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In announcing its move to Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing identified itself as a team that was ready, is willing, and will be able to carry the manufacturer's banner in the Cup Series.
This is the perfect example of what a great person coach Joe Gibbs is, not just the NASCAR team owner, but the NFL coach.
It's Wednesday, about 90 degrees at Redskins Park in Ashburn, Va., and Gibbs is doing his post-practice news conference before the Redskins regular-season opener against the Dolphins. As you can imagine, the stress level of the week has risen as the team is just days away from trying to overcome an extremely disappointing season in which they finished 5-11.
Coach begins his news conference coming off of the field as we jockey around him for position so that our cameras have a decent shot and we're not poking each other in the face with our microphones.
The topics move from his backup quarterback, to the Miami Dolphins new coach and finally, to the news that Gibbs racing will run Toyota next season.
He knows this is coming but gives a decent but very hurried answer about wanting to do what's best for the company and everyone involved. Coach leaves, goes inside and 20 minutes later, he shocks us all.
The media are waiting on the rest of the players to dwindle out of Redskins Park, Coach Gibbs' PR rep comes out to say that Coach doesn't feel like he said what he wanted to when asked about Toyota and he would like to do it again. This never happens -- an NFL head coach, asking to speak to the media again.
So we all gladly walk back down the stairs at Redskins Park and Gibbs comes back out to answer everything he could about Gibbs racing and the move to Toyota.
The most interesting point I took from it is that in a time when the other teams are merging with financial partners, he and J.D. and everyone involved want to keep Gibbs racing to a family-owned deal and they believe that by gaining a technical partner in Toyota, they can make that happen and be in the best position for years to come. He wants to give it to "my kids and grandkids," as he says.
Coach says he's been a part of the decision every step of the way and he is not concerned at all as far as what the announcement does to Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin's odds in the Chase for the championship given that they will obviously still be driving Chevys. It's a mutual support that will continue throughout the end of this season.
Coach Gibbs also talked about how good it is to know that J.J. Yeley will be able to use their resources now that he is going to drive for Hall of Fame Racing.
He's also thrilled with Kyle Busch coming onboard. When I had a chance to speak with him about Busch after the announcement, he said they loved the way Kyle laid it on the table, that he had made some mistakes and that he wants to be a part of the team. He said his drivers voted on the possibility to have Kyle come onboard.
As for any personality conflict that anyone could be concerned about, consider this -- that's part of what makes Coach Gibbs a hall of famer. He has an innate, exceptional ability to deal with people, to motivate people. Whether it's delaying a vacation to take a pit stop to settle the score between Stewart and Hamlin at the racetrack or easing the tension between wide receivers vying for touches, he is a master at what he does and believe me, did he not believe another championship and a first for Toyota could come as early as next season, the decision wouldn't have been made.
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