Dave Rogers bringing experience from previous Cup outing to new role with Kyle Busch
Dave Rogers begins his duties as Kyle Busch's crew chief this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. // David Griffin, NASCAR Scene
FORT WORTH, Texas – New Kyle Busch crew chief Dave Rogers had the similar role in the NASCAR Cup garage in 2005, and he has a pretty blunt assessment of his job as crew chief for 13 races for Jason Leffler at Joe Gibbs Racing.
“I failed with the 11 car [of Leffler], there’s no doubt about it,” Rogers said Friday at Texas Motor Speedway. “I think you learn more from your failures than you do with your successes. Certainly, I learned a lot through that experience. I would not change it for the world, and I think it will make me a better crew chief for the 18 car.
“[I learned] leveling the emotions – not getting as high when things are good, not getting as low when things are bad, managing people, that relationship between the driver and crew chief.”
Rogers has replaced Steve Addington as crew chief for the No. 18 Cup team, which has won 12 races since Busch joined the team prior to the 2008 season but missed the Chase For The Sprint Cup this year.
“You learn in this sport to never be surprised with anything,” Rogers said. “Things change so quick. I’m disappointed for Steve. I’m humbled. This is an honor to represent Joe Gibbs Racing. … I’m slightly surprised, but not really.”
Rogers has worked with Busch and several other drivers through his role as crew chief for the organization’s No. 20 Nationwide Series team. That team won the 2008 owners title with Rogers, who missed the final 10 races after being penalized for NASCAR after the sanctioning body ruled the JGR teams attempted to manipulate the results of an engine dyno test.
“Life was very good over there,” Rogers said. “We were running well, I had Sundays home with my wife and kids. Life was great. I couldn’t ask for anything better. I didn’t have to come over here and do this. But when the opportunity came up and you realized that Kyle Busch was the driver and you look at the engineering staff that Joe Gibbs Racing has, you just couldn’t pass the opportunity up.”
Rogers says his big challenge is learning the new NASCAR car that was implemented for a partial schedule for 2007 and then used full time since 2008. He has to learn everything from the technical inspection process to the tools to tune the car, especially what is different from the Nationwide car he has worked on the last four years.
“These guys [on the crew] have bent over backwards being very patient with me the last two weeks, teaching me about the car while I’m trying to lead them,” Rogers said. “It’s a unique situation.”
Communication with the driver and the engineering department and understanding the details of the new car will be key, Rogers said.
“I’m probably going to have to take some beatings from him, we all know that he can be verbal, and I’m probably going to have to give a few back,” Rogers said of working with Busch. “It’s going to be a good working relationship.”
Rogers doesn’t have high expectations for the final three races this year.
“We’re just building for next year,” Rogers said. “If we can run in the top five, that would be fantastic, but we’re not going to be disappointed if we don’t. … … The next three weeks are all about finding a direction, what direction do we need to work on over the offseason?
“Whether we win, lose or draw, as long as we have something to work on over the winter, it will be a success. The guys that are good have been together a while. If you think you’re going to come out and beat them on Day 1, you’re arrogant and naïve. That is not going to happen.”
