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MARTINSVILLE, Va. -- Count Daniel Suarez among the surprised upon learning that crew chief Dave Rogers, who had guided his first five starts in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, would be taking a personal leave of absence.
That news dropped late Wednesday, a key personnel shuffle on one of the sport's high-profile teams. Suarez didn't get much early notice.
"I pretty much got to know this almost at the same time as you guys," said Suarez, who will start 19th in Sunday's STP 500 (2 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) at Martinsville Speedway. "It was something that took me as a surprise and actually it took him as a surprise as well. It was a hard week for the whole organization, but luckily Joe Gibbs Racing is a family. Everyone supports each other very well. He's still part of the team even when he's not here with us right now. He's still in communication with all of us."
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Scott Graves will be atop the team's pit box starting this weekend, reuniting the driver-crew chief pairing that fueled Suarez's championship run last year in the NASCAR XFINITY Series. Any sense of stability would help what's already been a scramble of a race weekend on NASCAR's oldest track.
The Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate ran 12 laps in the opening Monster Energy Series practice on the .526-mile circuit before overcooking the entry to Turn 3 on his first mock qualifying run and crumpling the rear of his primary No. 19 Toyota. Shuffling to unload a reserve car in the face of uncertain weather and scheduling added to the personnel swap's Friday curveball.
WATCH: Suarez smacks wall in opening practice
The primary concern for the balance of the weekend beyond shaking down the team's backup car: Suarez's adjustment to a different voice in his ear while he continues to learn the nuances of racing at NASCAR's highest level.
"I felt like for sure I was getting to a point with Dave where we were kind of slowly making that chemistry and communication. Making those click," Suarez said. "It's never good when you're in that spot of knowing each other and then we have to split. The good thing is that I know Scott very well and he knows me very well. And actually I was expecting to race with him more than 14, 15 times in XFINITY stuff this year so we know him very well. He knows what I need to be fast. He knows my weak points as well. I think having Scott jump into the (Monster Energy Series) program is important.
"And I hope we don't have to get back any. I hope we stay the same or even forward. And try to move from there. Luckily we got a great group of guys that are supporting Scott and myself and everything we need to try to move forward because we don't have any time to lose right now racing every week."
Suarez indicated that he had a measure of influence into Graves' appointment, but that his concerns were also with Rogers, who has been a crew chief in the Gibbs organization since 2005. JGR had indicated Wednesday that Rogers' leave was indefinite, and Suarez was uncertain of his time frame as well.
"We've been together just five races and we are right now very tight friends," Suarez said. "I really respect his decision. I can tell you that he wishes he was here. I wish him the best with whatever decision he is making. I just hope that he comes back soon to do whatever that he loves to do -- that is being in the races and being at the race track every weekend just like myself."