Jayski's® NASCAR Silly Season Site

#11 Team Past News and Rumors

NOTE: many of the links in the past news will be old and may not work
decided it was not worth the time to go thru each one on all the Team Past News pages

2008 News

Fed Ex Scheduled Paint Schemes for 2008:, runs Express, Kinko's, Ground, Freight
FedEx Express (11):
Bud Shootout 2/9
Daytona 500 2/17
Bristol 3/16
Richmond 5/3
Chicago 7/12
Pocono 8/3
Richmond 9/6
New Hampshire 9/14
Talladega 10/5
Atlanta 10/26
Homestead 11/16

FedEx Office [was Kinko's](9):
Las Vegas 3/2
Phoenix 4/12
Dover 6/1
Infineon Raceway 6/22
Daytona 7/5
Indy 7/27
Michigan 8/17
Charlotte 10/11
Texas 11/2

FedEx Ground (9):
Atlanta 3/9
Texas 4/6
Darlington 5/10
Pocono 6/8
New Hampshire 6/29
Watkins Glen 8/10
California 8/31
Dover 9/21
Phoenix 11/9

FedEx Freight (9):
California 2/24
Martinsville 3/29
Talladega 4/27
Charlotte (All-Star) 5/17
Charlotte (Coke 600) 5/25
Michigan 6/15
Bristol 8/23
Kansas 9/28
Martinsville 10/19

Hamlin visits Japan: #11-Denny Hamlin recently visited Japan to participate in Toyota's annual Motor Sports Day at Fuji Speedway. The event featured Toyota drivers from a variety of different racing series, including NASCAR and Formula One, as well as Toyota race cars that participate in various racing series. “This was my first time traveling overseas,” said Hamlin, who took a few demonstration laps in the JGR Camry. “It was an excellent experience. The Fuji Speedway was a good track and I was impressed with the Japanese fans and how excited they were to see a NASCAR race car. It was really enjoyable and I'm glad I was able to attend Toyota’s Motorsports Day.”(Toyota Motorsports PR)(12-5-2008)

Hamlin heading to Japan: from a Joe Gibbs Racing PR: You'll be heading to Japan and Fuji Speedway for Toyota Motorsports Day during the off season - Are you looking forward to that trip?: Denny Hamlin - "I really am looking forward to it. Usually, when the end of the season rolls around I like nothing more than to go home, turn off my phone and do as little as possible but this is a once-in-a -lifetime opportunity. This is a huge event for Toyota, where they will showcase their Cup and F1 teams for all of their fans - it's a cool thing to be a part of and I'll get a chance to visit some new places and meet some new people.”(JGR PR), Kyle Busch was supposed to go, but he has another commitment. Hamlin will not be driving a F-1 car but a Stock Car.(11-14-2008)

Testing at Kentucky Speedway on Tuesday: The Joe Gibbs Racing teams of Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin are scheduled to test at Kentucky Speedway Tuesday, October 14. Fans can view testing from the designated area outside the Kentucky Speedway Fan Center in Turn 3 for free. Tests usually begin at 9:00 a.m. and end at 5:00 p.m. Times will vary based on team goals.(Kentucky Speedway PR)(9-15-2008)

Hamlin cleared, but will sit out NNS race: Denny Hamlin will be back behind the wheel of the #11 FedEx Camry this weekend in Charlotte after his heavy-impact crash last weekend at Talladega. Following his release from University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) hospital on Monday morning, Hamlin met with NASCAR's consulting physician, Dr. Jerry Petty, this week in North Carolina and was cleared to race in the Sprint Cup race this weekend in Charlotte. Hamlin on Talladega: "It was definitely the hardest hit I have ever taken in a race car. It was good to get home, get some rest and take it easy this week. I am feeling better everyday and look forward to getting back in the car this weekend. I need to thank everyone at Talladega and at UAB (University of Alabama at Birmingham) Hospital, and also Dr. Petty and the NASCAR medical team for taking care of me. I really appreciate all they did for me and for putting my health above everything else. Thanks to all of the fans for their concern and, of course, thanks to everyone at JGR and #11 team who build really safe cars and that showed last weekend. This sport has made big gains in terms of safety – everything from the cars to the walls and those are big steps in the right direction."(FedEx Racing PR)
AND Hamlin will skip Friday night's Nationwide Series race at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Hamlin had been scheduled to drive in Friday's Dollar General 300 in Braun Racing's #10 Toyota. The car will now by driven by Dave Blaney, who gave Braun Racing its first win in the series in this race in 2006.(ESPN)(10-8-2008)
UPDATE: #11-Denny Hamlin said he considered skipping Saturday night's Bank of America 500 Sprint Cup race at Lowe's Motor Speedway because of last weekend's grinding crash at Talladega Superspeedway. Hamlin lost a tire and slammed into the wall during the Amp Energy 500 at Talladega on Sunday, sending him to University of Alabama-Birmingham hospital for overnight observation. Hamlin opted out of Friday's Nationwide Series race here, even though he has been cleared to race this weekend. But after considering missing Saturday's Cup event, Hamlin decided to race. "The most important thing is long-term health, and that's why we're sitting tomorrow night's race out. If I take a hit there then it's going to be hard for them to clear me on Saturday. I think right now we're good to go." Hamlin said he would not have a relief driver standing by Saturday night.(Scene Daily.com)(10-10-2008)

Hamlin taken to hospital after hard wreck; overnight stay Released: #11-Denny Hamlin was held Sunday night at a Birmingham hospital Sunday for further evaluation after a tire failure led to a hard crash at Talladega Superspeedway. Hamlin was alert and awake when he was transported to the UAB Medical Center, but was complaining of a headache and possibly had a concussion. He was also favoring his right foot after a slow exit from his crumpled car. "The tire went down and it was quite a shot," Joe Gibbs Racing president J.D. Gibbs said. "He's got a little headache, so they're just going to watch him. It was a scary deal, but it's at least nice that he's alert and with it." Hamlin, one of 12 drivers racing for the Sprint Cup title, was leading midway through the race when his right front tire failed and his Toyota shot into the outside wall. He said nothing over his in-car radio after the hit and took several moments to get out of the car. Crew chief Mike Ford said he was unsure what happened to the tire, and did not have a chance to speak to Hamlin. "But it happened so fast, I doubt he even knows," Ford said. Hamlin's tire failure was the fourth one in the race and fifth of the weekend. Earlier, Brian Vickers' tire exploded as he was racing for the lead and it triggered an eight-car accident. Ford said on the run before Hamlin's tire failure, the right rear tire had several cuts in it when the crew removed it during a pit stop. Hamlin attributed the cuts to debris on the race track, so Ford said it was unclear if the later failure was caused by Hamlin running over something or a deficiency in the Goodyear product.(Associated Press)(10-5-2008)
UPDATE: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing was released this morning from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Hospital after spending the night for observation. Following his lap 99-incident in yesterday's Sprint Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway, Hamlin was taken to the track's infield care center then transported by ambulance to Birmingham. He was kept overnight at UAB and released this morning to return home to North Carolina. Hamlin had just lead his ninth lap of the race when he lost his right-front tire in turn two, slid up the track and made heavy contact with the SAFER barrier.(Joe Gibbs Racing PR)(10-6-2008)

JGR names Director of Corporate Communications: Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) has named Chris Helein as its director of corporate communications, effective immediately. Helein spent the past two seasons in the NFL as vice president of public relations for the Washington Redskins, where in his second stint with the organization, he worked closely with former head coach and three-time Super Bowl winner Joe Gibbs. In his new position, Helein will lead all aspects of JGR's public relations efforts, which will include serving as the primary media liaison for JGR and working closely with each team's sponsor representatives. For the remainder of the 2008 racing season, Helein will work alongside Mike Arning and True Speed Communication, the firm that has handled JGR's corporate communications since 2003. Arning will continue his role as the at-track liaison for JGR and the #20 Home Depot team in the Sprint Cup Series through the season finale Nov. 16 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.(JGR PR)(8-23-2008)

Hamlin donates motor home to MRO: from FedEx Racing PR - Talk about your donation to Motor Racing Outreach - Denny Hamlin: "MRO has been a friend to the drivers, teams and everyone affiliated with the sport for a long time so I was really happy to be able to help them out. It seems like everyone in the garage supports MRO in one way or another and they deserve the recognition. By donating my motor home to them I hope it will save them some money in lodging and I think it will really give them the opportunity to do more and more within in the sport. I know we'll all benefit from that - and I am proud to support their efforts."(FedEx Racing PR)(8-14-2008)

#100 at Hamlin: It's only fitting that #11-Denny Hamlin reaches a significant Sprint Cup milestone at the place that put the third year driver on the map. This weekend will mark Hamlin's 100th start in the Sprint Cup Series and his stats show that he has been an extremely consistent performer. Building on a record-setting rookie campaign in 2006, Hamlin has recorded four wins, six poles, 51 top-ten finishes in 99 career starts, and has finished the season as high as third in the NNCS points standings.(JGR PR)(8-1-2008)

Gibbs wants to keep team in the family: Joe Gibbs says he's not about to join the trend of offering ownership in his race team in order to retain drivers. Tony Stewart received 50% ownership in making the jump from Joe Gibbs Racing to Stewart Haas Racing. Drivers Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards (who re-signed with Roush Fenway Racing) and Ryan Newman (entertaining offers for 2009) say they've received offers that include a share of team ownership. But JGR is a family operation, and Gibbs, the family patriarch, says he plans to keep it that way. "We have eight grandchildren," Gibbs said. "I'm not worried about (sons) J.D. or Coy. But (the business) is going to be for the grandkids if I have anything to say about it."(USA Today)(7-14-2008)

Gibbs to 4 teams in 2009? maybe: Will Joe and J. D. Gibbs have four Cup teams in 2009? It’s looking good. “I wouldn’t rule it out….but we’re in no hurry,” J. D. Gibbs says. “If everything lines up well, great. But if you don’t have all the parts there, don’t do it. “We’ve done this before. We’ve got the key guys already. So we’ll sit down with Mark Cronquist (the team engine man) and Jimmy Makar (the team manager) and the guys and talk it over. And if the time is right, we’ll do it. The driver is key, obviously. The crew, we’d be in good shape. The infrastructure is all there. But we won’t do it until everyone signs off on it. Joey Logano? What I’ve seen is the guys who are really talented, they don’t need much time. He’s been on a track since he was six. And, like we’ve seen with Tony (Stewart) and Kyle (Busch) and Denny (Hamlin), those guys ‘pop’ right away. Joey fits that mold. Some guys do get better after a while. But usually if you don’t come out of the box strong, it’s hard to say ‘he’s going to get better down the road.’”
And how about Juan Pablo Montoya? Is he a candidate for a Gibbs’ ride? “We think the world of Juan…though I wouldn’t ask Kyle that question this week,” Gibbs said, laughing about the Busch-Montoya run-in at Loudon Sunday. “I don’t know Juan’s situation…. “But to the best of my understanding he’s there (at Chip Ganassi’s). So we’re not going to look at that. We’re actually talking more about 2010 (when Stewart’s contract is up).”(Winston Salem Journal)(7-4-2008)

Logano could run some Sprint Cup races late this season: Joey Logano, who in only his third Nationwide Series start won on Saturday night at Kentucky Speedway, likely will compete in a few Sprint Cup races for Joe Gibbs Racing before the end of the season. "We would like to get him in some Cup stuff towards the end of the year," team owner Joe Gibbs said before Sunday's Cup race at Michigan International Speedway. "We want to make sure it's the good stuff and the right way." Gibbs said it was too late in the year to start a fourth Cup team for Logano to run fulltime next season. Asked if Logano might replace Tony Stewart should the two-time Cup champion leave for another team [rumored teams include Haas CNC, #5 Hendrick, 4th RCR team], Gibbs said, "I don't think we've gone in that direction yet. We're still trying to work things out." Stewart is being pursued by several teams, including at least one [Haas CNC Racing] that is offering ownership. Gibbs and his son, team president J.D. Gibbs, have been emphatic that they won't part with Stewart before his contract expires after 2009. They remain optimistic that he will re-sign with JGR and end his career there.(ESPN.com)(6-15-2008)

Gibbs tested own engines in All-Star race: Joe Gibbs Racing used its engines in the all-star race as opposed to the engines it receives from Toyota Racing Development. The team plans to go back to TRD motors for the Coca-Cola 600. Since the all-star race is a non-points race, it provides teams a chance to test equipment without fear that a failure will hurt them in the points.(Roanoke Times), #20-Stewart had to change engines before the race, #11-Hamlin and #18-Busch both lost engines during the All-Star race, all three had rocker-arm problems.(5-19-2008)

Hamlin lends name to restaurant: #11-Denny Hamlin will be lending his name and star power to one of Salisbury's [NC] more popular restaurants. In coming months, The Original Steakhouse & Sports Theatre, located at the Salisbury Mall, will be changing its name and look to become Denny Hamlin's Grille 11. The "11" refers to Hamlin's number for Joe Gibbs Racing. The extensive changes to the restaurant will be made through a licensing agreement between Celebrity Ventures Inc. of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and Hamlin. Bob McCarthy, a partner and concept development vice president for Celebrity Ventures, said Hamlin will have his own private "owner's box" at the restaurant and can be expected to be making visits to the Salisbury location and a like-named restaurant in Asheville. This is Celebrity Ventures' first restaurant with a NASCAR driver. McCarthy put the transformation of the restaurant in Salisbury at 90 to 120 days. He said the restaurant's footprint will stay the same, but its audio-visual package will be enhanced dramatically, besides some cosmetic changes. The extensive menus offer appetizers, burgers, sandwiches, salads, pasta, steak, seafood and desserts.(Salisbury Post)(5-8-2008)

Hamlin injured but OK to drive: Just when #11-Denny Hamlin thought things couldn't get any worse, he fell hard on his left hip playing basketball and could hardly walk when he arrived Monday for testing at Lowe's Motor Speedway. "I'd like to say I was going up for a dunk, but I think everybody knows that ain't true," Hamlin said. "When I went up, the person was lower than I was and I kind of clipped over his shoulder and I was horizontal to the ground -- that was bad. It popped and it doesn't feel good at all. I couldn't lay on it last night, and it ain't getting much better." The injury came roughly 24 hours after Hamlin led a record 381 of the first 382 laps at Richmond International Raceway, only to lose a coveted win on his hometown track when he cut his right front tire. He had to intentionally stop his car on the track to bring out the caution needed to head to pit road for a tire change.(full note at ESPN/AP)

No additional penalties for Hamlin, Waltrip: #11-Denny Hamlin won't be further penalized for intentionally bringing out a late caution in Saturday night's race at Richmond even though there is precedent for it. No further penalty also is expected against #55-Michael Waltrip for intentionally wrecking #5-Casey Mears, NASCAR officials said on Monday. Hamlin was given a two-lap penalty when he stopped on the track with a cut tire with less than 10 laps remaining. NASCAR officials believed it was an intentional move to bring out the caution and allow Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch the opportunity to close on then-leader Dale Earnhardt Jr. A spokesperson for the governing body said during Monday's test session at Lowe's Motor Speedway that there would be no further punishment. But in 2004, Earnhardt was docked 25 points and fined $10,000 for intentionally bringing out the caution at Bristol. In the 2002 running of the All-Star race, Kurt Busch was fined $10,000 for intentionally spinning out Robby Gordon to bring out a caution. Meanwhile, Waltrip was parked with about 40 laps remaining when he intentionally took out Mears after Mears got into him a few laps earlier. Officials said the hit Waltrip took in points -- he finished 37th and fell a spot to 32nd in points -- was severe enough.(ESPN.com)(5-6-2008)

Hamlin Announces Foundation at Richmond: #11-Denny Hamlin will launch his new charitable foundation with the running of the Denny Hamlin 175 at Southside Speedway, the track where he cut his teeth in Late Model racing, in Midlothian, Va. on Thursday, May 1. The Denny Hamlin Foundation will focus primarily on raising awareness and funding for the specific needs of individuals afflicted with Cystic Fibrosis and will donate all proceeds from the charity event to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF). Moving forward, in addition to CFF, the foundation also will support chronically ill children with other debilitating illnesses.(PR)(5-1-2008)

Joe Gibbs Racing Test at Rockingham: The Joe Gibbs Racing test team spent all day on Wednesday April 16th at the Rockingham Speedway gathering information for all of their Sprint Cup Series race teams. The Joe Gibbs Racing Test team used JGR developmental driver Joey Logano throughout the comprehensive test day.(Rockingham Speedway PR)(4-16-2008)

Special FedEx Kinko's/March of Dimes for Hamlin at Phoenix: Denny Hamlin, FedEx Kinko's and the March of Dimes will race a very special FedEx Kinko's/March of Dimes #11 Toyota Camry in the Subway Fresh Fit 500 this weekend at Phoenix International Raceway. The car focuses attention on the March of Dimes and the annual March for Babies walk - an organization and event FedEx has long supported at both the local and national level. As part of the car unveiling event, Hamlin was presented with a specially designed helmet by five year-old Dallas native Tiffany Bell-Nunez. Bell-Nunez was born eleven weeks premature and weighed only 2 lbs 13 oz. and much of the care that led to a successful recovery for Tiffany was aided by research funded by March of Dimes. Tiffany is now a very healthy five year-old and her mother Vicki, a FedEx Kinko's employee, remains an active advocate for March for Dimes. In an additional show of support, FedEx has set up a special portal on fedexracing.com for those interested in supporting the charity and FedEx Racing in the upcoming March for Babies.(FedEx Racing/Weber Shandwick), see an image of the scheme on my #11 Team Schemes page.(4-9-2008)

Hamlin nearly faints after race: #11-Denny Hamlin was talking with reporters on pit road about his fifth-place finish in the Samsung 500 at Texas Motor Speedway when he nearly fainted and collapsed Sunday. It brought an abrupt end to the interview, as a wobbly Hamlin staggered to a nearby golf cart with the assistance of team personnel. He then was whisked away to be given fluids and to rest, after which team officials insisted he was fine. "He'll need to get some fluids in him, and he'll be all right." Hamlin stood off to the side for several minutes before even attempting to answer questions, taking sips from a water bottle and having a cold towel applied to the back of his neck. He then answered three questions before nearly collapsing, with one of his answers being about his physical condition. "I didn't feel well [during the race]," Hamlin said. "It's just the heat, the long runs. So I'll try to get better. It really hit me when I got out of the car. I was just really dizzy and I knew I needed to sit down."(NASCAR.com)(4-7-2008)

Hamlin wins at Martinsville: #11-Denny Hamlin won the Goody's Cool Orange 500 at Martinsville Speedway for his 1st win of 2008, 4th of his career, becoming the 45th driver to win a race at Martinsville. #24-Gordon was 2nd, followed by #31-Burton, #48-Johnson, #20-Stewart, #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., #50Mears, #26-McMurray [back in the top-35 of owners pts], #99-Edwards [who ran out of fuel on the last lap while running 5th] and #07-Bowyer. The points leader going into the race, #18-Kyle Busch had trouble, spent some time in the garage and finished 38th, falling to 5th in drivers points. #31-Burton takes over the points lead by 39 over #29-Harvick. There were 20 lead changes among 8 drivers and 18 cautions for 89 laps.
Race Results on my Martinsville Race Results/Awards Page.
Points Standings on my Drivers/Owners Points after Martinsville page.(3-30-2008)

