Just what those changes will be, team owner Joe Gibbs would not say.
MORE: Chase grid: Standings, outlook for N.H. | Stewart case to grand jury | New Chase colors, slogan | N.H. schedule
“We just finalized everything,” Gibbs said Tuesday. “There is a lot of people we have to talk to. … We’ll probably announce something there in a week or two.
“We’ve already decided. We need to talk to the sponsors and go through quite a few discussions yet with people. There probably are going to be (multiple changes)."
Kyle Busch and crew chief Dave Rogers have been together since 2010 but have had their issues this year, winning just one race. Denny Hamlin and crew chief Darian Grubb have been together for the last three seasons but have struggled the last two years and Grubb’s contract is up at the end of the season.
Matt Kenseth is in his second year at JGR, and while Kenseth and Jason Ratcliff haven’t been as strong this year as last season when they won seven races, they still have been the most consistent.
The organization also must add a fourth crew chief for Edwards and his team.
“The drivers have strong feelings who they think they match up with,” Gibbs said. “You’ve got the crew chiefs, you’ve got the drivers and then all the rest of us are trying to work through that (to make the decision).
“The drivers run the show. They make all the money. One thing’s for sure — in 22 years (I’ve been an owner), you see that drivers have got to believe in that crew chief and the crew chief has got to believe in the driver. Over the years, that’s a very hard thing to keep together.”
Busch said a few weeks ago that his Nationwide crew chief, Adam Stevens, would be a good candidate to be a Cup crew chief.
“I think Adam’s due,” Busch said. “He’s done a nice job.”
Gibbs said any changes would occur after the season. He added that there have been many “intense” meetings over the crew chief lineup.
“We’re kind of crew-chief driven here,” Gibbs said. “They set the priority schedule with all of our technology and everything. … The thing that complicates (these decisions) is you have such highs and such lows and that is always tough on a relationship.”
