DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Toyota Racing Development is making a renewed push to expand its lineup in the NASCAR Cup Series, and president David Wilson is optimistic about adding new teams for 2024.
“We’ve got some good irons in the fire now,” Wilson told NBC Sports last weekend at Daytona International Speedway. “What was once a very effective strategy to amass our resources across fewer cars, with the marginalization of the areas that we have to play in and the flattening out of the playing field, we definitely need some more help.”
When TRD entered NASCAR’s premier series as a fourth manufacturer 16 years ago, the target was fielding roughly a quarter of the 43-car field. But Toyota’s Cup fleet always has remained in the single digits even as NASCAR shrunk to three manufacturers and a 40-car field.
Last year, there were six full-time Camrys in Cup between Joe Gibbs Racing (four) and 23XI Racing (two). Wilson said “nine to 10 cars is probably our sweet spot with this new car.”
Over the past two years, TRD has talked to teams within NASCAR and at least two potential car owners who had yet to enter racing. Wilson declined to say if Toyota now is focused on existing or new teams but did rule out a Chevrolet or Ford anchor team such as Hendrick Motorsports or Team Penske.
“We’re talking to a lot of the incumbents,” Wilson told NBC Sports. “It’s a very dynamic time right now. If you’re a team, you want to have an association with a manufacturer. Again, even in spite of the new car, the flattening of the playing field, there’s still something about having an alliance and partnership. The good news is there’s a lot of interest. The bad news is you don’t have to worry about Penske or Hendrick.
“So what’s interesting from a fan standpoint, what’s going to continue to drive interest in our sport is the trajectory of some of the smaller organizations. The Tier 2 or 3 and how they get better. And that’s good for the sport, because as we saw last year, the number of teams that won, the number of drivers that won was historically unprecedented.”
The Next Gen made its debut in NASCAR last year with the goal of reducing costs through standardization of the chassis and parts supplied by single-source vendors while also reducing development expenses. While primarily intended to introduce a more cost-effective team business model, the Next Gen also delivered a new era of competitiveness in its inaugural season. The 2022 season tied a modern-era record with 19 race winners, and the Championship 4 breakthrough by Trackhouse Racing (with Ross Chastain) was indicative of a new crop of teams able to contend outside of the traditional powerhouses.
Wilson also believes the Next Gen should allow TRD to pursue more teams without breaking the bank.
“My budget doesn’t extrapolate with added cars, so it’s a matter of allocating the same resource across more cars and not taking away from your current effort,” Wilson said. “But again, that’s more doable now because we’re much more constrained with our wind tunnel time as an example. That’s a resource that we pay, a number of dollars per hour, and NASCAR continues to trim that back. It wouldn’t surprise me in a couple of years if there is no wind tunnel other than for body submissions purposes. They’re being very intentional and thoughtful about trying to keep coming back into areas where the team feel they have to spend or OEMs feel they have to spend.”
Manufacturer investment remains important, though, and Wilson takes some solace (while also gritting his teeth) about the impact Toyota has made in NASCAR.
After a rough debut in 2007, TRD added Joe Gibbs Racing in 2008 and also opened a technical center in Salisbury, North Carolina, that helped drive its approach of getting its teams to work closely together.
It’s been an approach adopted by Ford and Chevrolet over the past decade. Ford opened its tech center in Concord several years ago, and General Motors opened a new 130,000-square-foot performance and tech center last year (just down the road from Hendrick Motorsports headquarters) with NASCAR operations overseen by Dr. Eric Warren.
“To suggest that we don’t have areas to work in, all you have to do is look at the monstrosity that General Motors has built in Concord,” Wilson said. “I haven’t been invited to tour it yet, but I have talked to some folks that have been through, and hats off to Eric and the guys there. They’re investing significant resources. Can’t say that I’m not a little envious.
“We cut the ribbon (on the Salisbury facility) in 2008, and it seems like just yesterday. What I love about this world or what I hate about it, if you’re not constantly moving forward, you’re falling behind. I love it that our competitors are re-evaluating how they participate. Not that they’re following our lead, but when we came in the sport, we were the only ones doing it this way. Getting our hands dirty and really participating is material to the return on that investment. I’m glad that there are others doing the same thing, but it does cause us to look forward and look at what we need to do to make sure that we remain competitive.
“It’s competition. It makes all of us better, and I like that side of it. That’s a microcosm of the greater automotive industry. When Toyota came to this country, ultimately we helped the competition indirectly get better because they had something different to compete against. That’s kind of fun.”
Wilson was at Daytona International Speedway last weekend to watch Vasser Sullivan’s No. 14 Lexus finish third in the GTD Pro category of the Rolex 24 at Daytona.