Hamlin, FedEx Kinko's and March of Dime Team up in Texas: #11-Denny Hamlin will be in Texas early this week, on hand to make a special announcement with FedEx Kinko's and the March of Dimes. The event is scheduled for Wednesday, April 2 at White Rock Lake Park in Dallas. As part of the announcement, Hamlin will be presented with a specially designed helmet by five year old Dallas native Tiffany Bell-Nunez and will unveil the start/finish line for the 2008 March for Babies - to be held at the park later this month.(JGR PR)(4-2-2008)

Fuel Cell Problems at JGR? #11-Denny Hamlin says a potential flaw in the design of the fuel cells at Joe Gibbs Racing may have contributed to Sunday's loss at Bristol Motor Speedway. Hamlin was leading on the green-white-checkered restart, but his car stalled because not enough fuel reached the engine. That allowed #31-Jeff Burton to blow past Hamlin for his first win at the half-mile track and set up a 1-2-3 finish for Richard Childress Racing. Hamlin, who got his car going after gas swashed into the engine in the corners of the track, finished sixth. It wasn't the first time this has happened. "Anytime we get low on fuel, especially with a banked race track like Bristol, all of our fuel drains in the cell to where we don't get any in the engine," Hamlin said Tuesday. "Once we do take off all we're using is fuel in the lines. There's a bubble in there and the car stalls." Hamlin said team owner Joe Gibbs met with engineers all day Monday looking for answers. He said officials are also looking into why the gearbox in his car failed the previous week at Atlanta and the one in teammate Kyle Busch's car failed with him in the lead at Bristol. "He blew the top seal out of his," Hamlin said. "Mine blew the bottom seal. As far as knowing exactly what's causing it, I don't know yet. Between steering boxes and fuel, it's aging me pretty bad." Hamlin said there are several ways to design a fuel cell. One is so that it always works well with low fuel; another is where under green-flag conditions a car can "suck out the gas to where there's only one drop left."(ESPN.com)(3-19-2008)

Drivers celebrities join resort advisory board: Sheridan Ridge Private Reserve, a more than 1,400-acre upscale resort community located in Southwest Virginia, announced the joining of top NASCAR celebrities Tony Stewart, Elliott Sadler, Denny Hamlin, Jeff Hammond and Greg Zipadelli to the project¹s Advisory Board. The Advisory Board members¹ duties will include weighing in on the property¹s planned amenities, as well as introducing individuals to the unique lifestyle of Sheridan Ridge. Each Advisory Board member will have a vacation home on the property. Sheridan Ridge will also introduce interested individuals around the country to the beauty of Southwest Virginia. More info at sheridanridgeva.com.(3-15-2008)

ASA creates new short track national championship; JGR test part of prize: The American Speed Association (ASA) is breaking new ground once again, by unveiling plans for an innovative Short Track National Championship. The new plan allows competitors in any ASA Member Track's premier division to compete against each other, regardless of geographical location. ASA will create East and West divisions, with an ASA Short Track Divisional Champion crowned in each. The one driver who accumulates the most points will be named the ASA Short Track National Champion. With the title comes a cash reward, and the ultimate dream - a test session with Joe Gibbs Racing.(ASA-Racing.com)(2-29-2008)

New Young Guns Named: #07-Clint Bowyer and #11-Denny Hamlin are the latest additions to the Gillette Young Guns program. The pair join #2-Kurt Busch, #12-Ryan Newman, #99-Carl Edwards and #9-Kasey Kahne as clean-shaven drivers in the campaign. #48-Jimmie Johnson and #26-Jamie McMurray are no longer participating in the program. The company is unveiling a new ad campaign featuring the drivers with WWE veteran John Cena attempting to teach the group to wrestle. Cena learned to drive a Sprint Cup car as part of a reality television show last summer. The Gillette program is entering its fifth season.(SceneDaily.com) .

Gibbs retires as coach of the Redskins: Joe Gibbs, owner of Joe Gibbs Racing [#11,#18, #20] resigned as coach and team president of the Washington Redskins on Tuesday. The Redskins said in a statement that Gibbs will remain part of the Redskins family and serve as a special adviser to owner Dan Snyder.(ESPN.com)(1-8-2008)

2007 News

Hamlin Wins Thanksgiving Classic: Denny Hamlin first got soaked by rain and then by champagne. NASCAR’s 2006 Nextel Cup rookie of the year returned to his roots Sunday, winning a Thanksgiving Classic that was ended 10 laps from the finish because of a heavy shower. Hamlin celebrated with a wet, smoky burnout in the fourth corner of Southern National Raceway Park, where he was champion five years ago and then stood with an ear-to-ear grin as champagne was poured over his head in victory lane.(Fayetteville Observer)(12-3-2007)

JGR 2007 Flag Football Champs: Joe Gibbs Racing successfully defended its 2006 championship in Bob Hubner’s Totally Racin’ Flag Football League presented by Race City Resumes & Marketing. It wasn't easy for JGR as the team had some tough competition to repeat what it did last season. This year’s format was a single elimination tournament, and JGR first had to get by last year’s main rival, the team fielded by Lowe’s Motor Speedway, to advance. And JGR beat LMS by only one point to reach round two. The Gibbs team then beat Team Red Bull to advance to the championship game against Roush-Fenway Racing. JGR and Roush-Fenway tied during their regular season game so the Gibbs players knew Roush would put up a good fight. The title game was in fact tied 13-13 at halftime. Then, with one minute left, Roush-Fenway scored a touchdown but missed the extra point to edge ahead 25-19. Gibbs Racing then got the ball with 53 seconds left, needing to get down the field and score a touchdown and extra point for the win. JGR got the touchdown as quarterback JD Gibbs passed to his center, Ross Port, in a surprise play with only 3 seconds left, bringing a 25-25 tie. For the extra point, JD Gibbs tossed the ball to Dave Alpern at the goal line, and Alpern caught the pass and reached over the goal line to give Joe Gibbs Racing another championship, 26-25. For League info visit racecityresumes.com/football.(11-15-2007)

New Tire Changer for Hamlin: This weekend, C.J. Fambrough will pit in his very first Nextel Cup Race. Fambrough learned Monday morning that he will be the front tire changer for Denny Hamlin's #11 FedEx car for the last two cup races in Phoenix and Homestead. KLTV 7 Sports [Texas] caught up with C.J. Monday afternoon by phone. "It is really neat," he said. "It's a great opportunity and I'm fortunate to have it. I'm excited I'm a little bit nervous but I know what to expect and I know what I've got to do." C.J. says there will be a few differences between pitting on the Busch series and for the Nextel Cup. "Timing," he said, "and I will be working with a whole new crew I've never worked with and there's a lot more pit stops. In a Busch race you get three to four pit stops at the most. In Phoenix, at the Cup race, we could possibly do nine, ten, eleven pit stops just depends on cautions and how everything is going."(KLTV site), Cory Quick, the regular trie changer for Hamlin, is out due to an elbow injury that will require surgery and will be back for the 2008 season. For teams pit crews, see the 2007 Cup Pit Crew Chart page.(11-6-2007)

Local Children's Hospital Patient Designed Hamlin's Texas Helmet: Before running in the Nextel Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday, driver Denny Hamlin will visit Children's Medical Center in Dallas to meet with patients and deliver a $25,000 donation to the hospital on behalf of FedEx. Hamlin also will receive a special helmet designed by nine year-old Children's Medical Center patient, John Garcia. The helmet presented to Hamlin this week is the eighth of eleven helmets designed by children's hospital patients and children granted wishes through the Make-A-Wish Foundation program as part of the 2007 FedEx "Wear Your Heart on Your Helmet" program. All eleven race-worn helmets will be auctioned off at the end of the season to benefit the Victory Junction Gang Camp.(JGR PR)(11-2-2007)

NASCAR studying how Hamlin, Blaney had water in fuel: MORE Denny Hamlin, who thought he had enough gas while leading when his car sputtered and didn't start with three laps remaining in the Pep Boys Auto 500, actually had water in his fuel cell at the time. Whether that caused him not to accelerate and get hit from behind by Martin Truex Jr. is uncertain, Joe Gibbs Racing Senior Vice President Jimmy Makar said Sunday night at Atlanta. But what is certain is that Hamlin and Bill Davis Racing's Dave Blaney had water in their fuel cells, and Roush Fenway Racing's Greg Biffle also might have had a similar situation. NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Director John Darby said that no water was found in the Sunoco pumps following the race. Darby said all of the Sunoco documentation from the weekend shows no water in the tanks.(SceneDaily.com)(10-28-2007)
UPDATE: Water found in the fuel tanks of cars driven by #11-Denny Hamlin and #22-Dave Blaney during Sunday's Nextel Cup race at Atlanta was not isolated to those teams, a NASCAR official said Monday. Water also was discovered in the fuel of the Penske Racing cars driven by #2-Kurt Busch and #12-Ryan Newman after returning to Charlotte, N.C. In addition, water was found in the fuel cell of all three Richard Childress racing team cars belonging to #29-Kevin Harvick, #07-Clint Bowyer and #31-Jeff Burton. #16-Greg Biffle believes his car may have had water in its fuel, although no evidence was found. NASCAR Nextel Cup Series director John Darby said the problem is more widespread than originally thought and that NASCAR has issued bulletins to all Cup and Truck Series teams to check for evidence of contamination so they can locate the source. Darby said everything from the underground fuel-holding tank at the track to the fuel trucks that deliver the gas to the individual gas cans are being analyzed. He said the underground tank is the least likely source because there is an alarm system located that can detect the slightest amount of contamination. Darby dismissed sabotage as a possible explanation, saying too many teams were affected for anyone to have been singled out.(ESPN.com)(10-30-2007)

Hamlin parked in 1st Talladega practice: NASCAR cracked down on bump-drafting in the first Nextel Cup practice Friday at Talladega Superspeedway, and #11-Denny Hamlin was the first culprit. Hamlin was parked late in the session, though he said his Joe Gibbs Racing was finished in that practice anyway. "They made a general warning right at the beginning to everyone to stop using the front bumpers, and after that I got hit probably 20 to 30 times," Hamlin said. "So I figured I'd just keep doing what I was doing. Right there at the end, I guess I was a little excessive." Hamlin was curious as to why he and Gibbs teammates Tony Stewart and J.J. Yeley were singled out. "They said Gibbs cars in specific, they had an eye out on," Hamlin said. "I wonder what makes us different than anyone else, other than we were the first three cars in line. We were working well together, and when I say working well together, we were pushing each other well. But they said they didn't want any contact, and we broke that rule. So we're going sit have to sit out for a while." NASCAR officials said they parked Hamlin for refusing to heed a NASCAR directive. "Our concern is whenever you've got restrictor-plate racing and cars as closely matched as they are, you're always going to have occasions of front bumpers being in contact with rear bumpers. It's a product of the draft," NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Director John Darby said. "That being said, there's also a point where it's forced aggressiveness and that's what we don't want to have happen." Darby said Hamlin wasn't the only driver who was warned, but he was the most aggressive. Hamlin said his #11 team would not participate in Friday's second [Happy Hour and final] practice.(SceneDaily.com)(10-5-2007)

JC Penney looking? UPDATE: hearing JC Penney, deptartment store chain, are considering sponsoring a Nextel Cup team in 2008 and some teams have even presented mockup cars, but no word which team may get that sponsorship or when anything would be announced.(9-29-2007)
UPDATE: hearing it could with Joe Gibbs Racing in some form.(10-2-2007)

Hamlin wears special helmet again: Before running in the Nextel Cup race at Kansas Speedway, driver Denny Hamlin will visit Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics on Thursday morning to meet with patients and deliver a $25,000 donation to the hospital on behalf of FedEx. Hamlin also will receive a special helmet designed by 16 year-old Children's Mercy patient Michael Beeson. The helmet presented to Hamlin this week is the eighth of eleven helmets designed by children's hospital patients and children granted wishes through the Make-A-Wish Foundation program as part of the 2007 FedEx "Wear Your Heart on Your Helmet" program. All eleven race-worn helmets will be auctioned off at the end of the season to benefit the Victory Junction Gang Camp.(JGR PR)(9-26-2007)

Petty vs. Hamlin...the quotes: on lap 204 of the Dodge Dealers at Dover International Speedway, #11-Hamlin got into #45-Petty, sending Petty spinning on the frontstretch and into the inside wall..so in the garage minutes after both cars headed to the garage, Petty came over to Hamlin, who was in the #11 while the crew is working on the car, Petty took the window net down and yelled and pointed at Hamlin, gave Hamlin the one finger salute [which was blurred by ABC], NASCAR Officials tired to block Petty, then Hamlin had enough when Petty touched his helmet, which Hamlin removed and got out the car, where he was restrained by his crew and NASCAR officials, then ABC cut back to the race. Comments made by each sent out by respective manufacture reps:
KYLE PETTY (#45 Wells Fargo Dodge Avenger) ON THE ACCIDENT “We were a little bit loose. I guess it’s my fault. I watched the Busch race yesterday and I knew Denny (Hamlin) was sick, I just didn’t know he was hallucinating and needed three lanes to get up off the corner because he ran all over us. I guess he is in a race by himself.”
ON HIS WORDS WITH HAMLIN “I just told him ‘he is in the Chase and I’m not’. That’s how simple it is. It’s a shame that a guy with that much talent has to drive like that. We’ve seen it a lot. We’ve seen it all year long. Even his teammate Tony Stewart talked about it. I think it pretty much speaks for itself.”(Dodge Motorsports PR)
AND DENNY HAMLIN (#11 Fedex Ground Inpala SS - Finished 38th) DID YOU GIVE SO MUCH IN THE BUSCH RACE YESTERDAY THAT YOU WEREN'T FOCUSED TODAY? "That definitely wasn't an issue. The biggest thing is that I know Kyle (Petty) gets run over a lot and a lot of the reason is that he's so far off the pace. I firmly believe in my heart that he was trying to get out of the way. But I was right there on his bumper on the inside of him and I think he was trying to pull low. When he did, he checked up to pull low. You can't do that when someone's right on you and I think that's the reason that stuff happens. You've got a car two seconds off the pace or whatever it may be. We're in a clutter of leaders and he's racing his own little battle and some days it's your day and some days it's not. Get out of the way."
WHAT DID YOU SAY TO KYLE PETTY AND WHAT DID HE SAY TO YOU AT YOUR CAR WINDOW? "He just said it wasn't racing. And absolutely it wasn't racing. I wasn't racing him. There was no reason. Let's look back at my career. I've never wrecked anyone my entire career has anybody spun off my front bumper. It's not like I'm a guy who runs into everybody. You've just got to use your brain. You've got to calm down. This is not over for us. A lot of guys had trouble today and we're going to bounce back from this. This is just one step of this 10-week chase."
IN HINDSIGHT, DO YOU THINK YOU WERE TOO AGGRESSIVE WITH HIM (PETTY) AT THAT POINT? "There was no reason for me to be aggressive at all. I had the 07 a car length or two behind, but I can give up a spot. I have no problem in that. I'd seen the way he had been running the laps before and he had been going up to the wall. I was assuming he was going to do the same thing but instead he came off the corner and he slowed up right off my front bumper. It's a mistake whether it's on my part or his part. That's what happens. You can't have two cars that distinguished in speed and expect them to race near each other."
WERE YOU SURPRISED AT PETTY'S REACTION? "Yeah, I think a lot of it was his frustration over this whole top 35 thing, but we're racing for bigger and better things. Hopefully, one day, if they get it turned around, I can exchange the favor. But right now, we're the guys racing for the championship, so you know, heed a little bit."
WHAT SET YOU OFF TO HAVE YOU JUMP OUT OF YOUR CAR LIKE THAT WHEN YOU WERE WAITING FOR THE CREW TO FIX THE CAR? "Don't smack me on the helmet. You smack me on the helmet and I'm going to punch you in the face, bottom line. So I'd like for him (Kyle Petty) to call me sometime this week, before next week."
IS THERE AN UNWRITTEN RULE ABOUT TAKING YOUR WINDOW NET DOWN OR COMING TO YOUR CAR? "You don't come to my car; you don't come to my pit. You meet me somewhere else and we'll settle it. I have the utmost respect for Kyle, but don't lay your hands on my head."
WHY DID HE DO THAT? DID YOU SAY SOMETHING BACK TO HIM? "I did not say one word to him. I asked him to come over and talk to me. He chose to slap my helmet. I have a short fuse. Don't do that. I didn't say one word to him (Petty) in the garage. All I just said wad 'Come here and let me talk to you about it'. He chose to slap my helmet, you know, in hindsight, I should have grabbed his throat."(GM Racing PR)(9-23-2007)

Hamlin sick at Dover, but wins Busch race, should be ok for the Cup race: Feeling weak and needing intravenous fluids before the Busch Series race on Saturday, Denny Hamlin nearly threw in the towel. Hamlin shook off an illness and found the energy to dominate and win the caution-filled Busch Series race at Dover International Speedway on Saturday, his third win of the season. Hamlin complained of a tender throat, had trouble breathing and dizzy spells. Then he got in the car for a 200-lap race. Hamlin said the illness shouldn't affect him for Sunday's Cup race at Dover. "I get hot. I get cold," he said. "I feel inadequate really." Hamlin struggled just to get in his car. He took fluids and leaned, slumped, really, against his #20 Chevrolet before putting on his firesuit. Kyle Busch took the seat shortly before the race to see how he would fit and was on standby in case Hamlin couldn't go.(ESPN.com)
UPDATE: on ESPN2's NASCAR Now, Shannon Spake reported that she talked the Hamlin's crew chief, Mike Ford, and was told Hamlin will go to the Infield Care Center at Dover to get checked out and that the team has no plans to have a driver standing by as Hamlin feels better.(9-23-2007)

Hamlin to run purple car at NHIS: In honor of FedEx and the 275,000 FedEx employees and contractors around the world, the #11 FedEx Express Chevy will carry an entirely purple paint scheme at New Hampshire International Speedway this weekend.(FedEx/Joe Gibbs Racing), see an image of the car on my #11 Team Schemes page.(9-13-2007)

Gibbs to Toyota - Official UPDATE 4: been told that the Joe Gibbs Racing / Toyota announcement will be made at the JGR Headquarters the week before the Richmond race.(8-30-2007)
UPDATE: Joe Gibbs Racing is expected to announce next week it will join Toyota Motorsports beginning next season, sources told ESPN.com. A news conference has been scheduled for Wednesday morning at JGR headquarters. Expected to be in attendance are team drivers Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin. A GM official reached Thursday in Detroit said the manufacturer would not comment. Toyota Motorsports officials were equally mum.(ESPN.com)(8-31-2007)
UPDATE 2: Kyle Busch confirmed that he has been told that Joe Gibbs Racing will race Toyotas next season. Busch said he is comfortable with the switch, which is expected to be announced next week by the team. Mark Cronquist, the team's head engine builder, is expected to spearhead the work on the engine. (SceneDaily.com)(8-31-2007)
UPDATE 3: SPEED will interrupt regular programming on Sept. 5 at 11am/et to present a live NASCAR press conference. It is expected to be an announcement from Joe Gibbs Racing regarding the 2008 season.(9-5-2007)
UPDATE 4: the press conference started just after 11:00am/et with JGR's J.D. Gibbs and Jimmy Makar; drivers Tont Stewart and Denny Hamlin; crew chiefs Steve Addington, Mike Ford and Greg Zipadelli; JGR's engine builder Mark Conquist; and Toyota officials Jim Aust and Lee White. Gibbs announced the team is switching from Chevy/GM to Toyota in 2008. Stewart says he is excited about the move and working on extending his contract. His USAC and WoO teams will stay Chevy and nothing will change there. Hamlin says he is working on his contract and is excited about the move.(9-5-2007)
PR: Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) will campaign Toyota Camrys in the Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Grand National Series [and also will switch to Toyota in the Busch Series] beginning in 2008. "We look forward to partnering with Toyota in NASCAR in 2008. Toyota will be hands-on with us as we become an integral part of their long-term development in NASCAR," said J.D. Gibbs, president of JGR. 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."
"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."(see full PR at the Joe Gibbs Racing site)(9-5-2007)

