Post by labontefanboy on Feb 1, 2014 21:37:24 GMT -5
Joe Gibbs Racing switching to Toyota
Joe and J.D. Gibbs held a press conference this morning to announce news that will shake the NASCAR landscape for months. The NASCAR juggernaut is becoming the face of Toyota. Yep, you heard that right. The popular NASCAR team that fields 3 Nextel Cup teams and 2 Busch Series teams will leave Chevy upon the conclusion of the 2007 season, entering into a long-term agreement with the unpopular Japan-based Toyota manufacturer, with reports indicating the contract runs through 2013. The news comes to many as a surprise, as Gibbs has run a GM brand since the team's inception, but in the words of J.D. Gibbs, "all good things must come to an end". "Toyota has presented us with an irresistible offer and we simply couldn't turn them away simply based on where the money goes to", said Joe Gibbs. "In reality their cars are made here in the US while Chevy and Ford and Dodge outsource to other countries. Fielding Toyota is not going to cause any American workers to lose a job and we won't be building our cars in Japan." Currently, Tony Stewart, Bobby Labonte, and J.J. Yeley drive in the Cup Series for Gibbs and have combined for 2 wins (both by Stewart) and 6 top 10 finishes in 27 starts. Said Yeley: "I'm really excited to be able to drive a Toyota. I know a lot of the fans are going to feel alienated or abandoned, but I think this is the right move for our team." Labonte agreed with his young teammate, saying, "People can look at Toyota's subpar results so far this season and whine and complain all they want, but them having a team like ours is only going to help them. Becoming the face of the TRD brand will improve the results of Toyota and I guarantee you that they will do all they can to help us." Toyota Racing Development President Lee White also echoed the sentiments of Gibbs and some of his drivers, saying "TRD will go all out with JGR to find the best performance out of our Camrys". All three Cup Series drivers will return in 2008, with only Labonte facing sponsorship uncertainty at the moment. (ESPN.com) (5/1/07)
Joe and J.D. Gibbs held a press conference this morning to announce news that will shake the NASCAR landscape for months. The NASCAR juggernaut is becoming the face of Toyota. Yep, you heard that right. The popular NASCAR team that fields 3 Nextel Cup teams and 2 Busch Series teams will leave Chevy upon the conclusion of the 2007 season, entering into a long-term agreement with the unpopular Japan-based Toyota manufacturer, with reports indicating the contract runs through 2013. The news comes to many as a surprise, as Gibbs has run a GM brand since the team's inception, but in the words of J.D. Gibbs, "all good things must come to an end". "Toyota has presented us with an irresistible offer and we simply couldn't turn them away simply based on where the money goes to", said Joe Gibbs. "In reality their cars are made here in the US while Chevy and Ford and Dodge outsource to other countries. Fielding Toyota is not going to cause any American workers to lose a job and we won't be building our cars in Japan." Currently, Tony Stewart, Bobby Labonte, and J.J. Yeley drive in the Cup Series for Gibbs and have combined for 2 wins (both by Stewart) and 6 top 10 finishes in 27 starts. Said Yeley: "I'm really excited to be able to drive a Toyota. I know a lot of the fans are going to feel alienated or abandoned, but I think this is the right move for our team." Labonte agreed with his young teammate, saying, "People can look at Toyota's subpar results so far this season and whine and complain all they want, but them having a team like ours is only going to help them. Becoming the face of the TRD brand will improve the results of Toyota and I guarantee you that they will do all they can to help us." Toyota Racing Development President Lee White also echoed the sentiments of Gibbs and some of his drivers, saying "TRD will go all out with JGR to find the best performance out of our Camrys". All three Cup Series drivers will return in 2008, with only Labonte facing sponsorship uncertainty at the moment. (ESPN.com) (5/1/07)