MOORESVILLE, N.C. — The much-speculated move of Joe Gibbs Racing from Chevrolet to Toyota became official Wednesday as JGR formally announced that its three-car Nextel Cup team and its Busch Series effort will be powered by Toyota in 2008.
The move marks the end of a 16-year relationship between General Motors and JGR, while also giving Toyota, which will enter its second season of Nextel Cup competition in 2008, the flagship team it has sought. JGR has won 58 Nextel Cup races and three series titles, one with Bobby Labonte (2000) and two with Tony Stewart (2002, 2005).
“We felt like this was the best thing for us and for our fans,” said JGR President J.D. Gibbs. “We have 420-plus families that are our number one priority, and taking care of them for the future is very important to us. Our people have made us as successful as we are today, and it’s those same people who will ensure our success in the future. When our teams win, those families win.  We’re thrilled for everyone at JGR who will benefit from this.”
Both Gibbs and Toyota Racing Development President Jim Aust characterized the agreement as a partnership, one that will give JGR the resources of TRD, while giving Toyota the high-profile team it needs as well as arguably three of the series’s most talented drivers in Stewart, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch.
“We view this as an extension of TRD,” said Aust. “We are confident that partnering with the Gibbs team will raise the level of our entire Toyota NASCAR program, and will be beneficial to all of our current teams racing the Toyota Camry.”
While Aust was happy to see JGR on board for the foreseeable future, Brent Dewar, vice-president of vehicle sailes, service and parts for General Motors said his company was disappointed.
“General Motors has been associated with Joe Gibbs Racing for 16 years working together winning races and championships. While we understand the business nature of racing, we are disappointed in J.D.’s decision and announcement today,” Dewar said. “With our long-standing relationship and record of winning with them, we hoped they would remain with Chevrolet. We will continue to support our JGR drivers in this year's Chase for the Championship. We wish JGR well as they go forward, and Chevrolet will compete against them on the track next year to defend its title as the winningest name in racing.”
JGR will join Bill Davis Racing, Michael Waltrip Racing, Team Red Bull and, by association, Hall of Fame Racing, which leases engines and chassis from JGR, in the Toyota stable for 2008.
Gibbs said one important factor behind the decision to move forward was the chance to be Toyota’s top team. With Chevrolet, JGR was grouped with powerful Hendrick Motorsports and Richard Childress Racing as the sport’s top teams.
But the team also felt that Toyota’s fledgling NASCAR program will improve quickly enough to keep the team in the championship hunt next year and beyond.
“This decision was made by all of the key leadership at JGR,” said Jimmy Makar, senior vice-president of racing operations for JGR. “It was a decision made by the people in our competition department, who live by the one question whenever a decision is made regarding Joe Gibbs Racing: ‘Will this make us more competitive on the race track?’ The consensus answer was yes.”