Toyota and Joe Gibbs Racing: Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., and Joe Gibbs Racing announced today that the three-time championship-winning race team will campaign Toyota Camrys for drivers Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch in the 2008 Sprint Cup Series. Joe Gibbs Racing’s NASCAR Grand National Series program will also utilize Toyota Camrys next season. Joe Gibbs Racing will be joining Bill Davis Racing, Michael Waltrip Racing and Team Red Bull as the teams that will be racing the ‘Most Popular Car in America’ when the 2008 season kicks- off next February at Daytona International Speedway. Assembled at Toyota’s Georgetown, Kentucky plant, more than six million Camry models have been sold in the United States since its debut 23 years ago.(see full PR at the Toyota Motorsports site)(9-5-2007)

GM Statement of JGR moving to Toyota: Statement from Brent Dewar; General Motors North America Vice President of Vehicle Sales, Service and Parts Regarding Joe Gibbs Racing's decision to sign with another manufacturer: "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. 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."(GM Racing PR)(9-5-2007)

Extensions for Stewart & Hamlin close: [Joe Gibbs Racing's] Car owner J.D. Gibbs says that contract extensions are nearly set with #11-Denny Hamlin and #20-Tony Stewart. Both have contracts through 2009. Both are set to attend the team's press conference later this week announcing the [supposed] move to Toyota and their contact extensions could be announced there.(Roanoke Times)(9-4-2007)

Joe Gibbs Racing Forms Motocross and Supercross Team: Since debuting in the 1992 Daytona 500, Joe Gibbs Racing has won over 100 races in NASCAR and the NHRA. In 2008, the veteran racing organization will continue to add to its rich history, but in addition to winning races on four wheels, they'll also attempt to do it using only two. Joe Gibbs Racing Motocross (JGRMX) is the latest venture of the 16-year-old race team founded by Joe Gibbs. Gibbs' youngest son, Coy, will head up the operation, along with motocross industry veteran David Evans. The two have already secured the services of riders Josh Hansen and Josh Summey, as JGRMX will campaign both riders in the World Supercross GP and American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) Supercross Series, and also the AMA National Motocross Championship. (Joe Gibbs Racing PR)(9-2-2007)

Hamlin again wearing special helmet: #11-Denny Hamlin will be sporting a helmet designed for him by patients at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles when he takes to the track this weekend at California Speedway. Hamlin will visit the hospital on Thursday, August 30 to meet with patients and staff and be presented with the special helmet. He also will deliver a donation from FedEx in the amount of $25,000, race R/C cars with the patients, and all join the patients as they design their own mini-FedEx Racing helmet. The helmet presented to Hamlin this week is the seventh of eleven helmets designed by children’s hospital patients and children granted wishes through the Make-A-Wish program as part of the 2007 FedEx “Wear Your Heart on Your Helmet” program. All eleven race-worn helmets will be displayed and auctioned off at the end of the season to benefit the Victory Junction Gang Camp.(JGR PR)(8-31-2007)

No Gibbs to Toyota announcement planned at Calif: Don't expect a Toyota announcement that Joe Gibbs Racing has joined the manufacturer's stable next week when the Nextel Cup Series heads to the backyard of Toyota's base in California. Joe Gibbs Racing President J.D. Gibbs said no announcement is planned for the Aug. 31-Sept. 2 race weekend at California Speedway and his team is still mulling whether to extend its contract with Chevrolet. "Nope - nothing there," Gibbs said Saturday at Bristol Motor Speedway when asked if an announcement could come next week. "Nothing new ... We're not under huge pressure [to decide]." Gibbs wouldn't comment more on the situation, which has been the biggest question surrounding his organization now that Kyle Busch has opted to join the team next season.(SceneDaily.com)(8-26-2007)

More on Gibbs to Toyota..done deal? HOF to RCR engines? UPDATE 3 denied: hearing the decision has been made and that Joe Gibbs Racing [#11, #18, #20] will switch from Chevrolet to Toyota in 2008 and the announcement should come in early September.(8-6-2007)
UPDATE: Joe Gibbs Racing still hasn’t announced whether it will switch to Toyotas next year, but the buzz is that it will. Some clues? Tony Stewart’s souvenir trailers were selling merchandise at 50% off regular price last week at the Brickyard, Stewart’s home track and a place where the Hoosier native is wildly popular. Also, a source at Richard Childress Racing said it has been approached by Hall of Fame Racing, a satellite Gibbs team, about buying engines from the newly merged RCR-Dale Earnhardt Inc., engine operation in 2008. Presumably, HOF is hedging its bets, if it ends up not being part of a Gibbs move to Toyota.(Ford Racing)(8-6-2007)
UPDATE 2: JGR will jump from Chevrolet to the Toyota camp beginning in 2008, joining Michael Waltrip Racing, Bill Davis Racing and Team Red Bull on the list of teams running Toyota Camrys. Neither Busch nor JGR have made any official comment on the move, but Gibbs officials have already informed Hall of Fame Racing that they will not continue to provide the team with engines next season, prompting Hall Of Fame to contact Richard Childress Racing about a similar engine-supply deal for 2008.(Motorsports Soapbox)(8-6-2007)
UPDATE 3: Hall of Fame Racing officials have not been told by Joe Gibbs Racing that JGR will not provide the HOF with engines next season, nor have HOF officials contacted RCR.(8-6-2007)

Chevy hopes to keep teams: Chevrolet officials remain hopeful that Joe Gibbs Racing and Hendrick Motorsports will remain a part of the General Motors program in 2008. GM is in the process of renewing all of its deals, with JGR and HMS being the crown jewels of their program. Toyota has been linked with JGR in several news reports despite comments from team president J.D. Gibbs that re-signing with GM is his top priority. Rick Hendrick, the owner of HMS, also has ties to Toyota through his dealership business. Ed Peper, the general manager of Chevrolet Racing, said during a Thursday press conference at Indianapolis Motor Speedway that he is very confident in negotiations to re-sign all teams currently under the Chevrolet banner. Terry Dolan, the marketing director for Chevrolet Racing, would not comment on specific organizations. "I am confident we will have strong teams continuing to represent Chevrolet, not only because we've got a pretty good track record of performance but because we've been dedicated to this sport for a long time," he said of the company that has won 15 of 19 Nextel Cup races this season with 12 of the wins coming from JGR and HMS. "We have some of the tools and assets they need to succeed in their business."(ESPN.com)(7-28-2007)

Special Helmet for Hamlin at Chicago: Before running in the Nextel Cup race at Chicagoland Speedway on Sunday [July 15th], driver #11-Denny Hamlin will visit Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago on Thursday, July 12, to meet with patients and deliver a $25,000 donation to the hospital on behalf of FedEx. Hamlin also will receive a special helmet designed by several Children's Memorial patients. Hamlin will wear the specially-designed helmet for all Nextel Cup activity the weekend of July 13 - 15 at Chicagoland Speedway. The helmet presented to Hamlin will be the sixth of eleven designed helmets by children's hospital patients and children granted wishes through the Make-A-Wish program throughout the 2007 season. All eleven race-worn helmets will be displayed and auctioned off at the end of the season to benefit the Victory Junction Gang Camp.(Weber Shandwick/FedEx Racing PR)(7-12-2007)

Denny Hamlin wins at New Hampshire: #11-Denny Hamlin won the Lenox Industrial Tools 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway for his first win of 2007 and his 3rd career win (he won both Pocono races last year). Hamlin made a 2 tire pit stop late in the race and held off a hard charging #24-Gordon who had taken 4 tires. #1-Truex, Jr. was third, followed by #8-Earnhardt, Jr., #48-Johnson, #66-Green, #31-Burton, #29-Harvick, #17-Kenseth, and #12-Newman. Pole sitter #22-Dave Blaney fell back early in the race and finished 29th, the highest Toyota. There were 6 cautions for 31 laps and 11 leaders with 20 lead changes.
Race Results on my NHIS Race Results/Awards Page.
Points Standings on my Drivers/Owners Points after NHIS page
Race Rundown: see my NHIS Race Info/Rundown Page for my race rundown page, laps led, top 10, race notes, lucky dogs and more.(7-1-2007)

Gibbs Would like to stay with Chevy: Joe Gibbs Racing's first choice is to re-sign with General Motors, not jump ship for Toyota. "We want to work this out [with GM]," team president J.D. Gibbs said before Sunday's race at New Hampshire. "I can't say a whole lot more than that. We've got a great relationship with GM. We've been partners with them for 16 years, ever since we became an organization." Gibbs said he's had several meetings with GM officials, the most recent last week. He brushed off a report that the organization had a "done deal" with Toyota. Gibbs reminded that none of the Chevy teams have re-upped with GM, but that he hopes the situation will become clearer soon so the organization can start preparing for 2008.(ESPN.com)(7-2-2007)

More on Gibbs to Toyota...done deal? Extending Stewart to 2011? UPDATE Toyota denied; Stewart possibly: Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota are “a done deal” for 2008, according to several sources, though team executives said otherwise. Apparently one hangup in the talks between the long-time Chevy operation (which features #20-Tony Stewart) and Toyota is a clause in Gibbs’ current GM [Chevy] contract which bars the team from negotiating with any other manufacturer until the contract is up. So sources said Gibbs has had to go through an agent in the talks. Gibbs has a major negotiating session scheduled with General Motors in the next two weeks, which should provide the ‘yea,’ or ‘nay’ on that side of the issue. One of the big reasons for Toyota’s intense interest in Gibbs Racing is Gibbs’ engine program, headed by Mark Cronquist, one of the best in the business. Gibbs is also renegotiating his contract with Stewart to extend it another two years. The contract runs through the end of 2009; the new package would run through the end of 2011.(Winston Salem Journal)(6-23-2007)
UPDATE: J.D. Gibbs would like to sign #20-Tony Stewart to an extension that will keep the two-time Nextel Cup champion at Joe Gibbs Racing at least through 2011. Stewart's contract at JGR runs through 2009. But with a talented stable of young talent in the developmental pool and Stewart joking about retirement several times this season, the president of JGR would like to find out just what his marquee driver wants. "Hey, we want Tony to be here for a long time,'' Gibbs said before Sunday's race at Infineon Raceway. "If he said at the end of '09 I'm done, officially done, hey, we understand that. Let's go get a plan. The reality is, I think he wants to go [on]. How long does he want to go? I want all of those guys on the same page.'' Gibbs denied reports that he has a deal to leave General Motors for Toyota. "I've got to be honest,'' he said. "That's just not true. That's speculation. We're sitting down with the GM guys [in a few weeks]. We've had conversations with them. I don't think any GM team has signed a deal yet. That was kind of frustrating.'' JGR has been with GM for 16 seasons between Pontiac and Chevrolet. While Gibbs plans to discuss a new deal, he never ruled out talking to Toyota. Gibbs also didn't rule out talking to driver Kyle Busch, who became a free agent when it was announced Dale Earnhardt Jr. would replace him at Hendrick Motorsports next season.(ESPN.com)(6-25-2007)

Hamlin relieves Almirola at Milwaukee Busch race and wins..for Almirola: ESPN2 reported that no driver has ever won a Busch Series in relief of another driver, the last time it was done in Nextel Cup was when Darrell Waltrip relieved Donnie Allison, August 7, 1977 at Talladega. But later NASCAR announced that in April 1985, Harry Gant filled in for Jack Ingram at the Darlington Busch Series race and went on to win and the credit went to Ingram. Denny Hamlin was flying from Sonoma to Milwaukee and the helicopter could not land at the helipad, and had to land at a nearby airport. So Aric Almirola, who won the pole in the #20 Rockwell Chevy at the Milwaukee Mile, started the race and lead 44 laps, and on 57 a caution came out, Almirola was called to pit, where Hamlin got in the car. Almirola refused interviewsd and left the track before the end of the race and didn't celebrate his first win. See more on my Busch Series site.(6-24-2007)

Gibbs evaluating manufacturer alignment: Having lost the Dale Earnhardt Jr. sweepstakes, Joe Gibbs Racing [#s 11, 18, 20] President J.D. Gibbs says his team is focused on its current lineup of drivers. Gibbs says it's too early to talk about any interest in Kyle Busch nor whether his team will switch to Toyota next season. JGR has been with General Motors for 16 years. "We wanted to wait and see what happened with the Junior deal," Gibbs said Sunday prior to the Citizens Bank 400 at Michigan. "And then we're going to sit down and evaluate. We've been a partner with them for 16 years. We're going to look at it and evaluate and make sure we're on the same page. "Obviously, is Toyota out there as a possibility? I think they have probably talked to a number of different groups... We just want to make sure, as the sport changes, how do we stay where we need to be at JGR to stay ahead of the curve? And a big part is manufacturer."(SceneDaily.com)(6-18-2007)

Hamlin's gift honors Chesterfield [VA] officers: Last month, native son Denny Hamlin presented county officials with a piece of the car he drove at Richmond International Raceway during last year's Crown Royal 400 Nextel Cup race. The driver's-side post on his car that night, May 6, 2006, featured decals honoring Chesterfield police officers Gary J. Buro and Joseph E. Diman. Buro was killed and Diman was shot five times while responding to a domestic-disturbance call at a house in Ettrick during the early-morning hours of May 4, 2006.(Richmond Times Dispatch)(6-17-2007)

Toyota: Gibbs? Penske merge with Waltrip? UPDATE: Toyota, sources said, has approached the Gibbs team with a proposal to leave Chevrolet, which would give it #20-Tony Stewart, #11-Denny Hamlin and #18-J.J. Yeley. Gibbs’ management doesn’t appear to be that interested, but the offer hasn’t been rejected, according to team sources. Penske [#2, #12], who has been with just about every manufacturer in racing over the years and who is one of the world’s biggest Toyota dealers, could be making the move to Toyota for next year. According to sources close to the situation, Penske could be looking at a merger with Michael Waltrip’s struggling Toyota operation. And there is speculation that Robert and Doug Yates [#38, #88] may be willing to listen to Toyota offers, even though they have long-standing ties with Ford.(Winston Salem Journal)(5-31-2007)

UPDATE: Several sources tell SI.com that Toyota is going hard after Joe Gibbs Racing and that Gibbs is very interested. Officially, the Gibbs team denies any contact with Toyota: "It's news to us," team spokesman Mike Arning said. Toyota, as a matter of policy, does not comment on contract negotiations. The potential deal is a delicate subject for Gibbs and Toyota. Gibbs' contract with Chevrolet, which runs out at the end of the year, stipulates this is a non-negotiating period with other manufacturers. Is contact to determine interest negotiating? You'd have to read the fine print and then get a clarification from an arbitrator to determine that. But sources say there definitely has been communication between Toyota and Gibbs.(Sports Illustrated)(6-2-2007)

JGR meets and may change personnel on Hamlin's team UPDATE 2 new crew named: Joe Gibbs Racing officials met Monday to discuss personnel changes after a pit road mishap cost #11-Denny Hamlin a victory at Darlington Raceway. Hamlin was critical of his crew after a pair of dropped lug nuts during a late pit stop cost him the race. Hamlin, who led a race-high 179 laps, was in second when he went into the pits but plummeted to 16th after the error. Although he rallied to finish second, he was furious after Sunday's race. "If we lose by 20-30 points when it comes down to the championship, we know exactly where we lost it, and that's on pit road," said Hamlin, who could have won three or four races this season if not for mechanical problems or mistakes on pit road. I gave away Phoenix, that's my fault. But there's two to three other races that we had the best car most all day, and even at the end, and just gave it away on pit road. Today was a prime example of that." The team met Monday to see if any changes should be made to a crew that helped Hamlin to two victories and a third-place finish in the Chase for the championship during last year's rookie season.(Associated Press)(5-15-2007)
UPDATE: #11-Denny Hamlin's over-the-wall gang will have a new look at Wednesday night's Nextel Cup Pit Crew Challenge at the Charlotte Bobcats Arena. Denny Hamlin said there were "two to three other races" this season where a bad pit stop cost him a chance to win a Nextel Cup race. Crew chief Mike Ford made several changes to the crew after Sunday's pit road mistake at Darlington Raceway, the latest in a series of blunders dating to last season that have kept Hamlin out of Victory Lane. Ford agreed, so he moved the rear changer to the front and brought on a new front tire carrier. He replaced the rear tire changer with an employee at Joe Gibbs Racing that has been training for the position and moved the gas man to jack man. He made a temporary change to the gas man and will continue to look for a long-term fix.(ESPN.com)(5-16-2007)
UPDATE 2: was informed that the new crew has been assembled for Hamlin: Dennis Terry moves from back tire changer to front tire changer with Jonathan Sherman (New from JGR #20 Busch team and #96 HOF Cup team) takes over as the rear tire changer. Scott Wood moves from Gas Man to Jack Man and Brad Rothlin (New from JGR #18 Busch team) takes over as Gas Man. Scott Merritt (new from #18 Busch team) comes in as the front tire carrier. Heath Cherry remains the rear tire carrier and John Eicher remains the catch can man. Fixes have been made to the 2007 Pit Crew Chart.(5-16-2007)

Gibbs: Dale Jr. yes; Budweiser...probably not: J.D. Gibbs, president of Joe Gibbs Racing [#11,#18,#20], answered questions from members of the media at Darlington Raceway on Saturday afternoon:
ON HIS REACTION TO DALE EARNHARDT, JR.'S ANNOUNCEMENT: "Really from our standpoint we're kind of watching stuff unfold as you guys were. I thought they did a great job on their press conference. I know that was hard for him. I think for us really we're just really focused on what we're doing now, our three cars. Would everyone want a chance to talk to Dale Jr.? Sure. Who wouldn't want a chance to talk to Dale Jr.? Right now it sounds like he and Kelley, whatever decision they come up with will be a good one. They just want a little time to think about it. When the time is right we'd love to sit down and talk to him and see what their plans are but right now we're just focusing on what we're doing."
WOULD YOU HAVE BUDWEISER AS A SPONSOR? "For us it would be hard. It'd be hard. They've been a great partner of the sport and do a lot for us but personally that would be a hard deal for us to do."
WOULD IT BE DEAL BREAKER HARD? "I'll just leave it at that right now. I'm not sure if that would fit for us. Even though we really appreciate what they're doing and they're a great group, it'd be hard for us to do."
WILL TONY STEWART AND DENNY HAMLIN'S CLOSE FRIENDSHIP WITH DALE EARNHARDT JR. PLAY INTO THAT AT ALL?
"You know I really don't know. Just from what I heard him say that might but for the most part he just wants to go and run well. I think he'll have a ton of opportunities and when the time is right, hey if the opportunity is there we'd love to sit down and talk to him but right now I think he's just focused on his deal and just we're focused on our deal."
SO YOU DON'T PLAN ON PROACTIVELY SEEKING HIM OUT AND TALKING ABOUT IT?
"I feel like right now he's got enough stuff going on and we'll just let stuff roll where it is. The best thing we can do in any situation is if we run the best we can week in and week out, no matter what happens down the road, I think that's our best plan. There's nothing really interesting. all I have to say is that I'm kind of watching it unfold like you guys are. Sounds like if he and Kelley, they're on the same page they'll make a good decision. I think they'll have a ton of opportunities. If the time is right, we could talk to them about that but right now, I think we're just going to focus on what we're focusing on and let that fall where it may."(in part from a GM Racing PR)(5-13-2007)

