Other GM teams concerned Gibbs to Toyota a done deal
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WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. -- The prevailing thought among Chevrolet teams is that Joe Gibbs Racing is too close in talks with Toyota to be included in Thursday's key partners' meeting in Detroit.
"No, I wouldn't feel comfortable with them there," Richard Childress Racing owner Richard Childress said before Sunday's Nextel Cup race at Watkins Glen International.
"If the [other Chevrolet] teams have a feeling they're going to be there, we're not going to discuss openly with them in a room things we normally would discuss openly. … You're sitting there working on stuff for next year and you don't want them to take that and help out the competition," Childress said.
Gibbs, RCR, Hendrick Motorsports and Dale Earnhardt Inc. comprise the key partners' group that meets once a month to discuss everything from engines to research and development, with a large focus on engines.
They then feed information to the other Chevrolet teams.
Childress said from his perspective there are enough signs to believe that JGR will leave General Motors for Toyota, which he says will take the Japan-based manufacturer to another level.
"It's pretty well written in stone," he said.
J.D. Gibbs, the president of JGR, said his organization plans to attend Thursday's meeting even though he wasn't aware there was one.
He would not comment on talks with Toyota, saying only that none of the GM teams have re-signed for 2008.
"We're not different than anyone else," he said. "And we haven't made any decisions. … We have had great conversations with GM over the past month. We think that will continue moving forward here."
Lee White, the senior vice president and general manager of Toyota Racing Development, said he's had contact from every organization in the Cup garage except Roush Fenway Racing.
While he didn't rule out getting one of the top-tier Chevrolet teams if negotiations break down with GM, he said it would be a "stretch" to think that would happen.
JGR has won three championships since 2000 and has a stable of Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch for 2008. As long as there's a chance the organization might bolt, Chevrolet teams are skeptical about including it in key planning meetings.
"It's one of those deals where our key partners with Chevrolet has been very successful over the years, especially on the engine side," said Richie Gilmore, the director of motorsports at DEI. "We share everything.
"I would think if they're as far down the road as we're hearing, they would come up with an excuse [not to attend Thursday's meeting]. … They're a very classy group. If they're that far down the road I wouldn't expect them to show up."
Gilmore said this is a bad year to lose a team such as JGR, which has been integral in the development of the new R07 engine.
"We just developed a new engine and all that technology is gone to another competitor," he said.
David Newton covers motorsports for ESPN.com.
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WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. -- The prevailing thought among Chevrolet teams is that Joe Gibbs Racing is too close in talks with Toyota to be included in Thursday's key partners' meeting in Detroit.
"No, I wouldn't feel comfortable with them there," Richard Childress Racing owner Richard Childress said before Sunday's Nextel Cup race at Watkins Glen International.
"If the [other Chevrolet] teams have a feeling they're going to be there, we're not going to discuss openly with them in a room things we normally would discuss openly. … You're sitting there working on stuff for next year and you don't want them to take that and help out the competition," Childress said.
Gibbs, RCR, Hendrick Motorsports and Dale Earnhardt Inc. comprise the key partners' group that meets once a month to discuss everything from engines to research and development, with a large focus on engines.
They then feed information to the other Chevrolet teams.
Childress said from his perspective there are enough signs to believe that JGR will leave General Motors for Toyota, which he says will take the Japan-based manufacturer to another level.
"It's pretty well written in stone," he said.
J.D. Gibbs, the president of JGR, said his organization plans to attend Thursday's meeting even though he wasn't aware there was one.
He would not comment on talks with Toyota, saying only that none of the GM teams have re-signed for 2008.
"We're not different than anyone else," he said. "And we haven't made any decisions. … We have had great conversations with GM over the past month. We think that will continue moving forward here."
Lee White, the senior vice president and general manager of Toyota Racing Development, said he's had contact from every organization in the Cup garage except Roush Fenway Racing.
While he didn't rule out getting one of the top-tier Chevrolet teams if negotiations break down with GM, he said it would be a "stretch" to think that would happen.
JGR has won three championships since 2000 and has a stable of Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch for 2008. As long as there's a chance the organization might bolt, Chevrolet teams are skeptical about including it in key planning meetings.
"It's one of those deals where our key partners with Chevrolet has been very successful over the years, especially on the engine side," said Richie Gilmore, the director of motorsports at DEI. "We share everything.
"I would think if they're as far down the road as we're hearing, they would come up with an excuse [not to attend Thursday's meeting]. … They're a very classy group. If they're that far down the road I wouldn't expect them to show up."
Gilmore said this is a bad year to lose a team such as JGR, which has been integral in the development of the new R07 engine.
"We just developed a new engine and all that technology is gone to another competitor," he said.
David Newton covers motorsports for ESPN.com.