kind that can demoralize a team or force a driver and crew chief to ultimately part ways. With Stewart and Grubb, it's quite the opposite in fact.

2010 Cup Schedule

Track	Time (ET)	TV
Daytona	1 p.m.	FOX
Fontana	3 p.m.	FOX
Las Vegas	3 p.m.	FOX
Atlanta	1 p.m.	FOX
Bristol	1 p.m.	FOX
Martinsville	1 p.m.	FOX
Phoenix	7:30 p.m.	FOX
Texas	1 p.m.	FOX
Talladega	1 p.m.	FOX
Richmond	7:30 p.m.	FOX
Darlington	7:30 p.m.	FOX
Dover	1 p.m.	FOX
Charlotte	5:45 p.m.	FOX
Pocono	1 p.m.	TNT
Michigan	1 p.m.	TNT
Sonoma	3 p.m.	TNT
Loudon	1 p.m.	TNT
Daytona	7:30 p.m.	TNT
Chicago	7:30 p.m.	TNT
Indianapolis	1 p.m.	ESPN
Pocono	1 p.m.	ESPN
Watkins Glen	1 p.m.	ESPN
Michigan	1 p.m.	ESPN
Bristol	7:30 p.m.	ABC
Atlanta	7:30 p.m.	ESPN
Richmond	7:30 p.m.	ABC
Loudon	1 p.m.	ESPN
Dover	1 p.m.	ESPN
Kansas	1 p.m.	ESPN
Fontana	3 p.m.	ESPN
Charlotte	7:30 p.m.	ABC
Martinsville	1 p.m.	ESPN
Talladega	1 p.m.	ESPN
Texas	1 p.m.	ESPN
Phoenix	3 p.m.	ESPN
Homestead	1 p.m.	ESPN

The two men say their relationship is a close one that allows seemingly antithetical personalities to compliment each other rather than clash.

Grubb -- the less outspoken and more mild-mannered of the two, at least publicly -- considers Stewart more of a friend than a boss or co-worker.

And Stewart, a driver and co-owner at Stewart-Haas Racing, concurs.

"It's more than just a working relationship at the track," Stewart said. "We have that personal relationship away [from work] that you have to have. At this level, you can't just show up at work and expect it all to be successful. I think it really adds if you have that relationship away from the race track, too."

Perhaps the most telling evidence of the bond between Stewart and Grubb was their phenomenal first season at SHR. Part of a revamped organization that had struggled to be competitive before Stewart came on board and hired Grubb, teammate Ryan Newman and a number of other key personnel, the driver and crew chief teamed to capture four wins, a berth in the Chase and a sixth-place points finish.

With Grubb atop the pit box, Stewart led the standings for a significant portion of the regular season and was comfortably atop the points heap when the standings were reset to start the Chase.

One of the biggest secrets to his surprisingly stout campaign was his ability to be completely honest and lighthearted in his discourse with Grubb.

"We just had a lot of fun," said Grubb, who left a lead engineering role at Hendrick Motorsports to join SHR. "Getting to know Tony as a person outside of the race track, that was probably one of my most fun moments for the entire season seeing him come over and hang out with my wife and my son and just being able to have that family/friend relationship.

"That was a big thing for me to be able to go out and enjoy showing up at the race track. I know I can bring my family there and Tony's going to enjoy having them."

Stewart, who is more reserved than earlier in his career when he gained a reputation for being hot-tempered, credits Grubb more than anyone with helping him deal with the stress that comes with competing in NASCAR's top series.

"There's something with Darian and I," said Stewart, a two-time Cup Series champion with his former team at Joe Gibbs Racing, where he worked with crew chief Greg Zipadelli for 10 seasons. "We're very sarcastic with each other but you guys [the media] don't see that side of him. I do. But Darian's been a very calming variable in the equation with me. There's just something about him that he doesn't get wound up and it helps keep me calm and keep me centered."

It apparently didn't take long for Stewart and Grubb to feel comfortable having completely candid discussions.

"I would have to say it was probably before the season even started last year," Grubb said. "We spent a lot of time making a lot of decisions on what we were going to do with the company and a lot of time behind closed doors and when you do that and you have a lot of late-night meetings and things, you end up having a little dreary eyes and a little sleep deprivation [that] will get you in there and you can get to those."

One particular instance that stands out to Grubb came during practice for the race at Watkins Glen. With Stewart's No. 14 car about a second slower than the quickest time, Grubb told his driver where he stacked up.

The crew chief just smiles when recalling the response of Stewart, who went on to win the race.

"Tony just looked at me and goes, 'Dude, I can't go that fast,' " Grubb said. "And then he paused about 10 seconds and smiled and said, 'Yet.' And the next lap we were No. 1 on the board, I believe. So it was pretty impressive to be able to see him turn it up like that."

As a new season approaches, Stewart and Grubb could impress once again if their communication lines remain so open.