NASCAR donates $160,000 to Virginia Tech memorial fund: For the last three weeks, NASCAR's Nextel Cup cars have all displayed a Virginia Tech logo with a black background in a show of support for the victims and families of the massacre that left 33 dead in Blacksburg on April 16. On Saturday night the decals were just a symbol, and the support was something more tangible: money. In prerace introductions, Virginia drivers Jeff and Ward Burton, Elliott Sadler and Denny Hamlin presented Hokies football coach Frank Beamer with a check for $120,000 for the Hokies Spirit Memorial Fund. And Richmond International Raceway president Doug Fritz presented him with a check for $40,000, also for the memorial fund, that he said was given by RIR and some sister tracks also owned by International Speedway Corp.(Associated Press/ESPN)(5-6-2007)

Teams use thinner metal on exhaust at Bristol, causes problems: #11-Denny Hamlin said the first race with the Car of Tomorrow, last week at Bristol, wasn't that much different. How he felt afterward sure was. Hamlin said yesterday during Busch Series testing at Richmond International Raceway that he and several other drivers had "extremely bad headaches" along with aches throughout the body. "I had to get blood tested yesterday to see what was wrong with me because I felt terrible," Hamlin said. "I talked to my physical trainer who talked to other physical trainers who said their guys took the day off because they couldn't do anything yesterday." Hamlin said he wondered whether it had anything to do with a carbon monoxide problem. Kerry Tharp, the director of communications for NASCAR competition, said yesterday by phone that several teams, including Hamlin's #11, had exhaust system failures. A number of teams, in trying to conserve weight on the new car, opted for a thinner metal piping for their exhaust systems. That led to failures. The problem is not expected to repeat this weekend at Martinsville.(Richmond Times Dispatch)(3-28-2007)

Hamlin's #11 Crew Takes Pit Crew Challenge Win in Bristol: Denny Hamlin's over-the-wall crew captured the Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge in Sunday's Food City 500 Nextel Cup race at Bristol Motor Speedway. The #11 FedEx Chevry, owned by Joe Gibbs Racing, spent the least amount of time on pit road (190.763 seconds) during the 500-lap event at the .533-mile oval. "The FedEx over-the-wall crew was great all day at Bristol. I think they picked up spots for me each time I pitted and they helped put the team in position to win," said Hamlin. "This was a total team effort and I want to thank the guys back at the shop and crew for all the work they did to get these new cars ready to race. Unfortunately, we didn't have a better end to the weekend, but with this team, I have no doubt we'll have another chance to win soon." Checkers/Rally's awards the winning Nextel Cup pit crew each week with a cash prize of $11,000. The #11 crew includes: Chris Webb (jackman), Chad Edwards (front-tire carrier), Donnie Brown (front-tire changer), Heath Cherry (rear-tire carrier), Dennis Terry (rear-tire changer), Scott Wood (gasman), John Eicher (catch can), Bobby "Spike" Christenson (windshield) and John Furino (pit support). The team's crew chief is Mike Ford and the pit crew coordinator is Paul Alepa. An additional $111,150 will be presented to the pit crew with the most wins at the completion of the 36-race Nextel Cup schedule. To win the Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge, teams are required to finish on the lead lap while spending the least amount of time on pit road. Checkers/Rally's is in its third season as title sponsor for the pit crew challenge. Checkers/Rally's is the Official Burger and Drive-Thru Restaurant of NASCAR, more info at checkers.com.(DMF Communications PR)(3-28-2007)

Hamlin to honor the Marines in the Coke 600: #11-Denny Hamlin is scheduled to run the U.S. Marine Corp/FedEx Freight scheme on the #11 Chevy in the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway in a special celebration of America's military personnel. The #11 Chevy will have a black base with red accents. Featured on the hood is the U.S. Marine Corps emblem, also in the program are Nextel Cup drivers #01-Martin, #24-Gordon, #48-Johnson, #4-Burton and #21-Wood, see an image of the scheme on my #11 Team Schemes page.(3-7-2007)

Starter partners with JGR: Starter, a leader in developing licensed and innovative team apparel and footwear, formally announced a partnership with Joe Gibbs Racing [#11, #18, #20] to develop footwear and apparel solutions for the NASCAR team's crews and drivers. The partnership is designed to provide a "Living Laboratory" for Starter to apply its experience working with world-class athletes in other sports to the needs of the drivers and crews of Joe Gibbs Racing's teams in the Nextel Cup Series and Busch Series. Starter and its parent company Nike Inc. already provide 70% of the footwear worn by NASCAR crews, but this partnership signals a deepening of the company's commitment to the sport. Starter is partnering with Motorsports Authentics, the leading consumer apparel provider in NASCAR, to build a line of merchandise for trackside sales and other distribution channels, providing consumers with the closest experience possible to being part of the team. Starter, which grew to prominence in the 1980s with its line of Starter athletic jackets, is aggressively building its presence in NASCAR by delivering performance apparel and footwear products valued for all consumers. Among the first products to be introduced in 2007 is an authentic race-day jacket to be worn by #'s 20, 18 and 11 Nextel Cup teams. All products will meet a mandate of expressive, authentic, cool, reliable, crafted and durable performance, while utilizing the latest fabric and technology advancements over the past few years.(JGR PR)(1-29-2007)

Spokesmen named for NASCAR Speedpark: NASCAR SpeedPark, "the official family fun park of NASCAR" announced that #9-Kasey Kahne, #19-Elliott Sadler and #11-Denny Hamlin will be the 2007 official spokesmen for NASCAR* SpeedPark's North American locations in Myrtle Beach, SC, Concord, NC, Sevierville, Tenn., St. Louis, MO and Vaughan, Ontario, Canada. As official NASCAR SpeedPark spokesmen, Kahne, Sadler and Hamlin will make park appearances throughout the year in an effort to enhance the experience of visiting fans by providing autographs and posing for photographs. The 2007 driver appearance schedule will be announced at a later date.(NASCAR Speedpark PR)(1-28-2007)

Gibbs struggling with grandson's leukemia diagnosis: A 2-year-old grandson of Washington Redskins head coach [and Nextel Cup team owner] Joe Gibbs has been diagnosed with leukemia and is currently undergoing chemotherapy, a development that has been "devastating" to the Hall of Fame coach. According to Gibbs' personal Web site [joegibbsonline.com], Zachary Taylor Gibbs -- the son of NASCAR [team] executive J.D. Gibbs -- was ruled to have leukemia two weeks ago. Zachary Taylor has already undergone surgery. "We got the news on Taylor, and it was really devastating to our whole family," Gibbs said on his Web site. "So I've kind of been going through a process here the last two weeks, and I'm probably like a lot of you, this is much more important than winning football games. And winning football games is important. That's the third most important thing in my life. God's first, family and loved ones second and then my occupation third. "So as we struggle with this news with Taylor, we did get a good report this week, and he's had a number of surgeries that he's been through, he's in chemo now, and so we sure appreciate your prayers," Gibbs said. The coach is about to enter the fourth year of a five-year contract, a deal he has vowed to complete, assuming his health holds up. He turned 66 last season and often talked about spending offseason time with his "grandbabies." J.D. Gibbs, his oldest son, serves as president of Joe Gibbs Racing in North Carolina, and Gibbs' other son, Coy, is an offensive quality control coach for the Redskins. Between them, they have six sons and one daughter. On his Web site, Joe Gibbs said that Zachary Taylor's leukemia "kind of threw us all for a loop" and added it "way overshadows anything like our occupation and me winning football games."(ESPN.com)(1-24-2007)

Sadler and Hamlin slim down: #11-Denny Hamlin and #19-Elliott Sadler both have new looks for the upcoming NASCAR Nextel Cup season, but it has nothing to do with paint schemes. Hamlin hired a physical trainer in the offseason, and Sadler is hoping to lose weight and return to the size he was in his rookie season. Hamlin, who sported a slight bulge in the midsection of his racing uniform last year, said he already notices a difference. "I feel better than I have ever in just the short amount of time I've been doing it," Hamlin said of his workouts. "To me, it's more about working on those last 100 laps of the race when you need to dig down and get the most out of yourself. I felt like I was kind of slack on it last year." Sadler said he weighed 211 pounds in 1999 and had not been below that until now. Sadler weighs 210 pounds. He says he's lost 10 pounds since last year's season finale at Homestead and wants to lose another 10 pounds before this season begins. "I just want to be prepared mentally and physically the best I can to make sure I pull my weight," Sadler said. He says he is not on a particular workout program other than watching what he eats. "I can eat as much as anybody I think that you've ever met in your life," said the 31-year-old, who finished fourth in last year's Daytona 500. "I ordered two or three Big Macs at a time. I'd eat two or three steaks at a time when I go to a steakhouse."(Roanoke Times)(1-20-2007)

JGR are NASCAR Football Champs: NASCAR Flag Football: Joe Gibbs Racing are the 2006 Champions of Bob Hubner's Totally Racin' Flag Football League presented by Race City Resumes.com. JGR led by quarterback J.D. Gibbs went 10-0 competing against 5 other NASCAR Teams for the title. Evernham Motorsports Hendrick Motorsports, Lowe's Motor Speedway, Roush Racing and Team Red Bull.(Race City Resumes)(12-6-2006)

Hamlin to wear special helmet at Texas: For the fifth race this season, #11-Denny Hamlin will wear a helmet designed especially for him by a patient from a local Children's hospital. Alexis Hakalmazian, a 15-year old Keller student and patient at the Cook Children's Medical Facility, designed the helmet named "Healing Hands Coming Together in Search of a Cure," for Hamlin to wear for all Nextel Cup activity this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. "The opportunity to wear helmets designed by patients like Alexis means a lot to me and I know this whole team takes a lot of pride in racing out there for them," said Hamlin. "A lot of these kids can't make it to a race so we try to give them the next best thing and represent them at the track. Hopefully they feel like part of our team. Plus, these helmets always seem to bring me luck in races so I owe them a big thank you."(Joe Gibbs Racing PR)(11-2-2006)

Denny Hamlin and Davis Love III Trade "Driving" Tips, Scheme: Denny Hamlin and PGA TOUR star Davis Love III joined together to unveil the commemorative FedExCup Chevrolet on October 10 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Love experienced the thrill of NASCAR first hand as Hamlin took him and the #11 car for a few hot laps around the track before Love got behind the wheel and also drove the race car following a quick lesson from Richard Petty Driving Experience instructors. After Love exited the car, he and Hamlin hit golf balls off pit road onto the infield grass with Love giving some "driving" tips of his own to one of NASCAR's top drivers. Next year's highly anticipated FedExCup, the PGA TOUR's dramatic season-long points championship culminating with a four-tournament playoff, will receive some extra exposure at Atlanta Motor Speedway on October 29 when NASCAR NEXTEL Cup's top rookie and Chase for the NEXTEL Cup driver, Denny Hamlin, will drive the special FedExCup No. 11 Chevrolet in the Bass Pro Shops 500.(Weber Shandwick for FedEx Racing), see images of the scheme on my #11 Team Schemes page.(10-19-2006)

Hamlin Sweeps Pocono: #11-Denny Hamlin won the Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway for his second career win, following up his first win at the track in June. Hamlin dominated the entire race, leading 151 laps and never running far out of the lead. #2-Kurt Busch was 2nd (he was also second to Hamlin in the June Pocono race) followed by #24-Jeff Gordon, #25-Brian Vickers, and #29-Kevin Harvick. Points leader #48-Jimmie Johnson ran near the front most of the day and finished in sixth. His points lead is now 97 over #17-Matt Kenseth. #20-Tony Stewart overcame an early rough driving penalty to finish in seventh and move back into the top 10 in points. #8-Dale Earnhardt, Jr. was involved in an accident near the midway point of the race and spent several laps behind the wall. He finished in 43rd and fell out of the top ten in points. There were 9 leaders with 13 lead changes and 7 cautions for 29 laps.
Race Results on my Pocono Race Results/Awards Page.
Points Standings on my Drivers/Owners Points after Pocono page
Race Rundown: see my Pocono Race Info/Rundown Page for my race rundown page, laps led, top 10, race penalties, race notes, lucky dogs and more.(7-23-2006)

FedEx Home Delivery Car at Daytona: For the first time this season, the #11 Chevy of Denny Hamlin will sport a primarily white paint featuring "Spot" the dog on the hood to highlight the residential delivery service. FedEx Home Delivery service connects customers to virtually every residential address in the U.S. What makes this service special is its residential-only delivery network and the flexibility to customize delivery to suit a recipient’s need for delivery within a certain time by choosing from three premium service upgrades.(Joe Gibbs Racing), see an image of the car on my #11 Team Schemes page.(6-29-2006)

Gibbs teams up with Arena Racing: Arena Racing USA, which has been sanctioning indoor stock car races in Virginia since 2003 at the Hampton Coliseum and the Norfolk Scope, has partnered with Joe Gibbs Racing to expand arena racing to Charlotte, and eventually, cities across America. Arena Racing USA features half-scale stock cars capable of 100 mph, but are confined to a 1/10th mile banked, indoor race track. The track is portable and fits inside the confines of a hockey rink. Arena Racing USA's Charlotte home will be the Cricket Arena on Independence Blvd [NC 74]. Joe Gibbs, owner of Joe Gibbs Racing and head coach of the NFL's Washington Redskins, and Norm Miller, chairman of Interstate Batteries, are backing Arena Racing USA's Charlotte effort, along with Joe Gibbs Racing drivers Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin and J.J. Yeley.(more info at Joe Gibbs Racing site/True Speed Communications PR)(6-13-2006)

Hamlin wins first career race: #11-Denny Hamlin won the Pocono 500 at Pocono Raceway for his first win of his 21 race career. Hamlin led the most laps and early in the race, had a rear tire go down and spun thru the grass, but stayed on the lead lap and the crew fixed the car on multiple pit stops, slowly moving up the order until taking the lead again on lap 177, surviving a late caution and red flag to win. #2-Kurt Busch was 2nd followed by #20-Tony Stewart, #25-Brian Vickers and #17-Matt Kenseth. Points leader #48-Jimmie Johnson ran mid pack most of the day but was able to soldier on to a 10th place finish, dropping his points lead over #17-Matt Kenseth to 48 points. Hamlin also moved up 2 spots in the Drivers Points and is now in the top-10 and The Chase. #24-Jeff Gordon lost his brakes on lap 190 and slammed into the wall, but walked away ok. BUT Gordon dropped out of the top-10 and is currently out of the Chase. There were 25 lead changes among 13 drivers and 7 cautions for 28 laps.
Race Results on my Pocono Race Results/Awards Page.
Points Standings on my Drivers/Owners Points after Pocono page.
Race Rundown: see my Pocono Race Info/Rundown Page for my race rundown page, laps led, top 10, race notes, lucky dogs and more.(6-11-2006)

Hamlin Tripped Up After Lowe's Testing UPDATE 2 is OK: Frontstretch.com is reporting: Through two days of testing at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, there were several wrecks but no major injuries…on the track. Off the track, it was a different story as teams packed up to head home Wednesday night. The #11 FedEx team with driver Denny Hamlin found themselves goofing around and doing a little personal testing of their own after on-track activities were completed at 9:00pm/et. Members of the crew found themselves being timed as they ran laps around the team’s hauler. Unfortunately, the horseplay led to a minor mishap, as driver Denny Hamlin tripped and was injured during all the fun. Hamlin was loaded into an ambulance and taken from the track as a precaution. The nature of his injuries are unclear at this time.(Frontstretch.com)
UPDATE: Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin injured his left hand in an off-track accident last night following the conclusion of testing at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, NC. The driver of the #20 Rockwell Automation Chevy in the Busch Series and the #11 FedEx Chevy in the Nextel Cup Series cut his left hand between his pinkie and his wrist. He was taken from the track via ambulance and was treated at a local hospital where he received stitches. Hamlin is expected to participate in all of this weekend's racing activities at Richmond based upon the evaluations of Joe Gibbs Racing's team physicians. The following is a statement from Hamlin regarding the accident: The guys were having races around the hauler after the test. I thought I'd try for the best lap of the night, and as I was running around the front of the truck, I caught my hand on a sharp piece of chrome. I got all stitched up and I'll be fine to race this weekend. By the way, I did finish first. Hopefully Coach Gibbs will be impressed that I can play 'hurt'."(Joe Gibbs Racing/True Speed Cummunications PR)(5-4-2006)
UPDATE 2: Before heading for Richmond Denny Hamlin’s injured left hand was given a final check by a doctor Thursday morning in Charlotte. It took 19 stitches to close the gash caused when he caught the hand on a piece of chrome on the front of the Fedex hauler following testing Wednesday night at Lowes Motor Speedway. Despite the injury Hamlin plans on running both the Busch and Cup races this weekend.(PRN's Garage Pass Radio Show)(5-4-2006)

#11 Team Takes PIt Crew Honors at Texas: Denny Hamlin's pit crew became the fifth team of the season to secure the weekly Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge competition by spending the least amount of time on pit road in Sunday's NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway. "The #11 FedEx Racing crew was unbelievable and those guys deserve all the credit in the world for the finish we had," said Hamlin, who posted a career best fourth-place result. "From the start of the race they were pulling off quick stops and making good changes. It seemed that every time we needed a lift the guys stepped it up." Hamlin's pit crew, part of the Joe Gibbs Racing stable, spent 253.611 seconds on pit lane during the Samsung/RadioShack 500. The team earned $10,500 for the win. The #11 over-the-wall team consists of: Chris Webb (jackman), Blake Haughland (front-tire carrier), Donnie Brown (front-tire changer), Heath Cherry (rear-tire carrier), Barry Cook (rear-tire changer), Scott Wood (gasman), John Eicher (catch can), Bobby "Spike" Christenson (windshield) and John Furino (pit support). The team's crew chief is Mike Ford and the pit crew coordinator is Paul Alepa. Along with the #11 team win, the pit crews of Kyle Busch and Elliott Sadler have one win apiece in the Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge, while Jimmie Johnson's and Tony Stewart's pit crews are tied for first in the standings with two victories each. The season champion will receive a $105,000 bonus. The Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge is in its second season with the Nextel Cup Series. Checkers/Rally's is the Official Burger and Drive-Thru Restaurant of NASCAR, more info at checkers.com.(DMF Communications PR)(4-12-2006)

