Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota Racing Development will form a partnership to develop engines for JGR in addition to existing TRD clients.
After 11 engine failures this year JGR – which had been contending for a NASCAR Sprint Cup title last year – something had to be done.
JGR and star engine builder, Mark Cronquist, had been doing their own engines for while TRD supplied motors to Michael Waltrip Racing, Red Bull Racing, and JTG Daughtery.
As Lee White, TRD’s president and general manager, explained “I think the statement that we’re looking for the strengths of both organizations going forward here is absolutely key. There are historically things that Mark (Cronquist, JGR engine builder) and his group have really excelled at and there are also things that TRD has excelled at. We’re a more engineering driven company at TRD, where Mark is a more traditional NASCAR team builder. He’s able to react very, very quickly and move forward quickly with the developments and that’s something that TRD needs to be able to enhance that capability and learn how to do that better.”
J.D. Gibbs, president of JGR explained “basically, we’re still going to have our motor shop. There are still projects and things that we’re going to do here and we’re going to kind of combine that with projects done in Costa Mesa. Our hope is, we’re looking to probably add a couple Nationwide programs, maybe a Truck program.” He added that there would not be any layoffs at the company’s engine shop.
White said TRD could add other customers if there is an interest. “This marriage with JGR is not stretching TRD to its absolute limit of capacity. In fact, it increases our capacity. So, certainly we would be in our new partnership with JGR more than happy to look at that as a revenue producing opportunity in the future.”
That would include whatever becomes of the Red Bull Team next year.
After 11 engine failures this year JGR – which had been contending for a NASCAR Sprint Cup title last year – something had to be done.
JGR and star engine builder, Mark Cronquist, had been doing their own engines for while TRD supplied motors to Michael Waltrip Racing, Red Bull Racing, and JTG Daughtery.
As Lee White, TRD’s president and general manager, explained “I think the statement that we’re looking for the strengths of both organizations going forward here is absolutely key. There are historically things that Mark (Cronquist, JGR engine builder) and his group have really excelled at and there are also things that TRD has excelled at. We’re a more engineering driven company at TRD, where Mark is a more traditional NASCAR team builder. He’s able to react very, very quickly and move forward quickly with the developments and that’s something that TRD needs to be able to enhance that capability and learn how to do that better.”
J.D. Gibbs, president of JGR explained “basically, we’re still going to have our motor shop. There are still projects and things that we’re going to do here and we’re going to kind of combine that with projects done in Costa Mesa. Our hope is, we’re looking to probably add a couple Nationwide programs, maybe a Truck program.” He added that there would not be any layoffs at the company’s engine shop.
White said TRD could add other customers if there is an interest. “This marriage with JGR is not stretching TRD to its absolute limit of capacity. In fact, it increases our capacity. So, certainly we would be in our new partnership with JGR more than happy to look at that as a revenue producing opportunity in the future.”
That would include whatever becomes of the Red Bull Team next year.