Why Joe Gibbs Will Be Successful In 2008

Friday, February 8th, 2008 9:25am CST

Latest Nascar News And Info! By Luke, Thunder Lounge
Published on Thunder Lounge.

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Why will Joe Gibbs be as strong and successful in 2008 as they were in 2007? Simple. The differences are slim.

While we all would like to believe differently, and many have came to this unfortunate realization, it is the plain and simple truth.

Between manufacturers, there just isn’t that much difference between cars anymore. Yes, it’s something we’ve seen coming for a while, we’ve had 16 races to get used to the idea, we’ve had plenty of time prior to that to read the cards. It’s happening though, right before our eyes and a further continuation of nothing but a sticker change. Well, that and dropping a different motor under the hood.

The search for proof, like we need it, need go no further than this article on Robby Gordon to see the writing on the wall. That writing is also in bold, italic, underlined, and capitalized letters bigger than Paris Hiltons ego.

It was just a week ago that Robby Gordon announced a surprise move to Dodge.

In that time, a week, he has converted half of his current inventory of cars from Ford to Dodge. Robby currently has about a dozen cars, and growing.

Not to take away from all the hard work the folks in the shop have done, as well as the guys from Evernham that have been helping out, but compared to the time and effort to change the previous car from one manufacturer to another, this seems like a brisk walk in the park.

The time taken averages out to about one car changed per day. Not days, or what used to be weeks, one single day.

Coming around full circle, this is exactly why the Gibbs Guys are not worried about their switch of manufacturer.

They’re real good with motors, and they were already pretty darn good with the rest of it.

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Filed Under: Denny Hamlin, Drivers, Joe Gibbs Racing #11, Joe Gibbs Racing #18, Joe Gibbs Racing #20, Kyle Busch, Nascar, Robby Gordon, Robby Gordon Motorsports #7, Sprint Cup, Teams, Tony Stewart

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Daytona 500: 12 Days and Counting

By Luke, Thunder Lounge
Tuesday February 5, 2008
3:36pm CST
Published on Thunder Lounge.

Denny Hamlin

2007 Stats
- Organization: Joe Gibbs Racing
- Car Number: 11
- Crew Chief: Mike Ford
- Sponsor: FedEx
- Points: 12th :: 6143 :: -580
- Starts: 36
- Poles: 1
- Wins: 1
- Top 5’s: 12
- Top 10’s: 18
- Winnings: $4,943,810
2008 Preview
- Organization: Joe Gibbs Racing
- Car Number: 11
- Crew Chief: Mike Ford
- Sponsor: FedEx

Ladies and Gentlemen… Welcome to the Chase.

Well, the portion of our little tid bits of information where we’re finally a scant 12 days from it. The next few days are going to creak by, so here we are with #12 in the final 2007 point standings to take your mind off the boredom.

So much for the Sophomore Slump. Well, I guess he had twice as many wins the year prior, and finished better in the Chase. If that’s a “slump”, watch out for Hamlin.

By most accounts, he should have been in contention and took it home a few more times than he did. After a little grumbling with the performance of his crew early in the season, Mike Ford got it sorted out and things picked up. In Hamlins eyes, however, they gave a couple away in the meantime.

Frustration. That’s the word to sum it up in 2007 for Hamlin. What? How could one be frustrated after a season that was better than at least 32 other drivers? Tell me! Tell me now! Easy. It wasn’t good enough for them. After running like a banshee, they flopped in the Chase. Call it pressure, luck, whatever. They choked. There hasn’t been anything on their mind but redemption in 2008, and that’s an easy guess.

2008 will be exatly that for Hamlin. A year for redemtion. Of course it’s on more accounts than just choking in the Chase. They also have to prove to themselves, their boss, their sponsors, their fans, the garage, and the rest of the world that the switch to Toyota wasn’t a mistake.

Note: information is accurate as of date published. Check Thunder Lounge for additional updates and information.

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Filed Under: Denny Hamlin, Drivers, Joe Gibbs Racing #11, Nascar, Nextel Cup, Sprint Cup, Teams

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Car of Tomorrow Tests At Atlanta

By Luke, Thunder Lounge
Thursday October 25, 2007
5:05pm CDT
Published on Thunder Lounge.

There’s something that has been on my mind recently. It’s killing me, really.

We know that the dominoes have fallen, and that Dale Earnhardt Jr, Kyle Busch, and JJ Yeley will all test with their 2008 teams. That makes perfect sense given the fact that the Car of Tomorrow test at Atlanta will not really yield any information which will benefit teams for the remainder of the 2007 season.

So let’s keep that in mind for a minute as we ask the question: “Will Gibbs show up with Toyota’s?”

The test will be taking place this coming Monday and Tuesday, and is NASCAR’s way of trying to remove a little blindness going into the 2008 season and finally running the COT on a track longer than a mile. Talladega excluded, of course, but we’re talking about the staple of tracks on the schedule. The down force ones.