FAQs
Who will drive for Joe Gibbs Racing in 2023? ›
Sammy Smith will run the full Xfinity schedule in the No. 18 car, Joe Gibbs Racing announced Monday. The 18-year-old Smith, a Toyota development driver, won the ARCA Menards Series East title for a second consecutive year in 2022 and also made nine Xfinity starts with JGR.
Who will sponsor Ty Gibbs in 2023? ›54 for at least this season. The level of sponsorship is not known yet. . @MonsterEnergy will sponsor @TyGibbs in a "strong capacity" in his rookie NASCAR Cup Series campaign in 2023, per Monster executive Mitch Covington.
Who will race for RCR in 2023? ›8 team in 2023, Richard Childress Racing announced Thursday morning. Kyle Busch takes over the No. 8 in 2023 after spending the past 15 seasons at Joe Gibbs Racing.
Who is racing for Joe Gibbs in 2022? ›Joe Gibbs Racing has swapped pit crews between their No. 11 and No. 18 teams, giving drivers Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch new crews for the remainder of the 2022 season.
Who is Noah Gragson driving for in 2023? ›Petty GMS Motorsports announced Tuesday it had hired veteran crew chief Luke Lambert to serve to lead its No. 42 Cup team next season. The team had previously announced that Gragson would join the team in 2023 as driver.
Who all is on Joe Gibbs Racing team? ›- Christopher. Bell.
- Kyle. Busch.
- Ty. Gibbs.
- Denny. Hamlin.
- Brandon. Jones.
- Martin. Truex Jr.
Now Joe Gibbs Racing have confirmed the first driver in their NASCAR Xfinity Series lineup for the 2023 season. Sammy Smith, who competed for the team behind the wheel of the No. 18 Toyota, also known as the “star car”, in nine races during the 33-race 2022 season is set to drive the No. 18 Toyota full-time in 2023.
Who will drive JGR in Xfinity 2023? ›| # | Driver(s) | Team(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sam Mayer | JR Motorsports |
| 2 | Sheldon Creed | Richard Childress Racing |
| 3 | Ty Dillon (Darlington 1, TBA) | Richard Childress Racing |
| 4 | Bayley Currey | JD Motorsports |
WELCOME, N.C. — Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen will sponsor Kyle Busch and the No. 8 Richard Childress Racing team beginning in 2023. As part of the multi-race, multi-year agreement, RCR will provide strategic content, marketing and communications plans around their primary partnership on Kyle Busch's No.
Is Kyle Busch staying with Joe Gibbs Racing? ›8 Chevrolet for the organization in the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series, bringing an end to the two-time champion's long-running partnership with Joe Gibbs Racing. The announcement — held Tuesday morning at the NASCAR Hall of Fame — means Busch's 15th season with Coach Joe Gibbs' organization will be his last.
Did Kyle Busch quit Joe Gibbs Racing? ›
Kyle Busch's tenure at Joe Gibbs Racing will end after the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season. Looking back, how hard did the team try to actually keep him? When the 2023 NASCAR Cup series season rolls around, fans will see two of this year's playoff drivers piloting a new car.
Will Honda ever join NASCAR? ›Asked if it was considering a move into NASCAR, which has been the subject of ongoing rumor, HPD president Ted Klaus said stock car racing and the Next Gen formula due in 2022 is not in its plans.
Who sponsors Joe Gibbs Racing? ›The upcoming season will mark Rheem's 15th year as a NASCAR national series sponsor. Rheem brands will continue to be featured on both the No. 20 and No. 18 Toyota TRD Camry's for JGR with drivers Christopher Bell and Kyle Busch, respectively.
How many people work for Joe Gibbs Racing? ›Joe Gibbs Racing corporate office is located in 13415 Reese Blvd W, Huntersville, North Carolina, 28078, United States and has 572 employees.
Who owns Joe Gibbs Racing? ›J.D. Gibbs died in 2019 of degenerative neurological disease, and was also 49 at the time of his death. Coy Gibbs succeeded his older brother as vice chairman of the family-run NASCAR organization.
Who is the crew chief for Noah Gragson? ›Petty GMS Motorsports announced Tuesday that veteran crew chief Luke Lambert will lead the No. 42 Chevrolet team next season, continuing his partnership with driver Noah Gragson into 2023.
How old is Noah Gragson? › Who is Noah Gragson driving for in 2022? ›STATESVILLE, N.C. — Petty GMS Motorsports announced the final piece of its 2023 driver lineup Wednesday, promoting Noah Gragson to the NASCAR Cup Series full-time in the No. 42 Chevrolet and signing him to a multiyear deal.
