For Knaus - Heavy Lies the Head That Wears the Crown

Denny Hamlin smells blood in the water.  Your pit crew's performance is costing you positions. Your driver is panicked.  And there are only two races left.

What would you do?

Would you chuck your team on the chins and tell them "we'll get 'em next time"?  Would you tell your driver to shut up and wheel the car?  Or would you take a game-changing risk that could make you a hero if your instincts are right - or a zero if you're wrong.

Leaders opt for the latter.

Sure, Chad Knaus' mid-race move at Texas won't make him the new fan favorite, but that's nothing new.  Leaders aren't always popular, even among those they lead.  But leaders do make the tough call when it counts - which is what Knaus did at Texas.

When your guy is on the ropes and your opponent is using him for a punching bag, you've got to regroup, re-strategize and come out swinging. If not, you'll be down for the count and the victory will go to your opponent.

And what does popularity count for then?

So during the next few weeks, Knaus will take a lot of heat for the pit crew swap - especially if his plan fails.

But if his instincts are true (and they have been for the past four years) he'll have steered Hendrick Motorsports to their fifth consecutive championship.

And himself into the history books.  Again.