Martin/Hamlin make up: After the race a week ago in Martinsville, rookie #11-Denny Hamlin blamed #6-Mark Martin for a wreck and claimed basically that the 47-year-old veteran had been wrecking him all year. It all seemed rather shocking since Martin is almost universally praised by fellow drivers for his clean driving style. “We talked on Tuesday,” said Hamlin. “It kind of settles our differences, I guess you could say. I asked him what I could do differently to avoid that from happening, and I basically told him where he did me wrong. We agreed on everything when it was all said and done. I’m glad it’s over with and we can move on. He admitted to things that he did and I admitted to things that I did in the past. It’s just one of those things where you learn. We haven’t raced with each other that much. With time it’s going to fix itself. We’ve got to learn each other’s driving styles and move on. I’m the last driver that wants to start anything with anybody. I spent all last year just trying to get respect from these guys and let them know that I can race with them without controversy, without getting into them. I felt like it was time to stand up for what I thought was right and wrong. I felt good after talking to him because I felt like he understood where I was coming from …”
Martin was predictably magnanimous. “It shouldn’t matter if you’re a rookie or not,” he said, “and Denny shouldn’t be treated on the race track differently from me. Denny and I have had a conversation since, and I made it clear to Denny that everything that I’ve done to him on the race track I would have done to Rusty Wallace, who I respect as much or more than anyone in the garage, or Dale Jarrett. My point was, ‘Don’t bring up the rookie thing again,’ because he’s done a fabulous job. He’s been incredibly competitive and respectful and fair on the race track, and the rub that we have had came from he and I not knowing each other’s style.”(Gaston Gazette)(4-9-2006)

Hamlin Brings FedEX Racing Excitement to Oakland: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Chevy and promising NASCAR Nextel Cup rookie made a pit stop on the way to the Fontana track in February, stopping at the FedEx Express hub in Oakland, California to meet employees of the facility. Hamlin, in California for the Auto Club 500 at California Speedway, spent two hours greeting hub employees, signing autographs and taking pictures with those in attendance. For Hamlin, it was his second visit to a FedEx Hub since taking the wheel of the #11 car. He visited the Memphis WorldHub in December of last year during the company's busiest week in history, and while it wasn't quite as busy Thursday in Oakland, Hamlin noted the importance of meeting employees face to face. The Oakland hub is the fourth largest FedEx Express hub in the U.S., and the 1700 employees handle an average of 238,000 packages a day. More and pictures from the event are available at FedExRacing.com.(FedEx Racing/Weber Shandwick PR)(3-3-2006)

Timken teams up with JGR: The Timken Company announced that it has entered into an agreement with Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) to become an official technical partner of the NASCAR racing organization. The partnership, which provides product development and technical engineering support, will be leveraged across JGR's multiple team operations in the Nextel Cup Series, Busch Series and Truck Series. For the last two years, Timken has worked collaboratively with the JGR engineering team to develop and test technologies that improve the car's powertrain performance, delivering longer life, improved fuel economy and higher horsepower availability. Products like specialty steels from the company's Latrobe, Pa., operations and Timken RacePac, an integrated hub and bearing assembly specially designed for NASCAR teams, demonstrate an ongoing commitment to safety, reliability and high performance for the motorsports industry.(Timken PR)(2-8-2006)

2005 News

Hamlin goes to work at FedEx: Rolling up his sleeves during FedEx's Peak Week, which are the busiest holiday shipping days, #11 FedEx NEXTEL Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin toursedthe FedEx hub in Memphis, Tenn. Hamlin sorted packages, met with hub employees and signed autographs. On Monday, Dec. 19, 2005, FedEx shipped 8.9 million packages around the world, the busiest night in the company's history.(Weber Shandwick PR)(12-23-2005)

Hamlin to be named to #11 for 2006? UPDATE 3 OFFICIAL: hearing that Denny Hamlin will be named to drive the #11 FedEx Chevy for Joe Gibbs Racing full time in 2006 and run for rookie of the year, expect an announcement soon.(10-29-2005)
UPDATE: Denny Hamlin will be named as the driver for the #11 Fedex Chevrolet for Joe Gibbs Racing. Hamlin, who is fifth in Busch Series points, has been auditioning for the ride in the last four races.(Sporting News)(10-31-2005)
UPDATE 2: Denny Hamlin will have a full schedule of 70 races next year. Hamlin's move to the Nextel Cup Series [#11 FedEx car] next year is expected to be announced tomorrow [Sunday, Nov 6th], and Joe Gibbs Racing revealed yesterday the 24-year-old's 2006 plans will include a full season in the Busch Series.(Richmond Times Dispatch)(11-5-2005)

UPDATE 3: The #11 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series team fielded by Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) has named Denny Hamlin as the driver for the remainder of the 2005 season and all of 2006. After a successful four-race tryout in the #11 FedEx Chevrolet where Hamlin scored two top-10 finishes and two top-10 qualifying efforts, the 24-year-old from Chesterfield, Va., has essentially been promoted from within the Gibbs organization. Hamlin is the regular driver for JGR's #20 NASCAR Busch Series team, where he is currently fifth in the championship point standings. Jimmy Makar, a veteran crew chief who now serves as JGR's senior vice-president of racing, concurs. "Denny is ready for Nextel Cup. Each step he's taken to get to this point, he's excelled. Last year we put him in a few Craftsman Truck Series races and he always seemed to qualify and finish in or near the top-10. In his Busch debut, it was more of the same. He's run very well this year in his first full season of Busch, and if it weren't for some bad luck here and there, he'd probably have a win or two. We'd be holding Denny back if we didn't give him this opportunity." Hamlin will run for Rookie of the Year honors in 2006, as his Nextel Cup rookie status will be preserved this year by running only seven races. Hamlin will continue to drive the #20 car in the Busch Series full-time in 2006, getting as much seat time as possible at Nextel Cup venues where the Busch Series runs companion races. For the handful of race weekends where the Nextel Cup Series and the Busch Series race at different venues, Hamlin will follow a schedule similar to the one used this year by Carl Edwards, who is campaigning a full Nextel Cup and Busch Series schedule for Roush Racing.(True Speed Communication PR), see an image of the car on my 2006 #11 Team Schemes page.(11-6-2005)

Hamlin to Debut at Kansas: Joe Gibbs Racing Busch Series Denny Hamlin takes the wheel of the #11 FedEx Kinko’s Chevy in the Banquet 400 presented by ConAgra Foods at Kansas Speedway this weekend. It will be his first start in the #11 FedEx Monte Carlo, first career NASCAR Nextel Cup start, and his first race at Kansas Speedway. Hamlin’s previous NASCAR debuts resulted in top ten finishes – 10th in the Truck Series at Indianapolis Raceway Park on Aug. 6, 2004 and 8th in the Busch Series race at Darlington on Nov. 13, 2004. Hamlin will stay in the seat of the #11 through the Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Oct. 30.(JGR)(10-7-2005)

Harvick rumors won't die....to #11? UPDATE: #29-Kevin Harvick and car owner Richard Childress have said they intend to team again next season, the last year of their current contract, but that hasn't stopped speculation that car owner Joe Gibbs has been looking at Harvick for a full-time ride with his #11 FedEx-sponsored team.(Winston Salem Journal)
BUT been told that there was a 'trade' discussed not too long ago, Harvick to Gibbs and Bobby Labonte to RCR, but it all fell thru and was never really serious.(9-26-2005)
MORE: hearing talk was pretty strong that the Harvick-Labonte trade was moving along until the night of the Bristol race, and Gibbs decided he didn't want Harvick. Think both drivers are still looking to go to other rides but Harvick's comments at Bristol ended the Gibbs possibilities. So don't expect Harvick to go to the #11 car.(9-27-205)

Yeley back in the #11: Joe Gibbs Racing Busch Series driver J.J Yeley will take the wheel of the #11 FedEx Express Chevrolet at New Hampshire International Speedway this weekend, it will be his second start in the #11 FedEx Monte Carlo and his fourth career Nextel Cup start. Yeley will stay in the car for the MBNA NASCAR RacePoints 400 at Dover International Speedway on Sunday, Sept. 25. Following Terry Labonte's 9th place finish at Richmond International Raceway on Saturday, Sept. 10, the FedEx Team remains in 35th place in owners points and currently sits 59 points out of 34th place. Yeley has made one previous start at New Hampshire International Speedway, starting tenth and finishing sixth in the 2005 New England 200 Busch series race on July 16 of this year. Yeley successfully tested at Loudon with the FedEx team on Tues., August 30. The Sylvania 300 marks Yeley's second start in the #11 FedEx Chevrolet and his second NASCAR Nextel Cup start of the 2005 season. Yeley qualified the #11 season-best eighth for the Sony HD 500 in California, but was forced to the garage early after a lap-two spin. Despite major repairs to the#11, Yeley returned to the track and brought home a 39th-place finish. In July, Yeley qualified the #20 Home Depot car for an injured Tony Stewart at Chicagoland Speedway but Stewart returned to the seat for the USG Sheetrock 400 the following day. Yeley has run every Busch series race on the 2005 schedule in the #18 Vigoro/Home Depot Chevrolet, recording three top-five and nine top-ten finishes to date. Yeley currently sits in 12th place in the Busch series standings only 77 points of out tenth.(JGR PR)(9-14-2005)

Labonte back in the #11 at Richmond: Two-time Cup Series Terry Labonte will take the wheel of the #11 FedEx Express Chevrolet at Richmond International Raceway this weekend. He has previously run the JGR/FedEx entry at Sonoma, Watkins Glen, Michigan and Bristol. JGR will turn to Busch Series driver J.J. Yeley for the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway on Sunday, September 18. The #11 FedEx Chevy Monte Carlo will sport the FedEx Kinko’s paint scheme at Richmond. Following J.J. Yeley’s 39th place finish at California Speedway last weekend, the FedEx team remained in 35th place in owners points and currently sit 67 points out of 34th place.(JGR)(9-8-2005)

Yeley and Fedex Racing to Visit Boys and Girls Club: FedEx is hosting a special “racing camp” at the Los Angeles Boys and Girls Clubs to share the NASCAR racing experience with area youth. While there, FedEx will present the Los Angeles Boys and Girls Clubs (LABGC) with a $25,000 contribution to advance the non-profit organization’s on-going mission to inspire and empower young people in the Los Angeles area. During the event, more than 100 participating youth will have the opportunity to meet NASCAR driver J.J. Yeley, see the FedEx # 11 Chevrolet up-close and race radio-controlled cars against Yeley.(JGR PR)(9-1-2005)

No Decision on 2006 #11 driver; No FedX to #18: Joe Gibbs Racing Team Manager Jimmy Makar said no decision has been made yet on a driver for the team’s #11 FedEx-sponsored Chevrolet for next season. Makar said the team’s Busch drivers, Denny Hamlin and J.J. Yeley, will each get seat time in the Cup car before the end of the year and are both in contention for the ride “if they show promise.” Makar also said the team definitely will run three cars in 2006, adding there was no truth to the rumors that FedEx could move to Bobby Labonte’s #18.(Speed Channel)(8-29-2005)

Yeley in the #11 at California UPDATE Hamlin at Kansas: Joe Gibbs Racing will turn to Busch Series driver J.J. Yeley to drive the #11 Fed Ex Chevy for the Auto Club 500 at California Motor Speedway on Sunday, September 4.(JGR PR), Denny Hamilin, JGR other Busch Series driver, supposedly will drive the car at Kansas, Yeley will be in a 4th JGR car [#80?] there.(8-25-2005)
UPDATE: Denny Hamlin will make his Nextel Cup debut at Kansas Speedway on Oct. 9. The 24-year-old Busch Series [#20 Joe Gibbs Racing Chevy] rookie, one of three drivers replacing Jason Leffler in the #11 Fed Ex Chevy the rest of the year, also will run the next three races on the schedule - at Lowe's Motor Speedway, Martinsville and Atlanta.(Richmond Times Dispatch)(8-27-2005)

Kenseth to the #11? Word is that #17-Matt Kenseth, whose contract with Roush Racing is up at the end of 2006, may be under consideration for a ride with Joe Gibbs in Gibbs' third [#11Chevy ] team, which has struggled this season, despite hefty sponsorship from FedEx.(Winston Salem Journal)(8-21-2005)

Waltrip to the #11? before end of the season? UPDATE 2: Motorsport.com is reporting: Speculation has arisen that Michael Waltrip may vacate his seat in the #15 DEI Chevy prior to the end of the 2005 season. Rumors are swirling around the garage that Waltrip has been offered to drive the No. 11 Chevy at Joe Gibbs Racing for the last ten races of the season and next year. Both teams have denied the report.(Motorsport.com)(7-22-2005)
UPDATE: Micheal Waltip denied one of this weekend's hottest rumors that he will replace Jason Leffler in the Joe Gibbs Racing #11 Chevrolet starting at Watkins Glen. When asked directly by Yahoo! Sports, Waltrip emphatically said that he intends to honor the remainder of his contract – unless he's fired.(Yahoo Sports)(8-7-2005)
UPDATE 2: Sources close to Michael Waltrip say he is in the running to take a full-time ride with Joe Gibbs, after the departure of Jason Leffler [#11 Fed-Ex Chevy]. Gibbs may move the FedEx sponsorship from his new third team to Bobby Labonte's #18 team next season, and that would open up a quarterpanel for NAPA, Waltrip's long-time sponsor at DEI.(Winston Salem Journal)(8-11-2005)

Leffler released from #11: Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) has released driver Jason Leffler from his driving duties with the #11 car in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series. Two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Terry Labonte will compete in several of the upcoming Nextel Cup races in the #11, beginning this weekend at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International. JGR will also turn to its NASCAR Busch Series drivers - J.J. Yeley and Denny Hamlin - to split driving duties in the #11 in the remaining Nextel Cup races where Terry Labonte is not scheduled to drive. "This was a difficult decision," said J.D. Gibbs, president of JGR. "Everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing had high hopes for Jason and the #11 team, but our performance wasn't meeting the expectations all of us set forth at the beginning of the year. It hasn't been for lack of effort, as Jason is a talented race car driver who worked incredibly hard and was terrific with our sponsor.
"With an experienced veteran in Terry Labonte, the #11 will benefit from his 25 years of Nextel Cup racing, and ideally, climb higher in points. In looking toward next year, J.J. Yeley and Denny Hamlin will get some valuable seat time at the Nextel Cup level that will allow us to build the #11 into a race-winning contender for 2006 and beyond."
Terry Labonte's addition to JGR is a natural, as Terry's younger brother, Bobby, is a 10-year veteran of JGR, having piloted the #18 Interstate Batteries Chevrolet since 1995. The Labonte brothers are the only brothers in NASCAR history to win NASCAR Cup Series championships. Terry won the title in 1984 and 1996, while Bobby won in 2000. :We want to thank Hendrick Motorsports for allowing Terry to assist us with the #11 team," said Gibbs, whose team now features three NASCAR Cup Series champions in Bobby, Terry and 2002 series champion Tony Stewart. "In planning the future of the #11 team, we looked around the Cup and Busch Series garages and decided that the two best talents were already driving for us. J.J. and Denny are exceptional race car drivers, and we felt it was important to give each of them a shot at Nextel Cup." (True Speed Communication/JGR)(8-8-2005)

Leffler could be a free agent? Cary Agajanian, #11 Jason Leffler's attorney, would not confirm reports that car owner Joe Gibbs has offered to buy out the remaining 18 months of Leffler's contract for $5 million, but Agajanian would not deny that such an offer could be on the table. "I can't comment on that ... but I'm not denying it either," Agajanian said. "There could be talks. We're not in the middle of everything that goes on. There could be talks. A car owner has the right to speak to his driver, and we encourage that. Honestly there could be discussions between them. But we're not involved in them. That's a very personal thing between Jason and the Gibbs folks." If Leffler were free, Agajanian said he would be negotiating any contract with a new team. Terry Labonte substituted for Leffler at Sonoma in June, and Labonte could apparently be called upon again [at Watkins Glen and a few others races].(Winston Salem Journal)(8-8-2005)

Gibbs to four teams? Not looking at Sorenson: Joe Gibbs Racing [#11, #18, #20] is contemplating an expansion to a four-car effort next season, according to team sources. However, J. D. Gibbs, who runs the team for his NFL coaching father, insists the company isn't looking at hiring Busch hotshot Reed Sorensen, despite reports.(Winston Salem Journal)(7-18-2005)

Gibbs to kill the #11 team? Jimmy Spencer stated on Speed Channel's NASCAR This Morning that he expects Joe Gibbs Racing #11 Fed-Ex team to go away, Gibbs teams to go back to a 2 car team with Fed-Ex going to the #18 Bobby Labonte team as it is not well funded with Interstate Batteries.(Speed Channel's NASCAR This Morning)(7-17-2005)

Labonte not back with Gibbs? UPDATE Sorenson?: CBS Sportsline story reports: Although a former series champion, Bobby Labonte might not be back in the #18 in 2006. Stay tuned.(CBS Sportsline), however back in 2003, Labonte signed an extension with Joe Gibbs Racing thru the 2008 season.(7-14-2005)
UPDATE: Bobby Labonte and team manager Jimmy Makar were noncommittal about reports that Labonte may be leaving car owner Joe Gibbs at the end of the season after 11 years, including the 2000 championship run. Labonte, according to other team owners, has been checking out the marketplace, and he is being mentioned for three possible rides: with Roger Penske, replacing retiring Rusty Wallace; with Ray Evernham, as a teammate with Kasey Kahne and Jeremy Mayfield; and with Nelson Bowers [MB2 Motorsports], if Scott Riggs leaves.(Winston Salem Journal)
MORE Car owner Joe Gibbs is interested in hiring Busch series hotshot Reed Sorensen for a Nextel Cup ride next season, according to sources close to the situation. While Tony Stewart is Gibbs' hot driver at the moment, teammates #18-Bobby Labonte and #11-Jason Leffler have had disappointing results. Makar, while enjoying Stewart's dominating performances these last few weeks, has been struggling to right the staggering other two teams in the Gibbs stable. The Leffler team, new this season, has struggled to get its sea legs, despite new crew chief Mike Ford taking over two months ago. The Labonte team, on the other hand, has struggled since losing crew chief Michael McSwain last summer; those close to Labonte say that the relationship with Gibbs may have "grown stale."(Winston Salem Journal)(7-16-2005)

Hard to beileve....OOPS and CORRECTION #20-Tony Stewart’s victory gave owner Joe Gibbs a new distinction. It was the first time Gibbs-owned cars had ever won two races in a row. Stewart followed up his victory at Infineon Raceway with his first official victory in a restrictor-plate race. “First time in 14 years,” said Gibbs. “It’s hard to do. And it’s been a hard, tough year for us. This is a big deal for Joe Gibbs Racing as a whole.”(Gaston Gazette), Gibbs also owns the #18-Bobby Labonte and #11-Jason Leffler teams.(7-5-2005)
CORRECTION: Stewart's back-to-back triumphs at Sonoma and Daytona marked the fourth time in his seven-year Nextel Cup career that he has logged back-to-back wins. In 1999, Stewart's second career Nextel Cup win at Phoenix in November was followed one week later by his win at Homestead. And twice in 2000 Stewart scored back-to-back wins - in June at Dover and Michigan and again in late September and early October with wins at Dover and Martinsville.(True Speed Communication)(7-5-2005)

