Gibbs to Toyota?

StuiE · 23 Jun 2007, 16:49 (Ref:1945026)

Just saw this on Jayski, I hadn't heard of it rumoured before?

Quote:

More on Gibbs to Toyota...done deal? Extending Stewart to 2011?
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)

If Toyota could be super competitive if they went with Gibbs, I would have thought Gibbs has too much to lose though?

**FIRE** · 23 Jun 2007, 17:39 (Ref:1945048)

This rumour is running for a while. It would give Toyota's NASCAR programm a boost, but from being a competative team to go down to midfield (at least first 1 or 2 seasons)? Don't think their star driver Stewart would be happy with that. On the other hand racing is business, I am sure Toyota would bring good money to the Gibbs team.

kingfloopy · 23 Jun 2007, 21:44 (Ref:1945143)

I imagine it will happen, rumours like this usually turn out to be true. However I think it would be a huge mistake on JGR's part. Toyota hasn't shown any signs of being truly competitive this year. It will probably help Toyota because they can actually work from experience and have a decent engine program. It'll hurt Gibbs teams though at least in the short term because they will pretty much have to carry the entire Toyota program themselves.

I also think Toyota is realizing that they should have signed a major team to start with rather than two brand new teams with no experience (Red Bull and Waltrip) and one that has never been a serious contender (Bill Davis).

I also am going to make the prediction that Bill Davis will not have Cup sponsorship next season. Cat is up for renewal and I cannot see them resigning for another year after 4 or 5 seasons of poor performance. 360 OTC seems to me to be one of those shady sponsor deals that come and go all the time. They've already been dropped by the WoO Late Model tour for not fulfilling their sponsorship duties. I also think MWR will lose NAPA and Dale Jarrett (and probably UPS). Signing Gibbs will probably be necessary for Toyota to even maintain a decent presence in the sport.

J.D.

**Craig** · 26 Jun 2007, 15:54 (Ref:1947347)

Wow, the rednecks are really gonna hate Stewart now!

ThePenguin · 26 Jun 2007, 17:47 (Ref:1947459)

Gibbs has denied that his team is talking to Toyota, and he has said that in a few weeks he will start to talk to GM about extending their contract with them. He did not say that his ream would not talk to Toyota, so there still is a strong possibility. He did say that his team is talking with Kyle Busch about adding a new team for next year.

**FIRE** · 26 Jun 2007, 17:54 (Ref:1947466)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThePenguin

Gibbs has denied that his team is talking to Toyota, and he has said that in a few weeks he will start to talk to GM about extending their contract with them. He did not say that his ream would not talk to Toyota, so there still is a strong possibility. He did say that his team is talking with Kyle Busch about adding a new team for next year.

Of course Gibbs is denying. At the moment he's not allowed to talk to other manufacturers than GM. And did Hendrick not deny he was interested in Earnhardt?

ThePenguin · 26 Jun 2007, 18:02 (Ref:1947470)

Quote:

Originally Posted by FIRE

Of course Gibbs is denying. At the moment he's not allowed to talk to other manufacturers than GM. And did Hendrick not deny he was interested in Earnhardt?

There are rumors, that by using a third party, Gibbs has been talking to Toyota.

**FIRE** · 26 Jun 2007, 18:05 (Ref:1947473)

I read these rumours too, but official Gibbs is not talking to the Japanese.

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