Gibbs says Stewart will not be offered ownership in team
Quote selected text Published April 28th, 2008 in NASCAR News
If Tony Stewart wants to become a NASCAR team owner, he’ll have to do it somewhere other than Joe Gibbs Racing. J.D. Gibbs, president of JGR, said Sunday that co-ownership at Gibbs is not an option for Tony Stewart, but other options are available.
“Our [ownership] deal is set the way it is,” Gibbs said. “But we could do some stuff to help him get started with his own team if that’s what he really wanted.”
Stewart said earlier in the week that he is interest in becoming a Sprint Cup team owner. He also said Haas/CNC Racing has offered that option while allowing him to drive for them. But Stewart is under contact with JGR through the 2009 season.
Gibbs said they have no intention of ending the relationship with Stewart before the contract expires. The deal with Home Depot, the primary sponsor of the #20 Toyota Stewart drives, also goes through 2009.
- Earnhardt, Jr on DEI offering him 51% ownership: ‘news to me’
- Newman has three serious options for 2009
- Biffle says he has been offered ownership in Cup team
- Logano likely to run Cup races for Gibbs this year
- Stewart talks about his options in NASCAR
If he was as smart as my girlfriend says he is he could go the route of JR. keep driving for gibbs, and create his own “jr motorsports” “smoke racing inc? SRI has a nice ring to it”
than have the support of gibbs engines (only thing is the toyota factor) and that way he gets to continue driving for a (current) top notch team, Get some developmental drivers going in the trucks/ busch (i wont call it what it is) series, than move it up to cup when the time is right.
ganjadude wrote:
JR Motorsports was not an overnight sucess it took years to get to the point it is now. I’m sure Tony doesnt want to wait 4 or 5 years for something that may or may not work. Unfortunately his age is a factor as most sponsors are leaning toward younger more marketable faces
while you are right, it was not, and some would say still is not a success, tony has the same name recognition as Jr, and if he has the choice between a minority stake (lets be realistic no one is going to offer him 51%) or starting from scratch and maintaining control, you would think he would go the latter.
All good points guys and I agree that Tony is a tad past a long term marketing situation.
Don’t get me wrong he still has a lot of options available to him.
I really don’t like the comments coming from JD Gibbs. His tone so far has been a little to defiant
(a boy with a LOT LESS character than his Dad for sure) and gives the idea that Tony will do what what he says or else. Well I for one hope Tony takes the or else part and tells JD to stick it,
as far as any contract extension goes…
GM and Chevy will give Tony all the options he wants and provide all the challenges he needs…
Jd’s comments are just fine, IMO. Gibbs would be stupid to give up part of the company to Tony. I thought it was a good idea for DEI and Jr to work out a part ownership deal because he could have helped to get the company back on track as far as racing goes. But JGR doesn’t need any help on or off the track. They’re doing fine with him and they’ll be fine without him. If he insists on walking at the end of his deal, so be it, but JGR has him under contract through next season, and they expect Tony to live up to his end of the deal that he agreed to.
They’re even offering to help him if he starts his own team (and I’m assuming wants to run Toyotas). I have a feeling that if he leaves to start a team, it will be under Chevy, barring some kind of huge swing in the manufacturers in the next year and a half or so.
ganjadude wrote:
I agree with you on that but dont think he cares for toyota,he could start his own nationwide team etc. and maybe drive for rcr in the 33 then get help from childress in the way hendrick is helping jr,Im sure jr will be a cup owner but I dont see that happening anytime soon and think it would be a mistake for tony to try it.
Jeff : I was not saying that I thought Tony should get a piece of Gibbs Racing !! On that we agree,
what I was referring to is JDs over all tone of his comments. In that respect I felt he was being harsh and overly authoritative in reacting to what was being printed about what people perceived Tony was looking for. In short I think He overreacted showing a lack of tact in his sputtering to the press…
Fisha695 wrote:
Gone, are you talking about that Quote from JD? I don’t really see any overtones. The only real thing I saw in that quote that I’d change is “But we could do some stuff” I would have said, “We’d be willing”
Now I haven’t seen any of the video Interviews that he did, so he might have said something else that I’m unaware of.