Terry Labonte gets the #11 team in the top 35: with his 12th place finish at Dodge/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway, Terry Labonte helped the #11 FedEx Joe Gibbs Racing Chevy and regular driver get in the top 35 owners points for the first time this year. So Leffler is locked in the Pepsi 400 at Daytona next Saturday, which is an impound race. So who dropped out? #4-P.J. Jones was hired late Saturday to help keep the #4 Morgan McClure team and regular driver, Mike Wallace, in the top-35 owners points, had some problems late and finished 32nd and fell out of the top 35. The teams in the Top-35 bubble area:
34) #22-Scott Wimmer, 1292, +69
35) #11-Jason Leffler, 1228, +5
36) #4-Mike Wallace, 1223, -5
37) #32-Bobby Hamilton Jr., 1138, -90.(6-26-2005)

Gibbs FanFest returns: The annual Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) Fall FanFest returns in 2005, where from 9:00am to 2:00pm/et on Fri., Oct. 14, JGR’s drivers from the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, NASCAR Busch Series and NASCAR Weekly Racing Series will be available for autographs at the team’s recently renovated race shop in Huntersville, North Carolina.(JGR Site), see more on my Racing Charities page.(6-25-2005)

Terry Labonte in for Leffler at Sonoma UPDATE: Terry Labonte is expected to substitute for Jason Leffler in the #11 Fed-Ex Chevy in the June 26 race at Sonoma if Leffler fails to climb into the top 35 in points by then. Drivers in the top 35 are guaranteed starting spots. Labonte is the safety net for the team because he has a champion's provisional, which guarantees him a starting spot. Leffler has run just one road course race, a Busch race in 2000 at Watkins Glen. Leffler crashed at Pocono but remained in the same points position, 36th, meaning he has to improve by one spot Sunday at Michigan to lock in for the race at Sonoma. Leffler says he has wrecked so many cars that "we're bringing cars back to the track that aren't in the best shape" because the fab shop hasn't had enough turnaround time.(Sporting News)(6-13-2005)
UPDATE: Joe Gibbs Racing has hired two-time NASCAR Winston Cup Series champion Terry Labonte to pilot the #11 Fed-Ex Chevrolet during the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race weekend at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, CA. He replaces Jason Leffler, the #11 team's regular driver, for this one event. "Jason understands that our support of him continues, as he'll race this weekend at Michigan and return to the #11 at Daytona," said J.D. Gibbs, president of Joe Gibbs Racing. "A number of factors led to this decision. Where the #11 is in points, the typically high car count at Sonoma, the number of road course specialists other teams tend to enlist, the unique nature of road course racing - none favors a team outside the top-35 in points. With an experienced veteran in Terry, the #11 will benefit from his 25 years of Nextel Cup racing and his strong performances at road course venues." In addition to his championship-caliber talents, Labonte also brings road course success to the #11 team. Of his 22 career wins, two have come at a road course - the defunct Riverside (Calif.) Speedway in 1984 and 1985. And in his 54 career starts at road courses, Labonte has earned eight poles, 17 top-fives and 26 top-10s while leading a total of 411 laps. "I've always enjoyed road course racing, and while no road courses were planned for this year, it's hard to say no when you have the opportunity to drive for an organization that's just as professional as Hendrick Motorsports," said Labonte, who is running a limited Nextel Cup schedule for Hendrick Motorsports. "We want to thank Hendrick Motorsports for allowing Terry to assist us with the #11 team at Sonoma," said Gibbs. "Rick Hendrick and Hendrick Motorsports helped get Joe Gibbs Racing up and running when we formed this team back in 1991, and 14 years later, we're once again appreciative of their help."(True Speed Communication/Hendrick Motorsports PR)(6-14-2005)

Mike Ford new crew chief at the #11? UPDATE: hearing former #88 RYR and #9 Evernham Motorsports crew chief, Mike Ford, will be hired to take over the crew chief duties of the #11 Fed-Ex Chevy that Jason Leffler drives. Dave Rogers is the current crew chief, not sure if he would stay with Joe Gibbs Racing.(6-6-2005 - 12:00pm/et)
UPDATE: Joe Gibbs Racing has hired veteran crew chief Mike Ford to oversee the #11 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series team of driver Jason Leffler effective immediately. Dave Rogers, the #11 team's former crew chief and a member of Joe Gibbs Racing since 1998, will remain with the organization. "Despite extremely hard work by everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing, the performance of the #11 team wasn't where it needed to be," said J.D. Gibbs, president of Joe Gibbs Racing. "The #11 team is still a new operation, and we believe that adding the experienced leadership of Mike Ford to an already exceptional crew will be invaluable as we shape the #11 into a winning race team. Dave Rogers has been and will continue to be a tremendous asset to Joe Gibbs Racing. He was an integral part of our championship seasons with Bobby Labonte in 2000 and Tony Stewart in 2002, and he put together an absolutely first class crew from scratch in his debut as a crew chief. Expanding our organization to three teams has been a massive undertaking, but one that will pay huge dividends in the near future. We believe that adding Mike's experience to a management structure that includes Jimmy Makar (senior vice president of racing), Greg Zipadelli (crew chief of the #20 team) and Steve Addington (crew chief of the #18 team) will help us to turn the #11 team around." A member of the motorsports community since the late 1980s, Ford's first crew chief position came with Bill Elliott in 2000. In four years together the duo logged four wins, including the prestigious Brickyard 400 in 2002. Ford moved to Robert Yates Racing in 2004, where he served as Dale Jarrett's crew chief through the first 11 races of this season.(JGR PR)(6-7-2005)

Leffler Safe? Joe Gibbs Racing President J.D. Gibbs said #11-Jason Leffler, who is ranked 36th in the points, isn't on the hot seat after missing his first race of the season. "FedEx and the whole group has been supportive of Jason, and he knows that," Gibbs said. "Obviously, a driver is going to feel pressure in a situation like this. None of us like going through this stuff. You want to make [FedEx] proud of your race team. They've been supportive through all of this, but the bottom line is you have to run well. Hopefully, we start making some races and this kind of goes away."(Richmond Times Dispatch)(5-28-2005)

FedEx, Interstate Batteries Team Up for Coca-Cola 600 IMAGE: Due to Joe Gibbs Racing’s #11 race car failing to qualify for Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race at Charlotte, officials from Joe Gibbs Racing, FedEx and Interstate Batteries agreed that FedEx would become the primary sponsor of the #18 Chevrolet for the Coca-Cola 600, replacing Interstate Batteries. Bobby Labonte will remain as the driver of the #18. Crew chief Steve Addington and the entire #18 crew will also retain their normal duties. The #18 Chevrolet was to have run a Madagascar paint scheme in the Coca-Cola 600. However, DreamWorks and Action Performance Co. have graciously agreed to postpone the Madagascar promotion until the June 12 Pocono 500 at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway. “We can’t thank Interstate Batteries and FedEx enough for enabling us to deal with this setback in the most positive manner possible,” said J.D. Gibbs, president of Joe Gibbs Racing. “We stress teamwork throughout Joe Gibbs Racing. To have Interstate Batteries, who has been with us since day one, and FedEx, our newest sponsor, and Bobby Labonte and the #18 crew work through this bit of adversity so seamlessly speaks volumes about the quality of our sponsors and the character of our team.”(Joe Gibbs Racing site)(5-27-2005)
IMAGE: see an image of the car on my #18 Team Schemes page, thanks to Cup Scene Online for the image.(5-28-2005)

Truex still not signed...to the #11? Speaking of DEI, the cheers for defending Busch Series champion Martin Truex were deafening during driver introductions for the Nextel Open. It's no wonder Truex was voted into the All-Star Challenge by fans. But when asked to comment on whether an announcement was expected this week on his re-signing with DEI to drive the No. 1 Chevrolet in Cup, Truex declined. Truex, who is fourth in Busch points, has also been mentioned as a possibility for #11 Joe Gibbs Racing seat.(Sporting News)(5-23-2005)

Gibbs on Leffler: Joe Gibbs may have given more questions than he gave answers when he was asked about struggling driver #11-Jason Leffler's future Saturday at Richmond International Raceway. "Obviously, you get concerned," he said. "You have a huge sponsor there and we're in it for the long haul. We signed Jason for the long haul and we are certainly going to go after it with Jason and try to get everything done we can there." Still, Gibbs said failure is not an option. "It always boils down to performance," Gibbs said. "It's gotta be a performance thing. We've got to be successful there."(NASCAR.com)(5-15-2005)

Different scheme for the #11 at RIR: For the first time this season, the #11 FedEx Chevrolet will carry the purple, green and white colors of the FedEx operating company of FedEx Ground. The FedEx Ground scheme is one of four rotating schemes involving the FedEx operating companies of FedEx Express, FedEx Freight and FedEx Kinko's that will be featured on the #11 machine throughout the season.(JGR), see an image of the scheme on my #11 Team Schemes page.(5-13-2005)

Gibbs undergoes heart procedure...last month - back to work and fine: Joe Gibbs Racing owner [#11,#18,#20] Joe Gibbs was hospitalized for a heart procedure to open a clogged artery last month, The Washington Post reports. Gibbs, who is 64 and who coaches the Washington Redskins football team, said doctors placed a small, spring-like wire tube known as a stent in the artery at a Washington hospital in mid-April. Gibbs said he remained overnight but returned to work the next day and was back to his regular workout routine, which includes a 45-minute run, within several days. "I understand the public interest, but it has no effect on my work, or my tenure with the Redskins," he said. "I considered it a private matter."(NASCAR Scene Daily Newsletter)(5-12-2005)

#11 Rumors out again: on Speed Channel's NASCAR Nation, NASCAR.com's Marty Smith was asked about rumors of Joe Gibbs Racing's #11 Jason Leffler being replaced. Smith said he contacted the team and was told there is no truth to the rumor, but Smith said garage gossip have possible drivers as Scott Wimmer, who currently drives the #22 CAT Dodge for Bill Davis Racing and Martin Truex Jr., driver for the #1 DEI Cup car in a limited schedule and full time in the #8 Busch Series Chance 2 Chevy.(5-4-2005)

Leffler to run special St. Jude scheme at Darlington: FedEx is expanding its support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to the world of NASCAR. The company unveiled a specially-designed racecar with a “Birdies for St. Jude” theme during an event at the hospital. “Birdies for St. Jude” is an annual pledge-drive program held in conjunction with the FedEx St. Jude Classic PGA TOUR event. The tournament has raised more than $14 million for St. Jude since FedEx became title sponsor in 1986. Jason Leffler, driver of the FedEx #11 car, joined representatives of FedEx and St. Jude, as well as St. Jude patients for the unveiling of the #11 “Birdies for St. Jude” racecar, which will run on May 7 in the Dodge Charger 500 at Darlington Raceway.(JGR)(4-20-2005)

Leffler out of the #11? Ward in? UPDATES - DENIED Motorsport.com reports it has learned that the #11 Fedex Joe Gibbs Racing Chevy team may be planning on replacing Jason Leffler with Ward Burton as soon as Darlington. While denied by team officials, insiders say Burton would fill the seat for the remainder of the season before a permanent driver [Yeley?] would be named to take over the ride. Burton stated that he has not been spoken to in regards to the #11 car but currently had several other offers in play.(Motorsport.com)(4-16-2005)
UPDATE - more on Ward, Indy 500?: With rumblings that the Nextel Cup Series "Silly Season" of driver hirings and firings could be ready to kick into gear, Ward Burton made an appearance at Texas Motor Speedway yesterday. The South Boston, Va., native was announcing a new marketing partnership between his wildlife foundation and Beretta that will promote firearm safety for kids, but he also spent several minutes answering questions about his NASCAR future. An Internet report yesterday linked the 43-year-old with possibly replacing Jason Leffler in the #11 Chevrolet of Joe Gibbs Racing. With the impending retirements of Rusty Wallace and Mark Martin, and the expected departure of veterans such as Sterling Marlin from established teams, several other quality rides could be open by the end of the year. Burton, who has stayed busy managing his Halifax County preserve, doing charity work and developing an outdoors show for TV, said he wasn't in serious discussions with any team. He reportedly has been offered rides in the Cup, Busch and Truck series. "I won't come back if the right situation isn't there," he said. "I won't say Cup is my only choice, but it's the only one I'm considering." Burton said he also had been contacted about attempting the Indianapolis 500.(Richmond Times Dispatch)(4-17-2005)
UPDATE 2 DENIED: Joe Gibbs Racing President J.D. Gibbs on Sunday denied published reports that Jason Leffler is on the way out of the #11 Chevrolet and Ward Burton is on the way in. Gibbs called Leffler on Saturday night at Texas to give a vote of confidence. "I called Jason and kind of laughed," Gibbs said. "We have a multi-year deal with Jason and with FedEx, so there is no truth to that. "I said, 'You don't have to worry about that,' and he said, 'I know.'" Joe Gibbs Racing has never released a driver on the Nextel Cup Series level in its history, and Gibbs said that Leffler has a three-year deal to drive the car. "We like long-term relationships with sponsors and team drivers," Gibbs said. "He's has been great, everything off the track. We have got to finish first and show improvement, which we have been doing." A source close to Burton also denied the rumor.(NASCAR.com)(4-17-2005)

Woman killed at JGR Construction site UPDATE: A woman was killed Wednesday afternoon while helping finish construction on an addition to a race team's facility. Authorities were called about 2:30pm/et about an injury at Joe Gibbs Racing on Reese Boulevard in the Huntersville Business Park, about 15 miles north of uptown Charlotte. The woman, whose identity was being withheld until authorities notify her family, died on the scene. Although officials with the company and the police released few details, preliminary reports suggested a joist had struck the woman, said Juan Santos, a N.C. Department of Labor spokesman. The woman worked for the general contractor at the site, not the race company, according to a statement released by Joe Gibbs Racing. Officials with Precision Walls Inc. declined to comment as they left the site, while officials from Shelco Inc., the general contractor, could not be reached. Huntersville police and state officials are still investigating the incident.(Charlotte Observer)(3-31-2005)
UPDATE: Huntersville police on Monday released the identity of the woman killed last week while helping finish construction on an addition to a race team's facility. Asia Mena Diez, 42, of Charlotte died Wednesday afternoon when the platform lift she was in slammed her into the rafters in a Joe Gibbs Racing building in the Huntersville Business Park, Lt. Ken Richardson said.She worked for Queen Drywall, a subcontractor under general contractor Shelco Inc., he said. There were no signs of foul play, Richardson said. It appeared she had hit a button on the lift, he said.(Charlotte Observer)(4-6-2005)

JGR's Diversity Program Ready for 2nd Season: After scoring three wins, three poles, 15 top-five finishes and 34 top-10 finishes in its first season of NASCAR Weekly Racing Series competition in 2004, Joe Gibbs Racing's (JGR) diversity program hit the ground running in 2005 as second-year drivers Aric Almirola and Chris Bristol finished third in their respective early-season races. Almirola drove his #92 Home Depot Chevrolet to a strong third-place finish in the March 19 Doughton Racing Products 300 Late Model stock car race at Motor Mile Speedway in Radford, Va. Bristol equaled his teammate's mark a week later, piloting his #92 MBNA Chevrolet to third in the March 26 NASCAR Weekly Racing Series season-opener at Hickory Motor Speedway. In 2005, Almirola moves from being a regular Late Model driver at Ace Speedway to campaign his Home Depot Chevrolet at big Late Model races throughout the Southeast. Bristol, meanwhile, moves to the .363-mile Hickory oval to compete regularly in that track's Late Model program. Both cars will carry the number 92 in tribute to White, the number he wore throughout his football career.(Joe Gibbs Racing/True Speed Communication)(4-1-2005)

Fedex Scheme this week: for Jason Leffler and the #11 FedEx Chevy will sport the Express paint scheme, which is one of four it will display in 2005 representing the various operating companies; Express, Ground, Freight and FedEx Kinko’s.(JGR PR)(2-24-2005)

Leffler, Fedex Donate $500,000 to Victory Junction: #11-Jason Leffler has donated $250,000 to the Victory Junction Gang Camp, and his sponsor, FedEx, has made a matching $250,000 donation to the camp. "This is an incredibly generous show of support for Victory Junction by Jason and FedEx," said camp founder Kyle Petty. The donations will be used to finance construction of a new cabin and to help bring more children to the facility this year. "My wife Alison and I feel very strongly about the camp that Kyle and Pattie have built and want to support this great program," Leffler said.(NASCAR Scene Daily Newsletter)(2-18-2005)

Reggie to be honored: Joe Gibbs Racing's Late Model diversity program will keep its Reggie White Motorsports name in honor of the defensive end who died unexpectedly last month. One of the cars will carry White's #92. "Reggie White was somebody who changed the people around him in a great way," Gibbs said. "He did chapel services for us [at the shop]. I wish I had a chance to coach him."(Richmond Times Dispatch)(1-26-2005)

2004 News

Gibbs announces own oil: on Dec 9th at the Performance Racing Industry Trade Show, Joe Gibbs Performance announced the introduction of Joe Gibbs Performance Brand Racing Oil, the same synthetic racing oil used by Joe Gibbs Racing and two time Champion engine builder Mark Cronquist. "Joe Gibbs Performance Racing Oil delivers un-compromised power, protection and performance for our race cars at every level of competition," said J.D. Gibbs, President of Joe Gibbs Racing. "Over the past five years we have invested substantial resources in developing our own racing oil and now racers at every level can use the oil we use in all our race engines." Used in every Joe Gibbs Racing engine since 1999, Joe Gibbs Performance Racing Oil puts five years of R&D and championship proven performance in the hands of professional engine builders and local racers throughout the United States. "We looked for a product that could provide the wear protection we needed without sacrificing horsepower," said Mark Cronquist. "We were not pleased with the performance of the racing oils that were on the market, so we contracted a world leader in lubrication technology to custom blend synthetic oils to meet our extreme needs. We designed Joe Gibbs Performance Racing Oil to control valve train wear in our flat tappet Nextel Cup engines. Before we developed Joe Gibbs Performance Racing Oil, we were seeing wear in the valve train that kept us from being as aggressive as we wanted to be. Joe Gibbs Performance Racing Oil solved our valve train wear problems, and we've seen significant horsepower and torque gains when we've tested Joe Gibbs Performance Racing Oil against other race oils." Now, engine builders and racers across the United States can now use the same racing oil that Cronquist himself relies on to power Bobby Labonte and Tony Stewart's NASCAR Nextel Cup race cars. Joe Gibbs Performance Racing Oil will be available for shipment in mid December and can be purchased direct from Joe Gibbs Racing or through CV Products. For more information or to place an order, visit www.joegibbsracingoil.com. Orders can also be placed by calling 866-611-1820 or contact CV Products.(JGR PR)(12-17-2004)

Yeley to attempt Homestead: J.J. Yeley will attempt to make his third NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series start this weekend and race his #11 Vigoro/Home Depot Chevrolet at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday. In 2004, Yeley has also made 17 NASCAR Busch Series starts for Joe Gibbs Racing. Yeley completed a test session at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 9th. Yeley tested with his fellow Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Tony Stewart and Bobby Labonte. Yeley's #11 team tested Chassis #65 at Homestead. Joe Gibbs Racing will race the #11 FedEx Chevrolet full-time in NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series action next year with driver Jason Leffler. The entire #18 Vigoro/Home Depot Busch Series crew will move over with Yeley to the NEXTEL Cup garage, including crew chief Doug Hewitt. Hewitt will call the shots for Yeley's effort, and Yeley's Busch Series crew will pit the car for Sunday's NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race.(Rockwell Sys/JGR PR)(11-16-2004)

