Transitioning to the next chapter, Dietz has earned a reputation for being arguably the most versatile crew chief with his ability to adapt to different drivers with the same winning results.
With David Gravel of Watertown, Conn., primarily driving the JJR No. 41 in 2019-’20, the duo collected 19 World of Outlaws wins, the 2019 Knoxville Nationals title, and challenged for the owner’s championship against Dietz’s former team, Kasey Kahne Racing.
It wasn’t just his success with Gravel at JJR, but also Dietz’s formation and success at Dietz Motorsports that helped his stock rise.
Taking Parker Price-Miller of Kokomo, Ind., on the road in his own operation, Dietz was essentially on double duty crew chiefing two cars each night in 2020.
He won with Price-Miller in July and the storybook season continued in October when Shane Stewart of Bixby, Okla., substituted for Gravel and won in his first start aboard the JJR No. 41 at Lakeside Speedway in Kansas.
“I feel like we’ve worked really hard to get our car better over the last few years,” he noted on JJR’s improvement. “I think it makes it easier to adapt and bring in a different driver to fine tune to suit their driving style and get the car balanced. I knew we would have success with David when he came here. My goal with Parker last year was to win at least one race, which we did and that was special.
“Jason and Shane were really good buddies over the years and I feel like those two have similar driving styles, so that made it easy for me when Shane won at Lakeside. Bringing Carson back in now is a natural fit after we worked so well together back in 2018.”
Heading into 2021, new challenges await Dietz, along with his wife Brooke. With Bobbi Johnson scaling back her duties as son Jaxx goes to school, the Dietz’s have stepped up to handle the day-to-day operation of the team, while Philip maintains his at-track crew chief duties. Also on board this year are returning crew members, Clyde Knipp and Nate Repetz.
With Gravel departing to drive for Big Game Motorsports this year, the seat was left open for Carson Macedo of Lemoore, Calif., to fill.
Back in the summer of 2018, Macedo ran part-time with JJR and most notably won his debut on a preliminary night at the Knoxville 360 Nationals. The rekindled combination is already off to a hot start in 2021, winning from 10th last weekend at Volusia and then charging from 17th to third at East Bay to take control of the points lead.
“Obviously, our goal every night is to win,” Dietz admitted. “We want to win as many races as possible. I know for me, personally, I put five wins down on my list. It’s pretty realistic to be a new team, or a new group of guys working together for the first year, and to win five races I would consider that a successful season at this level.
“We want to work together, get our car better every night, and hopefully at the end of the year we feel like we advanced the program forward and we’re better going into next season.”