Gibbs to Toyota

Joe Gibbs Racing will announce tomorrow that it is trading in its Monte Carlos for Camrys effective next season. This is by far the biggest coup for Toyota in its NASCAR recruiting efforts. JGR is a really big fish.

The effects of such a NASCAR powerhouse switching to the foreign manufacturer are unknown. A few questions yet to be answered:

1. How do Tony Stewart and Danny Hamlin feel about this move?
2. How will the legion #20 fans react? Will Tony lose fans? Toyota has not been well received by the NASCAR fan community.
3. And the BIG question: Toyota has underperformed this year. Will Tony Stewart, Kyle Busch, and Denny Hamlin be able to make the cars go fast? Tony Stewart, for one, will not accept losing because of a bad car. He is likely to spontaneously combust if he gets as far as say, Indianapolis, next year without a win.

More reaction tomorrow...This is a very big deal in NASCAR.

From the "embarrassing demotions" dept, J.J. Yeley will race for Hall of Fame racing next year. What happens to Tony Raines? (Does it matter?)

The Earnhardt Domino effect continues:

Earhardt to Hendrick / Kyle Busch fired / Kyle Busch to Gibbs / J.J. Yeley fired / Yeley to HoF / Tony Raines fired...My guess is that that is the last domino. Raines is not exactly a hot free agent.