Personnel Chnages at JGR? Pink slips were handed out to several crew members at Joe Gibbs Racing last week, leading some to wonder where the manpower to run three [#11,#18,#20] teams in 2005 will come from.(FoxSports/Sporting News)(10-18-2004)

Leffler to run some Busch for Gibbs? Jason Leffler, Joe Gibbs' new third Cup team driver beginning next season, will likely finish the season in Gibbs' Busch car, according to team sources. Leffler lost his Busch ride last week when Gene Haas hired a new driver, even though Leffler was third in the standings. Leffler took Haas' decision to court last week, but a judge in Kansas decided against upholding an injunction.Winston Salem Journal)(10-15-2004)

Yeley's Reaction: J.J. Yeley, who early on was the lead candidate for the third Joe Gibbs Racing #11 car is not disappointed that Jason Leffler was signed to drive the Fedex Chevrolet. Yeley told PRN's Garagepass "The way my seasons gone and the limited experience it would almost be throwing a lamb at the wolves putting me up there with the greatest race car drivers in the world after 14 races. This is the best thing for my career, my team and for Joe Gibbs Racing. We'll go and run for the Busch Series championship next year and gain the experience I need and then when 2006 rolls around we'll see what happens. To do it (the move to Nextel cup) after two-thirds of a season would be a long shot.(PRN's Garage Pass Radio Show)(10-13-2004)

Surprise! Leffler to the #11 Fed-Ex car: FedEx Corp, a worldwide leader in the broadest range of transportation, e-commerce and business services, will sponsor a third Joe Gibbs Racing car for the 2005 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series season with Jason Leffler as the driver, officials from FedEx and JGR announced Oct. 13. Leffler will join teammates Bobby Labonte, 2000 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup champion and driver of the No. 18 Interstate Batteries Chevrolet and Tony Stewart 2002 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup champion and driver of No. 20 The Home Depot Chevrolet.
"Our relationship with Joe Gibbs Racing in America's fastest growing sport is a strategic fit for the FedEx brand and a strong extension of our sponsorship portfolio," said T. Michael Glenn, executive vice president of FedEx Corp. "Success on the track depends on reliability, precision, teamwork and speed, and our employees and contractors deliver those values to our customers every day." The partnership brings together the Gibbs name and FedEx for a second time. JGR owner Joe Gibbs, a three-time Super Bowl-winning coach and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, coaches the Washington Redskins at FedExField in Landover, Md. "FedEx is one of the most admired and recognizable companies in the world, and I'm happy to have such a renowned addition to the team," Gibbs said. "FedEx and I enjoy a strong relationship with the Redskins, and I am excited to extend that winning relationship to NASCAR."
Leffler, 29, from Long Beach, Calif., is a versatile driver who has competed in all three of NASCAR's top divisions, the 2000 Indianapolis 500-Mile Race and won three consecutive United States Auto Club National Midget titles from 1997-1999 and the 1998 USAC Silver Crown title. He scored his first career Busch Series victory June 12 at Nashville Superspeedway and has made 33 NEXTEL Cup starts, including 30 for Chip Ganassi Racing in 2001. Prior to competing with Ganassi, Leffler drove a JGR Busch Series car in 1999 and 2000, making 35 starts. "I'm very excited for the opportunity to drive for FedEx and Joe Gibbs Racing," Leffler said. "I look forward to representing a great company like FedEx. JGR is one of the best teams in the business, so I'm looking forward to a great season in 2005." Dave Rogers, who served as race engineer for Tony Stewart's car from 1999-2004, will serve as Leffler's crew chief on the #11 FedEx Chevrolet. Rogers, 30, from Marshfield, Vt., has worked at JGR since July 1998 and obtained a degree in mechanical engineering in 1996 from Clarkson University in Potsdam, N.Y. He earned a masters degree in science and engineering in 1999 from the GMI Engineering & Management Institute in Flint, Mich. "I'm really looking forward to working with FedEx and Jason," Rogers said. "I've learned a lot from Greg Zipadelli through the past six years and I'm ready for the challenge as crew chief of the #11 FedEx Chevrolet." The #11 was selected for the FedEx team because of its rich NASCAR history. Eight series championships have been won by cars carrying the number - two with Ned Jarrett in 1961 and 1965, three consecutive with Cale Yarborough in 1976-78 and three with Darrell Waltrip in 1981-82 and 1985. The #11 has scored 180 victories in NASCAR's premiere division, second all-time. The number also holds significance for J.D. Gibbs, president of JGR, who wore #11 during his football career from 1987-1990 at The College of William & Mary. "It's an extreme pleasure to welcome FedEx to Joe Gibbs Racing," J.D. Gibbs said. "It's hard to believe we're adding a third team. When we started the team back in 1991 I think we only had about 11 employees and one or two race cars. We've come a long way since then and this is a milestone day for Joe Gibbs Racing." Leffler, Rogers and the #11 FedEx Chevrolet will compete for the first time in the Twin 125 qualifying races Feb. 17, 2004 at Daytona International Speedway. The Daytona 500 is scheduled for Feb. 20, 2004. More info aboutr FedEx at www.fedex.com.(Joe Gibbs Racing PR)(10-13-2004)

Why Craven is in the #11 at Talladega: [Ricky] Craven is driving Joe Gibbs' third [#11] team car here, after NASCAR decided that rookie J. J. Yeley didn't have enough experience [on Superspeedway's], and when sponsor Procter and Gamble (Old Spice) pushed Craven over Dave Blaney because of his years with Tide [Procter and Gamble.(Winston Salem Journal)(10-2-2004)

Craven in the #11 Gibbs car at Talladega UPDATE: Ricky Craven will drive Joe Gibbs Racing's third car this weekend in the EA Sports 500 Nextel Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway. Craven, 38, who earlier this season was released from the last two years of his contract with PPI Motorsports, will drive JGR's #11 Old Spice Chevrolet as a team car to the Chase for the Nextel Cup contending Tony Stewart's #20 Home Depot Chevy and Bobby Labonte's #18 Interstate Batteries Chevy. The #11 will be a full-time program in 2005, but the Gibbs organization has yet to make an announcement of its driver or crew chief [supposedly Jason Leffler driving and Dave Rogers as the crew chief]. Late Tuesday afternoon, Gibbs Racing updated its entry and named veteran mechanic Philippe Lopez as Craven's crew chief. Lopez has worked at JGR for about a month since coming from Bill Davis Racing.(NASCAR.com)(9-28-2004)
UPDATE: "I'm looking forward to it. It's going to be a lot of fun," said Craven, reached by phone. "I'm going to use this opportunity to explore options for next year." JGR's rookie J.J. Yeley was originally scheduled to run the race, but was apparently pulled because of concerns over his lack of superspeedway experience, sources said.(ThatsRacin.com)(9-29-2004)

Leffler talking to a few Cup teams: NASCAR Busch Series driver Jason Leffler confirmed Friday he has spoken with officials from Joe Gibbs Racing, among others, about driving next season in the Nextel Cup Series. Leffler declined to name the other teams, but said he could have "an exciting thing going on next year." Leffler, 29, has emerged as the leading candidate for Gibbs' #11 Chevrolet, which will debut next season. The team will be sponsored by FedEx. "Gibbs is one of the teams I've talked to. I hope to make an annoucement here in the next couple of weeks," Leffler said. Leffler said even if he joins the Cup series next season, he may still run a partial schedule in the Busch Series. Leffler started his NASCAR career as a Busch driver with Gibbs before moving to Cup and Chip Ganassi Racing in 2001. He struggled in Cup, but did win a pole and was fourth in the rookie standings in his first full season. Leffler left Ganassi at the end of the year and moved to Craftsman Truck Series and Ultra Motorsports. Since the middle of last season, Leffler has driven in Cup (2003) and Busch (2004) with Haas CNC Racing. "I've learned so much since the last time I did (Cup), so I know what expect," Leffler said. "It's going to be tough, but I'm looking forward to it."(ThatsRacin.com), however, evedrything I hear has Leffler in the #11 Fed-Ex Chevy and Joe Gibbs Racing and supposedly already been fitted for a seat.(9-26-2004)

Leffler in the #11 Fed-Ex car? UPDATE 2: hearing that Jason Leffler, driver of the #00 Chevy in the Busch Series could end up in the #11 Fed-Ex Joe Gibbs Racing Chevy, seems odd as he is a young guy, not a Cup veteran [1 full season and some one-off races]. Leffler drove for Joe Gibbs Racing in the Busch Series in 1999 and 2000.(9-17-2004)
HOWEVER other sources report that Jamie McMurray is the strongest 'rumor' floating around the garage for the #11 car...a one year deal, then to the #2 Penske Dodge.
BUT Jamie McMurray's name has been scratched from the list, because he is apparently unable to work his way out of a contract with Chip Ganassi. That leaves Dave Blaney, Robby Gordon and J. J. Yeley among the men to consider.(Winston Salem Journal)(9-18-2004)
UPDATE: NASCAR Busch Series driver Jason Leffler has emerged as the leading candidate to drive Joe Gibbs Racing's third Nextel Cup entry beginning next season, ThatsRacin.com has learned. Messages left with Leffler on Saturday went unreturned, but multiple sources confirmed the search for Gibbs' new driver for the #11 Fed-Ex Chevrolets was all but over. Leffler was not at New Hampshire this weekend, as the Busch Series was off. J.D. Gibbs, president of JGR, would not comment on specific drivers for the organization's new team. "We're meeting with FedEx officials (the sponsor) this week, actually," he said. "I think within two or three weeks we'll have a definite direction where we can come out and say, Hey this is what we're doing.' That's probably all I can say right now." Leffler, ironically, started his NASCAR career as a Busch driver with Gibbs before moving to Cup and Chip Ganassi Racing in 2001. Leffler, 30, struggled in Cup, but did win a pole and was fourth in the rookie standings in his first full season. He left Ganassi at the end of the year and moved to Craftsman Truck Series and Ultra Motorsports. Since the middle of last season, Leffler has driven in #0-Cup (2003) and #00-Busch (2004) with Haas CNC Racing. He is currently third in points with one win and one pole this season. In past interviews, Leffler has expressed his desire to return to the Cup series and said his original move to Cup happened "too fast."(ThatsRacin.com)(9-19-2004)
UPDATE 2: Jason Leffler, a sprint-car and Busch star who made a big splash at Daytona in July, will likely be Joe Gibbs' newest Cup driver next season, a teammate with Tony Stewart and Bobby Labonte, according to team sources, and the announcement could come in the next few days. Jimmy Makar, the team manager for the Gibbs operation, would not confirm Leffler as the pick but said "he is in the hunt, very seriously in the hunt. But I'm not at liberty at this moment to speculate on who it is going to be, but he is certainly there." Makar said he would be talking Monday with J. D. Gibbs, who runs his father's team, and expected to have an announcement about the new driver within the next few days. Heading Gibbs' new third team will be Dave Rogers, who is currently the chief engineer for Tony Stewart.(Winston Salem Journal)(9-20-2004)

Crew Chief for the #11: Jimmy Makar has hired the new crew chief for Joe Gibbs Racing' new third [#11 Fed-Ex] Cup team, and it's a familiar face - Dave Rogers, chief engineer for Tony Stewart and Greg Zipadelli.(Winston Salem Journal)(9-18-2004)

Blaney to Gibbs...to the #11 Fed-Ex car? UPDATE: during Busch Series qualifying at Richmond, Speed Channel broadcaster, Larry McReynolds said the Dave Blaney has been hired by Joe Gibbs Racing to help [drive?] J.J. Yeley with his Busch and Cup series rides. Blaney could be paired up with recent Joe Gibbs Racing hire, crew chief Philippe Lopez. Blaney has worked with Lopez with Bill Davis Racing. Blaney could end up in the #11 Fed-Ex Chevy full-time or Blaney and Yeley could split duties.(9-9-2004)
UPDATE: Blaney was hired by JGR as a driver coach for J.J. Yeley [Busch] and Denny Hamlin for the races at Richmond. JGR says they have no plans to put Blaney in a car. Whether Blaney coaches the drivers in the future is undetermined.(NASCAR Scene Print)(9-17-2004)

JGR Looking for #11 Crew Chief - Slugger? UPDATE: Joe Gibbs Racing still is looking for a crew chief to lead the #11 FedEx car in 2005. Sources say Slugger Labbe, crew chief for #15-Michael Waltrip, is a candidate. Labbe is one of the best crew chiefs in the garage and would be great for a start-up team. Finding a driver is another matter. Although JGR is expected to run J.J. Yeley in additional races this season, sources say FedEx is looking for a more experienced driver. Jamie McMurray, Robby Gordon and Dave Blaney have been mentioned as prospects.(FoxSports/Sporting News)(9-13-2004)
AND MORE: speculation continues about owner Joe Gibbs' planned third Nextel Cup team. #20 Crew Chief Greg Zipadelli declined to talk about the possibility that Dave Blaney might be hired to drive Gibbs' new third team. Blaney - a sprint-car veteran like Stewart and a good buddy of Stewart's - has been hired to coach rookie J. J. Yeley, who Gibbs hopes to hone into a Cup driver, though that project could take a few years longer than expected. And the latest rumor is that Gibbs would like to hire Richard "Slugger" Labbe, a two-time Daytona 500 winning crew chief, to run that third team. "Dave is just to help J.J.," Zipadelli said. "He's got three more Cup races this year and some Busch races, and Dave is a good driver, with a good, level head on his shoulders, knows what's going on. He knows what you should do and shouldn't do. He should help accelerate J.J.'s learning curve. He won't have to go through everything, because Dave has already been there and can explain why you don't do this or that. It's different if it comes from a driver than if it comes from us." But what about the story that Gibbs has hired Blaney to drive the third car? "Good story, huh?" Zipadelli said with a grin. "You ain't going to find anything out here. Don't try to read anything more into this."(Winston Salem Journal)(9-14-2004)

More on McMurray and Gibbs, for a year..then to Penske: Jamie McMurray is still in play, according to sources close to the driver, who is being wooed by both Roger Penske and Joe Gibbs - if he can resolve his contract with car owner Chip Ganassi. Gibbs wants him for his new third Nextel Cup team, to be sponsored by FedEx; McMurray would be a teammate of Tony Stewart and Bobby Labonte. Penske wants him to take over Rusty Wallace's ride when Wallace retires, apparently at the end of 2005. Also in the running for the Gibbs ride is sprint start J. J. Yeley, who was to race here but who didn't make the field because qualifying was rained out. However, FedEx, according to sources, wants a top-10 team out of the box, and that would be a tall order for a rookie.(Winston Salem Journal)(8-23-2004)

Yeley to attempt California Cup race: #11-J.J. Yeley, who posted the 11th best time in the rain-abbreviated session at Michigan International Speedway, missed the GFS Marketplace 400 when qualifying was rained out. JGR president J.D. Gibbs didn't have to wait long to make a decision on a replacement event, as he said Saturday that Yeley would race in the Pop Secret 500 in two weeks at California Speedway.(NASCAR.com)(8-21-2004)

Lopez leaves BDR? UPDATE: hearing #23 Crew Chief, Philippe Lopez, and Bill Davis Racing has parted ways and Lopez may be heard to Joe Gibbs Racing or RCR.(8-14-2004)
UPDATE: Philippe Lopez, the veteran crew chief just hired by car owner Joe Gibbs to help Jimmy Makar and Zipadelli in testing.(Winston Salem Journal), could Dave Blaney end up in the car, paired once again with his former Bill Davis Racing crew chief?(8-23-2004)

More on Gibbs 3rd team, pushing Yeley? Over in the Joe Gibbs camp, the push is to persuade new sponsor FedEx [#11 Team] to accept part-time Busch driver J J Yeley for the planned third Cup team, since Greg Biffle has decided to work out the last year of his contract with Jack Roush and since car owner Chip Ganassi has picked up the 2005 option on driver Jamie McMurray. However, it is still unclear if FedEx will be willing to accept an untested driver like Yeley.(Winston Salem Journal)(8-9-2004)

Robby to Gibbs? the Winston Salem Journal is reporting.....Robby Gordon's season with car owner Richard Childress hasn't been that great. It started fine, and he could have won Darlington. But since then things have gone downhill, generally because of bad luck and too many crashes. So there are questions being raised about Gordon's future with Childress. Yesterday Gordon finished seventh, his best run since Talladega in April. Ironically just as those questions are being heard about Gordon and Childress, officials at Joe Gibbs Racing are expressing interest in Gordon as a candidate for next year's third team [#11 Fed-Ex], as a teammate with Tony Stewart and Bobby Labonte. Stewart is calling Gordon one of the most talented drivers in the Cup garage. Stewart's crew says that Stewart would like to have Gordon as a teammate and could work with him. Stewart and Gordon are NASCAR's top two Indy-car racers.(Winston Salem Journal)(8-2-2004)

Redskins Owner to be part owner of Gibbs 3rd team? #18/#20/#80/#11 Cup team owner, Joe Gibbs has apparently persuaded the owner of the Washington Redskins, Daniel Snyder, to take a stake in his newest stock-car team, according to team sources. The third Gibbs team [#80/#11], which finished 31st Sunday with Mike Bliss at the wheel, is still in its infancy, with no driver or crew chief yet for 2005, though there has been heavy speculation that Greg Biffle and Jamie McMurray are under consideration. J.J. Yeley, the hotshot USAC Sprint racer driving for Gibbs on the Busch tour this year, is also a long-shot for the ride but probably needs another year or two of seasoning before moving up to Cup.(Winston Salem Journal)(7-13-2004)

Yeley to make Cup debut at Michigan UPDATE: during a MRN Radio interview before the Busch race at Chicago on Saturday, it was mentioned that J.J. Yeley will attempt to make his Nextel Cup debut at Michigan International Speedway in August in a third Joe Gibbs Racing Chevy [#11?, #80?], the original plan was for Yeley to debut at Talladega in Oct., but NASCAR didn't hink he had enough speedway experience. Yeley mentioned Home Depot and Vigoro [lawn fertilizer] as sponsors.(MRN's Busch Series race coverage)(7-11-2004)
UPDATE: Vigoro, a leading brand of premium lawn and garden products for over 80 years, along with The Home Depot, will be the primary sponsors of Joe Gibbs Racing driver J.J. Yeley as he attempts to make his NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series debut at Michigan Speedway. Yeley will enter the #11 Vigoro/Home Depot Chevrolet Monte Carlo for the GFS Marketplace 400 on Sunday, August 22nd. Sold exclusively at Home Depot stores, Vigoro is manufactured by St. Louis-based United Industries Corporation, which goes to market at Spectrum Brands. A native of Phoenix, the 27-year-old Yeley joined Joe Gibbs Racing with an impressive list of credentials. In 2003, he became only the second driver in racing history to win the USAC Triple Crown by earning the Sprint, Midget and Silver Crown championships in a single season. En route to that milestone, Yeley earned a total of 24 USAC victories, easily surpassing the mark of 19 set by A.J. Foyt in 1961 and tied in 1988 by Sleepy Tripp and in 2000 by Jay Drake. And while amassing such a large win total, Yeley became the first driver in USAC history to win on pavement and dirt in all three national series in a single season. In 2004, Yeley has competed in 10 NASCAR Busch Series events. His best outing of the year was at Nashville Superspeedway in June, where he scored his first top-ten, finishing eighth. His best start was at Las Vegas Motor Speedway when he qualified seventh.(Matrix Sports Marketing PR), see the #11 Old Spice Chevy that Yeley will supposedly drive at Talladega in Oct on my #11 Team Paint Schemes page.(7-12-2004)