Who is Joe Gibbs new driver? ›CONCORD, N.C. – Joe Gibbs Racing supplemented its driver lineup for the NASCAR Xfinity Series on Thursday, moving John Hunter Nemechek into a full-time role in 2023. Nemechek is set to drive the No.
Who were the former Joe Gibbs drivers? ›In addition to the team's four premier series champions, many accomplished drivers have taken the wheel for Gibbs, including Dale Jarrett, Terry Labonte, Matt Kenseth, Denny Hamlin, Carl Edwards, Ricky Craven and Joey Logano.
Who is the CEO of Joe Gibbs Racing? ›
Dave Alpern, Joe Gibbs Racing Inc: Profile and Biography - Bloomberg Markets.
Who is replacing Kyle Busch? ›Joe Gibbs Racing announced Tuesday that Gibbs would replace Kyle Busch in the team's four-driver Cup Series lineup. Gibbs will drive the No. 54 car as JGR won't field a No. 18 car in 2023.
Who will Austin Dillon drive for in 2023? ›Bass Pro Shops Returns as Multi-Race Primary Sponsor For RCR, Austin Dillon in 2023. On Friday, Richard Childress Racing and Bass Pro Shops announced that the outdoors retailer will return as a multi-race primary sponsor for Austin Dillon and the No. 3 NASCAR Cup Series team during the 2023 season.
What car is Austin Dillon driving in 2023? ›New Crew Chief Next Season Keith Rodden will join Richard Childress Racing as crew chief of the No. 3 Chevrolet driven by Dillon in 2023. Impact Rodden will replace Justin Alexander atop the No. 3 team's war wagon next season for driver Dillon.
Are customers leaving Comcast? ›Comcast has added about 2 million broadband customers over the past two years while its cable audience has dropped by about 3.5 million subscribers.
How many cars does Joe Gibbs have in Xfinity Series? ›...
Joe Gibbs Racing.
| Series | NASCAR Cup Series NASCAR Xfinity Series ARCA Menards Series |
| Career | |
|---|---|
As of 2022, the team fields four full-time entries in the Xfinity Series: the No. 1 Chevrolet Camaro SS full-time for Sam Mayer, the No.
What sponsors pulled out of Nascar? ›Companies such as Home Depot, Lowes, Office Depot have left the sport in recent years, and M&M's is set to join them after the upcoming season.
Is Jimmie Johnson returning to Nascar? ›Jimmie Johnson will make his Nascar Cup Series return in the 65th Daytona 500 on February 19, 2023, but it won't be in the familiar No. 48 Chevrolet.
How much does Kyle Busch make in endorsements? ›Kyle Busch
Busch, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver, will earn $16.9 million in salary in 2022. Recent estimates put his annual endorsement earnings at $1.7 million.
Why did Busch leave Gibbs? ›
Plus, a look at why Busch left Joe Gibbs Racing due to sponsors. Kyle Busch will be driving the No. 8 car for Richard Childress Racing during the 2023 NASCAR season and beyond after leaving Joe Gibbs Racing due to his former sponsor, Mars, pulling out of the sport.
Which Busch brother is divorcing? ›Kurt Busch and Wife Ashley Divorcing: 'I Am Heartbroken,' NASCAR Driver Says.
Does Denny Hamlin drive for Joe Gibbs? ›RELATED: 2023 NASCAR schedule
Hamlin has driven for Coach Joe Gibbs' No. 11 team since the beginning of his Cup Series career in 2005, a successful stretch that's totaled 48 victories in 614 starts.
Red Bull Powertrains – a new company set up by the Austrian outfit – then took over the Honda engine IP, but with help from the Japanese company under a support agreement. They are currently leading both championships with Red Bull, while the power units also power the AlphaTauri team.
What will replace the Camaro in NASCAR? ›Early reports suggest that Chevy will replace the Camaro with electric performance sedan released in 2025. With the electric E-Ray set to replace the Corvette, Chevy appears to already have its fill of electric sports cars and will transform the Camaro into something entirely new.
Is Acura coming to NASCAR? ›Acura to NASCAR 2023 confirmed.
What year did Joe Gibbs Racing switch to Toyota? ›However, Gibbs realized he would never be one of the top teams at GM—Hendrick and Childress would always be ahead of him. So, he took a chance and moved his team to Toyota in 2008. They surprised everyone when they were successful, perhaps even more so than with GM.
Is Bubba Wallace part of Joe Gibbs Racing? ›...
