#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
2005 News
- 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)