McMurray and Gibbs? UPDATE 2: hearing conflicting reports that Jamie McMurray, driver of the #42 Texaco/Havoline Dodge for Ganassi Racing has either.....talked to Joe Gibbs Racing [JGR], is rumored to have talked to JGR or JGR wants to talk to McMurray, but has not..yet.....about the new #11 Fed-Ex team gig for 2005. McMurray is either in his option year or still has one or two [Ganassi] options years left on his contract.(7-7-2004)
UPDATE: The day's top story swirled around the Chip Ganassi and Joe Gibbs teams, with reports that Jamie McMurray may have been talking with the Gibbs team about becoming a teammate with Tony Stewart and Bobby Labonte next season, driving for Gibbs' new third team, to be sponsored by FedEx. McMurray downplayed the reports. "You can't believe everything you hear on that deal," he said. "I thought Greg Biffle was going there. "I don't know anything about it. I haven't talked with Joe Gibbs. I am under contract. So I probably couldn't go there, not if I'm under contract." Andy Graves, general manager for Ganassi, says McMurray hadn't expressed any dissatisfaction to the team but conceded he had heard speculation of a McMurray-to-Gibbs move. "I've heard that rumor since Michigan (in mid-June)," Graves said. "But he's under contract to us and he hasn't said anything to us that he wants to get out. So I don't know if Joe and those guys have talked with him or just want to talk with him. I really don't know what the deal is, to be honest. If there has been contact between Gibbs and Jamie I don't know. But Jamie hasn't come to us and said 'I want out. I'm unhappy,' or anything like that. The only thing I can think of is that maybe Gibbs is trying to stir something up in retaliation for that deal with Tony Stewart last year." That was the debate over Ganassi possibly hiring Stewart after Stewart's contract with Gibbs ran out at the end of 2004. Stewart discussed signing with Ganassi until signing a new contract [thru 2009] with Gibbs. Gibbs, J. D. Gibbs, and general manager Jimmy Makar were all unavailable for comment on the McMurray situation. Sources close to the situation said it was unlikely Ganassi would be willing to let McMurray out of his contract [Jayski Note: been told Ganassi holds the option on McMurray for 2005].(Winston Salem Journal)(7-10-2004)
UPDATE 2: Jamie McMurray's name continues to pop up as a possible driver for the #11 Fed-Ex Joe Gibbs Racing Chevy in 2005. McMurray has no contractual obligation to the #42 Ganassi Dodge after the end of this season.(Motorsport.com), JAYSKI Note: however, sources tell me that Ganassi holds the contract option on McMurray for 2005.(7-11-2004)

FedEx.......AND MORE - Biffle under contract thru 2005? UPDATE 2: J.J. Yeley, the Sprint-car star learning the NASCAR ropes in a Joe Gibbs Busch car, will get a shot at Cup racing this fall in five to seven races in a #11 car, expected to be sponsored by FedEx. FedEx interviewed Yeley and Greg Biffle this week for the ride for next season, according to team sources. However, Geoff Smith, head of Roush Racing, says Biffle is under contract with Roush through the 2005 season and he plans to sit down with Biffle later this year and discuss a contract extension.(Winston Salem Journal)
UPDATE: Despite weekly rumors to the contrary, Greg Biffle said he would fulfill his current contract with Roush Racing. Biffle has said repeatedly in recent weeks he would remain with Roush at least through the end of the season. "We're not going anywhere right now," he said Saturday. "Things are getting pretty crazy out there. There are other teams starting up and things going like that, so there's speculation about what's going to happen." Biffle said his priority is to get his #16 team in the top 10 in points and into victory lane. "I feel like we're really close," he said. "I'm working as hard as I can here to get this program turned around and capable of making the top 10 in points."(ThatsRacin.com)
AND even MORE hearing that the #11 will run eight different FedEx paint schemes in 2005, one paint scheme for each of the different companies.(6-19-2004), see below for a LARGE bunch of stories, and even two images of one of the schemes of the #11 car.
UPDATE 2: Greg Biffle adamantly denied recent reports that he is talking to other Nextel Cup teams about leaving Roush Racing. Biffle's name has surfaced in conjunction with a supposed third Joe Gibbs Racing team, but Biffle said neither he nor any of his representatives have talked to another team. Biffle also said his contract runs through next year, and Roush could exercise an option year. Could Biffle get out of his current contract and join another team? Jack Roush is known for having airtight contracts with his drivers, so that doesn't seem likely. Gibbs currently fields Chevrolets for Tony Stewart and Bobby Labonte, but the Memphis Commercial Appeal reported this week that FedEx has signed a letter of intent to sponsor a third JGR team. Biffle, who has been public in his criticism of Roush Racing's engine problems this year, was allegedly high on Gibbs' list of potential drivers. But there is no contract between FedEx and JGR, a team source said Saturday. And Biffle was vehement about staying at Roush.(NASCAR.com)(6-20-2004)

Fed-Ex to Gibbs? 3rd team UPDATE 2 Biffle? Yeley? Letter of Intent IMAGES: Greg Biffle, a former truck and Busch champion, is looking to leave his Roush Racing Cup ride, but he'll be with the #16 car for the rest of this season. He isn't about to risk losing his Roush ride in the Busch Series as he tries to find a new Cup ride. "There's no way I'd ever leave anywhere midseason," Biffle says. "Times are tough, but they're not that tough. I'm going to try to honor all of our contracts that are present. For now, we're going to work real hard to get this Busch and Cup deal turned around." Biffle is sixth in Busch Series points and 23rd in Cup.(FoxSports/Sporting News), see past rumors on the #16 Team News and Links page.(6-14-2004)
AND Federal Express, which once was in the running to be the title sponsor of NASCAR's top series before Nextel came on board, has been in talks with both Joe Gibbs Racing and Dale Earnhardt Inc. Word in the garage: Fed Ex will end up on a third Cup car for the 2005 season at JGR with J.J. Yeley, a Busch rookie this season, behind the wheel. But Gibbs says it's too early to commit. "Right now, we're in the process of moving through things, and we can't announce anything because the deal isn't done," Gibbs says. "We've been in conversations for a long time but right now it's just a work in progress."(FoxSports/Sporting News)(5-24-2004)
THE UPDATE add...Biffle: FedEx will announce Wednesday that it will sponsor a third Nextel Cup car for Joe Gibbs Racing in 2005. The car will carry the #11, which was the number that J.D. Gibbs, president of Joe Gibbs Racing, wore as a football player at William and Mary. J.J. Yeley was expected to be the driver of a third Nextel Cup car next year, but the organization wants a veteran driver for the ride. Sources close to the team say that Greg Biffle would be at the top of their list. Joe Gibbs, the Washington Redskins' coach, will play his home games at FedEx Field in Landover, Md. next fall so a relationship already existed between Gibbs and the company that will move from the field to the track next year.(FoxSports)(6-16-2004)
UPDATE 2 Yeley: hearing that FedEx introduced J.J. Yeley and Joe Gibbs at their annual sales meeting in Orlando, FL today with the car, owner and driver [Yeley](6-16-2004)
UPDATE 3: FedEx said Wednesday it has signed a letter of intent to sponsor Joe Gibbs Racing's third car starting in 2005. A driver hasn't been chosen for the #11 FedEx Chevrolet. No financial terms were announced, although UPS's sponsorship of the #88 Ford driven by Dale Jarrett - one of the sport's marquee drivers - reportedly is worth as much as $16 million a year. FedEx confirmed only that it has signed a letter of intent. Gibbs Racing said it expects a contract to be signed within a month. FedEx and Gibbs Racing have been in talks for about 18 months. It hasn't been decided if FedEx will have associated sponsorships with other Gibbs drivers, Bobby Labonte and Tony Stewart. One of the candidates to drive the new FedEx-sponsored Chevy is Busch Series rookie J. J. Yeley. Yeley, a Gibbs driver, has one top 10 finish in nine starts and sits 29th in the Busch standings. "What we're going to do is build a list (of potential drivers) based on what kind of potential they have and what kind of equipment they're running already," said Dean Noble, vice president of business affairs for Gibbs Racing. "After interviews we'd narrow the list to a couple of guys who would meet with FedEx. It's truly a partnership putting this team together." FedEx's entry into the sport could help the Memphis Motorsports Park, said vice president and general manager Jason Rittenberry. The track has NASCAR Busch Series and Craftsman Truck Series events and covets a place in NASCAR's premier Nextel Cup Series.(Memphis Commercial Appeal)(6-17-2004)
IMAGES got two images of the #11 FedEx Chevy, see my Paint Scheme Gallery.(6-18-2004)

Fed-Ex to Gibbs? UPDATE or DEI? Federal Express, which once was in the running to be the title sponsor of NASCAR's top series before Nextel came on board, has been in talks with both Joe Gibbs Racing and Dale Earnhardt Inc. Word in the garage: Fed Ex will end up on a third Cup car for the 2005 season at JGR with J.J. Yeley, a Busch rookie this season, behind the wheel. But Gibbs says it's too early to commit. "Right now, we're in the process of moving through things, and we can't announce anything because the deal isn't done," Gibbs says. "We've been in conversations for a long time but right now it's just a work in progress."(FoxSports/Sporting News)(5-24-2004)
UPDATE: On the sponsorship front, Federal Express is being wooed again by both DEI and Joe Gibbs.(Winston Salem Journal)(5-29-2004)

Yeley Wins at PIR: JJ Yeley, who is running an ABC [ARCA,Busch,Cup] program for Joe Gibbs Racing this year, won the first national USAC midget race of 2004 Saturday at Phoenix International Raceway in the 27th annual Copper World Classic. It was Yeley's first win at PIR.(Arizona Republic)(3-21-2004)

Yeley gets a sponsor for selected Busch race and one Cup race: Vigoro , a leading brand of premium lawn and garden products for over 80 years, along with The Home Depot, will be the primary sponsors of Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) driver J.J. Yeley during the 2004 season. Yeley will drive the #18 Vigoro/Home Depot Chevy as part of an A-B-C schedule that will consist of ARCA, NASCAR Busch Series and NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races [#18 in Busch, supposedly #80 in Cup, not sure about ARCA]. His first race in the Vigoro/Home Depot machine will be the March 6 Sam's Town 300 Busch Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Vigoro is owned by St. Louis-based United Industries Corporation (which goes to market as Spectrum Brands) and is sold exclusively at Home Depot stores. Heading Yeley's effort will be veteran crew chief Doug Hewitt, who after being a crew chief in the Cup Series since 1993, joined JGR in late 2001 as crew chief for Coy Gibbs in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Under Hewitt's guidance, Gibbs finished 10th in points in 2001 and 2002. Hewitt continued as crew chief for Gibbs' Busch Series effort in 2003, and he takes the team he helped build to Yeley's rookie campaign in 2004. Vigoro is the number two selling brand of lawn and garden fertilizers in the United States. The company's household brands include Hot Shot , Cutter and Repel . The company's lawn and garden brands include Spectracide, Spectracide Triazicide , Spectracide Terminate , Garden Safe and Real-Kill in the controls category as well as Vigoro , Schultz, Bandini and Best brands in the lawn and garden fertilizer and organic growing media categories.(True Speed Communication PR)(2-14-2004)

J.J. Yeley Named AARWBA Driver of the Year: USAC Triple Crown titlist J.J. Yeley was named winner of the Jerry Titus Memorial Trophy as driver of the year for 2003. The announcement was the climax of festivities Saturday night at the annual Auto Racing All America Team banquet hosted by the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association (AARWBA). Yeley, who was not present at the event because he was competing in the Chili Bowl in Tulsa, Okla., is the first Titus winner from a category other than Open Wheel, Stock Car, Drag or Road racing.(Speed Channel)(1-12-2004)

2003 News

Chili Bowl Stuff: Dirt-track star Danny Lasoski has entered two additional cars for the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals [www.chilibowl.com] and invited drag racer Ron Capps and NASCAR veteran Ken Schrader to drive them. They'll be competing against Tony Stewart, J.J. Yeley and Kasey Kahne in the 18th annual event Jan. 7-10 at Tulsa, Okla.(Indianapolis Star)(12-19-2003)

Yeley wins Triple Crown: J.J. Yeley [new Joe Gibbs Racing driver] became USAC’s fourth “Triple Crown” driving champion Saturday night, joining Tony Stewart as the only drivers in history to win all three USAC National driving titles -- Silver Crown, Sprint Car and Midgets -- in one season. Arizonan Yeley locked up the USAC National Midget crown at Tucson Raceway Park, finishing third in the 40-lap “Old Pueblo Classic” feature. In addition to he and Stewart (who swept all three titles in 1995), Dave Darland and Pancho Carter also own USAC career “Triple Crowns,” although their titles were not all achieved in a single season. Yeley will try to extend his all-time USAC single-season victory record to 25 this Thursday night in the 63rd Mopar “Turkey Night Grand Prix” at the Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway. The race will air live on SPEED Channel at 11:00pm/et.(Speed Channel)(11-25-2003)

Yeley signed with Gibbs UPDATE 2: JJ Yeley, the 26-year-old USAC national sprint-car champ and Silver Crown champ, has signed a contract to join Joe Gibbs' team next season, team sources confirmed yesterday, though the announcement isn't expected for a few weeks. JJ, whose real name is Christopher Beltram Hernandez Yeley, has Tony Stewart as a mentor and now as a teammate. But Yeley may have a long way to go before making it to the Winston/Nextel Cup tour. Jimmy Makar, general manager for Gibbs, says that the new team is still in a formative stage. "We're trying to develop a program to develop a young driver," Makar says. "We've got some sponsorship irons in the fire, a few small things we're working on, but nothing major yet. We're looking at doing some Busch races and some ARCA races next year. We'll really just take it as it comes. There's nothing saying we have to run X-amount of races in any one division. We'll start testing and see how he develops, and add races as he develops." Who will run the team? "We've got six or seven guys on a list to talk to," Makar says. "We've talked to a few already, and we'll talk to more in the next few weeks, and decide which way to go."(Winston Salem Journal)(11-17-2003)
UPDATE: Open wheel standout JJ Yeley said Tuesday he has signed a two-year contract with the powerful Joe Gibbs Racing team, whose drivers have won two of the past four NASCAR Winston Cup championships. "A lot of different teams were interested, but out of all of the programs, I think this is the best one for a long-term situation," said Yeley, a Phoenix native now living near Indianapolis. "They're very well respected, and they have everything it takes to get me to the next level." No one from the Gibbs team could be reached for comment, but Yeley said a formal announcement is expected today. Yeley recently turned his attention toward NASCAR after being unable to land a full-time Indy Racing League ride, and he immediately landed on the Gibbs' radar screen in part because Tony Stewart owns or co-owns two of the U.S. Auto Club cars Yeley drives. Stewart won the 2002 NASCAR title for Gibbs, and teammate Bobby Labonte was the 2000 champion. In time, perhaps as early as the 2005 season, Yeley hopes to reach the top NASCAR series, which will become the Nextel Cup in 2004. Until then, Yeley will divide next season between the NASCAR Busch Series and the ARCA circuit. "There's also a chance I could do a couple of Cup races," said Yeley, who is testing today and Thursday at Kentucky Speedway.(Arizona Republic)(11-19-2003)
UPDATE 2: Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) signed United States Auto Club (USAC) standout J.J Yeley to a multi-year contract. Beginning with the 2004 racing season, Yeley will run an A-B-C schedule, consisting of seven to eight ARCA races, 10-12 NASCAR Busch Series races and two to three NASCAR Nextel Cup Series races. MBNA, the world's largest independent credit card issuer and longtime JGR supporter, will back Yeley's effort as an associate sponsor. A primary sponsor has yet to be secured. "J.J. Yeley is a very talented racer who everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing is excited to have," said team owner Joe Gibbs. "He has accomplished a lot in a very short period of time in many different racing disciplines. His track record in USAC mirrors Tony Stewart's before he came to NASCAR, and Tony's time spent driving stock cars for JGR has worked out very well for him and for us. We're hoping the same is true with J.J."
A native of Phoenix, the 27-year-old Yeley comes to JGR with an impressive list of credentials that could become even more impressive in the coming days. Yeley is on track to match Stewart's record of earning USAC's Triple Crown - winning the Sprint, Midget and Silver Crown championships in a single season. Yeley has already wrapped up the Sprint and Silver Crown titles, and with only two races remaining - Nov. 22 at Tucson (Ariz.) Raceway Park and Nov. 27 at Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway - he leads the Midget standings by 121 points over nearest pursuer Tracy Hines.
"This has already been a great year for me," said Yeley, who in 2002 won the Silver Crown championship and finished second in the Sprint and Midget standings. "There's still some work for me to do in USAC, but having the opportunity to drive for Joe Gibbs Racing is something any driver would want. It's a good home, with Tony Stewart and Mike Bliss - guys who came up through the USAC ranks before me - already there. It's a great challenge and there's a lot to learn, but I'm ready for it."
"J.J. is the number one candidate from the USAC series to move up," said Stewart, winner of the Triple Crown in 1995. "What he can do on dirt tracks is awesome, and all year he's gotten better and better with what he's been able to do on pavement. It's just a matter of time before he gets the hang of stock cars. He's shown his adaptability since he came to USAC in 1997, and his versatility will be an asset in NASCAR."
Yeley has earned a total of 24 wins this year in USAC, easily surpassing the mark of 19 set by A.J. Foyt in 1961 and tied in 1988 by Sleepy Tripp and in 2000 by Jay Drake. Fourteen of Yeley's wins have come in Sprint Cars, where Stewart is the owner, while four other wins have come in the Silver Crown car, which Stewart co-owns with Bob East. En route to amassing such a large win total, Yeley became the first driver in USAC history to win on pavement and dirt in all three national series in a single season.(Joe Gibbs Racing PR/site)(11-20-2003)

3rd Cup team for Gibbs in 2005 UPDATE: Joe Gibbs Racing [#18-Labonte and #20-Stewart] will add a third full time Cup team in 2005.(XM Satellite- NASCAR Radio - Subscription Required). Assume the team will run part time in 2004 [has attempted/run a few 2003 Cup races in the #80 with Mike Bliss], so who drives? Mike Bliss? Coy Gibbs? J.J. Yeley?; Bliss and Gibbs run full time for Gibbs in the Busch Series now and Yeley supposedly will run Busch for Gibbs in 2004.(10-11-2003)
UPDATE: Joe Gibbs Racing was so impressed by J.J. Yeley's tryout at Lakeland (Fla.) Speedway last week that he is expected to run an ABC (ARCA, Busch, Cup) schedule with the organization next year. Yeley, a protege of Tony Stewart, is attempting to win the USAC Triple Crown (Silver Crown, Sprint, Midget).(Sporting News/Yahoo Sports)(10-13-2003)

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Jayski's® is a registered trademark of Jayski LLC
Do not duplicate or redistribute in any form without permission or credit.