Gibbs Goes With Their Own
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Most of you watched this past weekend as all three of the Joe Gibbs Racing cars went “up in smoke” (sorry for the pun, couldn’t resist) at some point while either getting ready for, or during the All-Star Challenge. It all started on Friday when Tony Stewart blew up in practice and the team was forced to change engines in the car overnight, resulting in a dead last starting position for Smoke. Then, on Saturday night during the race itself, after dominating the first segment of the race, Kyle Busch’s engine blew during the second segment, ultimately ending his evening. Then, the third engine gave in when Denny Hamlin’s motor had issues with the valve train as he led the fourth and final segment of the race. In fact, the only engine that held up over the weekend that the JGR crew put under one of their hoods was the replacement engine for Stewart that helped guide him to a fifth place finish despite his shoddy starting position.
It’s been no secret that JGR has had its share of bad luck this year, whether it be tire issues or mechanical - most notably, the fuel pickup problem that Hamlin suffered earlier in the season that robbed him of a win at Bristol. For those of you worried that this could be more of the same, however, you can rest easy knowing that the rotten luck that the team suffered this past weekend in Charlotte was self-inflicted and nothing more than a bit of greed from the team’s engine department.
Several reports have indicated that Gibbs opted not to go with their standard engine stock that they use each week from Toyota Racing Development, and instead decided to use their own engines. The results were dissatisfying, no doubt, but the team felt that this was the week to try to pull of such a feat and really don’t seem to shaken by their lackluster performances.
Mark Conquist, the head engine builder at Joe Gibbs Racing, stated, “We got some new stuff coming and it’s really good, and we should have brought it. But, we got greedy and brought more than that. So, it was probably just more my greed than anything, but you come to this race with all your guns loaded.”
Two-time Cup Series Champion, Tony Stewart, simply added, “You can’t get better if you don’t try stuff. It was experimental stuff and [that] was the night to try that stuff. When it comes time to run 600 miles next week, we can do it.”
Tags: all-star challenge, all-star race, Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing, Kyle Busch, lowes motorspeedway, mark conquist, NASCAR, Sprint Cup Series, Tony StewartRelated Stories
POSTED IN: NASCAR
5 opinions for Gibbs Goes With Their Own
Ryan Newman's #1
May 20, 2008 at 3:39 pm
Joe Gibbs Racing has been a dominating team, but they have had their bad luck once in a while. Though, I think some of the attention should be in other teams too. There are drivers who don’t receive the credit they deserve, and when they finish good or win a race, the people want to be talking then.
Tim Zaegel
May 20, 2008 at 9:44 pm
In my mind Gibbs has been far and away the most intimidating team on the track almost every week, but I’ve predicted all along that a variety of equipment failures would halter any potential run at the Cup this year … mainly just because everything’s still so new between them & Toyota.
I agree, though, that there are a lot of teams and drivers out there that haven’t been talked about nearly enough this year … most notably RCR. All three of their drivers have been tremendously consistent and near the front every week, yet they get very little play with the media.
RevJim
May 20, 2008 at 11:55 pm
It seemed rather obvious that Cronquist was experimenting for the All Star race, and the drivers knew it, since nobody seemed too upset. It’s better to test something like that at a non-points race than a points race.
It does make me curious to see what they have for the 600 this weekend.
The splash RCR is making this season does seem under reported. Of the three drivers, only Kevin Harvick is in danger of dropping out of the top twelve.
The battle for the top twelve continues, and will continue all the way to Richmond. I find that quite exciting. Positions 7 through 12 are in jeopardy, and Newman, Kahne, Truex, and Montoya are all very close to usurping someone from the top twelve. Carl Edwards in seventh is separated from Ryan Newman and Kasey Kahne (tied for thirteenth) by 136 points.
Tim Zaegel
May 21, 2008 at 5:43 pm
I don’t see Harvick falling out of the Top-12 at any point in the season. If I recall, I think that this is typically one of his not-so-great months (track-wise), but he still seems to be hanging tough.
As for the Chase for that Top-12, I think Edwards is pretty much a lock. The only reason he’s even that low in points is because of the Vegas penalty.
Ryan Newman's #1
May 21, 2008 at 6:16 pm
Tim is right. Edwards would have been higher in points if he never got that Vegas penalty. I mean, losing 100 points is a lot, but he’s done good to rebound.
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