With the fact that there won’t be much to gain for Phoenix from this test, which is why you’re seeing drivers being allowed to test with a new team, could Gibbs bring Camry’s to the test? Maybe I’m off my rocker, and I’ve seen nothing even hinting to the possibility, but what do they have to lose? Loss of manufacturer support for 3 events? I doubt there’s anything that could ~~save~~ help them by then.

What is left is everything to gained from doing so. Anything that can be gained on 2008 is something to be cherished. Even with all the similarities between manufacturers with the COT, there are still enough differences to drive the need for information.

Michael Waltrip recently came out and mentioned to ESPN that Gibbs is a partial credit for his teams recent performance gains. Of course as soon as that hit the wire the Gibbs folks were in a full denial campaign. I’ll have to cry foul on that one. It is not believable that they haven’t touched a Toyota part, tested Toyota equipment, and at the same time discussed that information with TRD. It’s quite plausible that Gibbs hasn’t given up any of the really juicy details yet, but to think there has been no communication or preparation on Gibbs part is one of the biggest crocks of the year.

So, will they bring Camry’s, or won’t they? Could they pull a Bill Davis and try to mask it with a bowtie on the front?

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Filed Under: Atlanta, Joe Gibbs Racing #11, Joe Gibbs Racing #18, Joe Gibbs Racing #20, Nascar, Nextel Cup, Tracks

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WTF’s For Martinsville

By Luke, Thunder Lounge
Wednesday October 17, 2007
7:28am CDT
Published on Thunder Lounge.

New Driver At Roush?

Ricky Stenhouse of Olive Branch, MS has been drafted into training to become a Roushketeer. Ricky is currently racing USAC (National Sprints and Midgets) for Tony Stewart, and will move into ARCA in 2008 for Roush according to the Roush Fenway PR.

Um, WTF? Doesn’t look to be much room at the top, especially when one considers that Roush has to “get rid” of a car in a little over a year. Needless to say, their current program looks pretty much full, but here comes another one. Something smell a little fishy here? I wouldn’t say fishy, Charlie Tuna, but Roush knows where the sandbox is to play in. Let’s not forget that he plans to move a team over to Yates Racing when the time comes. However, we still wonder what’s going on with this.

Which brings us to a similar topic…

3M Primary Sponsor For Biffle In 2008, Multi-year Deal

3M has worked out a multi-year deal to be the primary sponsor of the #16 and Greg Biffle as per the Roush Fenway PR. While Biffle has not re-signed with Roush, his contract currently expires after the 2008 season, he did say he’s pretty likely (like 80% or so) to resign with Roush. Well, who’s going to be going then? Unless something drastic happens with the Biffle negotiations, the only choice Roush has is Regan. Nice kid, but if Biffle resigns, and you know Kenseth and Edwards aren’t going anywhere, and Jamie fits in there very, very, well too, the kids going to Yates. Which might not be a bad thing, as at least he’ll still have a job.

Either way, Jack’s making all these deals like he’s got more cars than a Mark Martin Ford dealership. Something else is going on that we don’t know. Has to be. So WTF?

Lights at Martinsville Would Be Bad?

Clay Campbell questions the addition of lights for Martinsville Speedway in a Virginian Pilot interview. his big concern is that is can get a little chilly at night in late March/early April, as well as in October. However, it may help out with some of the other things (modifieds and late models), and they have rigged temporary lighting in the past. However, the big deal is that those take up so much room.

Lights wouldn’t make sense? WTF? Just because you have them, doesn’t mean NASCAR would make it a night race. Although, I will admit, it would be really, really cool. The big benefit of it, Mr. Campbell, would be if a race goes late and there is a need for additional light. See: Kansas, 2007 for a prime example. I’ll also cite October, 2001, where it rained enough to keep the race from running on Sunday, but with lights it could have went off without a hitch. (I ate too many hot dogs that day.)

And now, our final WTF of the week…

Michael Waltrip Attributes Recent Improvement To Gibbs

Ruh Roh! Should you have told ESPN that, Mikey?

Yes, indeed, Joe Gibbs has been doing their homework on their new manufacturer for 2008. To be honest, if you didn’t think they were, you need far more help than I can give you. However, did anyone think that information would be disseminated to their new brethren before Homestead? Let me see here. We’ve got 2 drivers in the Chase, so let’s tick off our current manufacturer even more by sharing information with our new friends. Wow. Never would have thought it would be a reality.

Sharing information with the parent company about their own brand, OK, I can buy that. However, that information being disseminated and helping them better themselves now, against their current manufacturer Chevrolet? Inconceivable. Preposterous! Yet, it’s true.

WTF???

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Filed Under: Drivers, Features, Greg Biffle, Joe Gibbs Racing #11, Joe Gibbs Racing #18, Joe Gibbs Racing #20, Martinsville, Michael Waltrip, Michael Waltrip Racing #00, Michael Waltrip Racing #44, Michael Waltrip Racing #55, Nascar, Roush Racing #16, Tracks, WTF? Wednesday's

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