Bubba Wallace.
| Wins | Top tens | Poles |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 21 | 1 |
From 1999 to 2008, he drove the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing car, under crew chief Greg Zipadelli with The Home Depot as the primary sponsor. While driving for car owner Joe Gibbs, Stewart won two Cup Series championships in 2002 and 2005.
How many drivers drive for Joe Gibbs? ›In addition to two full-time drivers, another driver was announced as part of Joe Gibbs Racing's driver lineup for the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series season. Joe Gibbs Racing needed to replace both of their full-time drivers in their NASCAR Xfinity Series lineup for the 2023 season.
What is the value of Joe Gibbs Racing? ›
...
NASCAR racing teams ranked by team value in 2019 (in million U.S. dollars)
Gibbs retired as head coach and president in January 2008, citing family obligations. During Gibbs' four-year return to the Redskins, the team qualified for the playoffs twice, once more than it qualified for the playoffs during his 11-year absence. He was succeeded as head coach by Jim Zorn.
What race car does Joe Gibbs own? ›18 Toyota, during the 2022 season, but neither one is set to utilize a car number that was utilized by Gibbs or Jones in 2022. Gibbs drove the No. 54 Toyota, which had been the “star car” in 2020 and 2021, while Jones had driven the No. 19 Toyota since 2018.
Where is Joe Gibbs located? ›Joe Gibbs Racing | Huntersville, NC 28078.
Where is Joe Gibbs Racing based? ›Joe Gibbs Racing | NASCAR & Motorsports in Huntersville, NC.
Who will drive the 88 car next year? ›Earnhardt, "Junior" to the millions who follow the sport, will drive the 88 car for Hendrick Motorsports' new team that will have PepsiCo products Mountain Dew and AMP Energy as its other major sponsors, it was announced during a nationally televised press conference here Sept. 19.
Is Jimmie Johnson coming back to NASCAR in 2023? ›After spending the last two seasons competing in IndyCar for Chip Ganassi Racing, seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson is set to return to the Cup Series in 2023, driving the No. 84 Chevrolet for Legacy Motor Club.
Does Christopher Bell drive for Joe Gibbs Racing? ›...
Christopher Bell (racing driver)
| Wins | Top tens | Poles |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 42 | 4 |
Kevin Harvick, the 2014 NASCAR Cup Series champion, announced Thursday morning that the 2023 season will be his last as a full-time driver. The Athletic reported Wednesday that his announcement was planned for Thursday.
Why is there no 88 in NASCAR? ›behind the wheel of the #88 Chevrolet after Earnhardt retired following the 2017 season. Before Earnhardt began using the number 88 in 2008, he used the number 8. In 2007, it was Ricky Rudd who used the number 88 driving for Yates Racing after Dale Jarrett spent 11 years using the number driving for the same team.
Is Dodge ever coming back to NASCAR? ›
For those of you wanting Dodge to return to NASCAR's elite series, the Tony Stewart rumors are still in full swing. The latest rumors have Dodge possibly returning in 2024, as Stewart-Haas Racing is currently under contract with Ford Performance until the end of the 2023 season.
Is Miller Lite coming back to NASCAR? ›Team Penske has announced that Miller Lite will return as a primary sponsor to its No. 2 Ford and Brad Keselowski in 2018 and beyond. It continues a longstanding relationship, which began in 1991 with Rusty Wallace as driver. Scroll through for some of our favorite paint schemes through the years.
Why did Dodge leave NASCAR? ›Dodge has had multiple stints in NASCAR, most recently from 2001-12, but it left after winning a championship with Team Penske and Brad Keselowski. Penske was switching to Ford, and Dodge said it could not find another top-tier team to partner.
Is Kyle Busch going to have another baby? ›“We are so incredibly happy to announce that our baby girl will be joining our family via a gestational carrier in May of 2022!” The couple's first child, Brexton, is set to turn 7 years old next week.
What car will Ty Gibbs drive next year? ›NEWS: @TyGibbs will compete full time for Joe Gibbs Racing in the 2023 #NASCAR Cup Series behind the wheel of the No. 54 Toyota Camry TRD.
Is Kyle Busch retiring in 2023? ›Kyle Busch's Joe Gibbs Racing tenure is over after the 2022 season. Busch announced Tuesday that he would be heading to Richard Childress Racing in 2023. The announcement came after reports emerged Saturday that Busch would be leaving his longtime Cup Series home for RCR next season.
How many employees work for Joe Gibbs Racing? ›Common questions about Joe Gibbs Racing
Joe Gibbs Racing has 51 to 200 employees. Where are Joe Gibbs Racing headquarters? The headquarters for Joe Gibbs Racing are in Huntersville. How has Joe Gibbs Racing responded to COVID-19?