Leffler out of the #11

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Vern Demerest

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Leffler out at Gibbs; three to split No. 11 seat
August 8, 2005
06:10 PM EDT (22:10 GMT)


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Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) has released driver Jason Leffler from his driving duties with the No. 11 car in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series.

Two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Terry Labonte will compete in several of the upcoming Nextel Cup races in the No. 11, beginning this weekend at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International.


JGR will also turn to its NASCAR Busch Series drivers - J.J. Yeley and Denny Hamlin - to split driving duties in the No. 11 in the remaining Nextel Cup races where Terry Labonte is not scheduled to drive.

"This was a difficult decision," said J.D. Gibbs, president of JGR. "Everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing had high hopes for Jason and the No. 11 team, but our performance wasn't meeting the expectations all of us set forth at the beginning of the year.

"It hasn't been for lack of effort, as Jason is a talented race car driver who worked incredibly hard and was terrific with our sponsor.

"With an experienced veteran in Terry Labonte, the No. 11 will benefit from his 25 years of Nextel Cup racing, and ideally, climb higher in points.

"In looking toward next year, J.J. Yeley and Denny Hamlin will get some valuable seat time at the Nextel Cup level that will allow us to build the No.11 into a race-winning contender for 2006 and beyond."

Terry Labonte's addition to JGR is a natural, as Terry's younger brother, Bobby, is a 10-year veteran of JGR, having piloted the No.18 Interstate Batteries Chevrolet since 1995.

The Labonte brothers are the only brothers in NASCAR history to win NASCAR Cup Series championships. Terry won the title in 1984 and 1996, while Bobby won in 2000.

"We want to thank Hendrick Motorsports for allowing Terry to assist us with the No.11 team," said Gibbs, whose team now features three NASCAR Cup Series champions in Bobby, Trry and 2002 series champion Tony Stewart.

"In planning the future of the No.11 team, we looked around the Cup and Busch Series garages and decided that the two best talents were already driving for us. J.J. and Denny are exceptional race car drivers, and we felt it was important to give each of them a shot at Nextel Cup."

I seen this one coming for a while. When you start replacing your driver in certain races, it's not a good sign.
 
i love it....i hope Terry drives the wheels off of that car...
 
ouch, not even a season for Leffler.. i think Gibbs could have waited.. but hey, i think its good for Terry!
 
JJ Yelley should get that ride full time next year. I think he proved that he can actually drive unlike his predacessor.
 
Yeley has proved that he deserves the car? Proved that he can drive better than Leffler? I think the number of cars those two have wadded up combined is enough to start a pretty damn good junkyard.
 
What makes you think Terry will do any better?? Imean he did nothing in the #5 for the last year or so (Okay One win) but the rest of the time that car was in the rear and based on what Kyle did in such a short amount of time in the same car it obviously was not the car but the driver. Although Terry may finish more races than Leffler I do not see him being the best thing for the #11. I have always though that Yeley would be the "Driver" for the #11 and I think JGR has just been forced to accerlerate thier plans due to Leffler's poor performance.
 
Yeley probably is the future for the #11 but I'm thinking they want him to get some more seat time before they throw him full bore into a Cup ride. So he, Denny and Terry will share the ride. Besides you don't want him to be in too many races and kill his chance for ROY.
 
Tony Stewart had only 36 Busch starts before going to Cup.

Yeley already has 40 starts and 12 more so 52, I think thats enough seat time.
 
I never understood why leffler was hired in the first place.
 
Not a surprise to me. I was surprised when a new, high profile sponsor agreed to Leffler in the first place.
 
It about time..............let J.J. Yeley take over that #11 ride, hell he can't do no worst!

From Joe himself..........We want to thank Hendrick Motorsports for allowing Terry to assist us with the #11 team," said Gibbs, whose team now features three NASCAR Cup Series champions in Bobby, Terry and 2002 series champion Tony Stewart. "In planning the future of the #11 team, we looked around the Cup and Busch Series garages and decided that the two best talents were already driving for us. J.J. and Denny are exceptional race car drivers, and we felt it was important to give each of them a shot at Nextel Cup."
 
kat2220 said:
Not a surprise to me. I was surprised when a new, high profile sponsor agreed to Leffler in the first place.
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I agree! I was really hoping that FedEx was ... ah, I can't even make a joke about wanting them to do well! :growl:
 
A lot of people said they lost respect for Penske because he fired Brenden Gaughn who had 36 starts. people said Penske should have given him more time. No one loses respect for JGR?
 
Bucky Badger said:
A lot of people said they lost respect for Penske because he fired Brenden Gaughn who had 36 starts. people said Penske should have given him more time. No one loses respect for JGR?
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This ant Jason's first rodeo, he's had a second chance to perform.
 
Dinoforthe3 said:
I never understood why leffler was hired in the first place.
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Because of the influence on Tony Stewart. JJ and Jason are his Sprint Car buddies.

Let JJ get his shot. He is a heck of a race car driver and the later part of the season, he has really stepped up to the plate and got some decent finished.. HMMMM sounds like another driver in cup (Tony)
 
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