Joe Gibbs Racing: Theme of change continues as team exhales Smoke

2008 season review

Two major changes at Joe Gibbs Racing resulted in a stellar transitional year for the organization, as the switch from Chevrolet to Toyota and the addition of Kyle Busch helped JGR to 10 Sprint Cup victories.

After a disappointing and embarrassing start to its Sprint Cup era, Toyota was able to add Gibbs to its lineup and the changeover brought immediate results. Gibbs suddenly made the manufacturer a contender and the move had a halo effect to other Toyota teams in the Cup garage.

The combination of the newfound Toyota horsepower and Busch translated into one of the most spectacular seasons in NASCAR history. Busch rocketed through the regular season at a furious pace, winning eight times in the year's first 22 events and cementing his role as the current NASCAR villain after his several on-track run-ins and off-track comments.

Ultimately, Busch's dream season ended in a nightmare with a dismal performance in the Chase derailing his championship hopes.

"No, I would not have predicted the kind of year we had," said Busch, who racked up a total of 21 Sprint Cup, Nationwide and truck series wins in 2008. "But yes, I am disappointed with how the way things ended up in the Chase. We had things go wrong and made some mistakes, but I know we'll be here to compete for championships for years to come."

While Busch took eight checkered flags, teammates Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin each won once.

Stewart dropped a bombshell at midseason when he announced his intentions to leave JGR after 10 seasons to start his own team in 2009.

"I cannot thank Joe and J.D. Gibbs enough for the opportunity they gave me and for the support they've given me throughout my entire NASCAR career," said Stewart, who won a pair of Sprint Cup championships with the team. "I've learned so much from them and have a tremendous amount of respect for what they've built."

Many thought that once Stewart made his plans official for 2009, he would go on one of his patented summer runs to end his JGR career on a high note.

But, although he did make the Chase, Stewart was only able to notch the controversial Talladega win in October over Regan Smith and finished the season ninth in the final standings.

Hamlin showed more flashes of the promise that he'll be a force in the series for years to come. He scored 12 top five and 18 top 10 finishes in a year that included an emotional win at his home track in Martinsville, Va. But too many pit road mistakes and engine problem cost the fiery Hamlin any chance to challenge for the title once the Chase began, and he had to scrap his way to an eight-place finish in the championship race.

2009 season preview

JGR will start 2009 with a trio of youngsters as teen phenom Joey Logano replaces Stewart in the No. 20 entry to join Busch, 23, and Hamlin, 28.

The team's original plan was for Logano to gain a full season of Nationwide Series experience. Instead, the kid known as "Sliced Bread" was put on a Sprint Cup fast track in the wake of Stewart's departure.

Logano, who won a Nationwide race in 2008, isn't afraid of the huge challenge ahead.

"It's an opportunity any young racer in the world only dreams about," Logano said. "I have the best of everything with the equipment and support from Joe Gibbs Racing and having a crew chief like Zippy (Greg Zipadelli) will be an enormous benefit."

After winning on tracks of every imaginable size and shape in 2008, Busch will again be a contender for Victory Lane on a weekly basis. The brash Busch is also his own worst enemy; if he can keep his emotions in check more often than not, he will have a better chance at upping the ante in 2009.

Hamlin's team needs to eliminate the problems that plagued the No. 11 group. A season with multiple victories and another Chase berth is definitely possible.

The wild card in the equation is Logano, who faces an even steeper learning curve now that NASCAR has banned all testing. He will be forced to learn on the job, a difficult task for any driver, even one as talented as Logano.

JGR will have to prove it can compete on a regular basis with its trio of youngsters. Without a veteran presence like Stewart in house, it will be interesting to see how the talented youth movement will develop and perform.