Gibbs confirm Toyota switch

JGR is expected to become the leading Toyota squad in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series next year and will guarantee the entry of their three Toyota Camrys in the season opener Daytona 500.

"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."

JGR have been associated with General Motors since their debut in the 1992 Daytona 500, running both the Chevrolet and Pontiac brands through their 16-year relationship, which gave them three Nextel Cup titles in 2000 with Bobby Labonte and in 2002 and 2005 with Tony Stewart.

"General Motors has been a great partner to Joe Gibbs Racing, and we've been able to celebrate many victories together," said Joe Gibbs, owner and founder of JGR.

"GM has many great teams, and moving forward, we know they will continue to be very successful. It's our hope we can deliver to GM their 38th Cup Series championship this season as a way to cap our 16- year relationship with them."

Two of the team's current drivers, Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin are already locked in the Chase for the Nextel Cup and are both expected to be serious contenders for the championship, while another Chase contender, Kyle Busch, will join them in the team next year.

JGR have their own engine programme, which develops power units for their Nextel Cup and Busch Series cars, also providing support to Hall of Fame Racing.

Mark Cronquist, who runs this department at the team, will be in charge of taking the Toyota engines to the next level.

"Joe Gibbs Racing is one of the most respected teams in NASCAR, a championship-caliber race team and a first-class organization," said Jim Aust, vice president of Toyota Motorsports and president and CEO of Toyota Racing Development, USA.

"We are confident that partnering with the Gibbs team will raise the level of our entire Toyota NASCAR program, and will be beneficial to all of our current teams racing the Toyota Camry."

Toyota will grow from three to five teams next year, fielding at least ten Camrys in the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, while JGR also announced that they will also run Toyotas in their NASCAR Grand National Series effort.