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Motorsports

Gibbs' son keeps team at top

Associated Press
Published November 19, 2005

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HOMESTEAD - At Joe Gibbs Racing, nobody calls J.D. Gibbs "Coach."

But the president of the family business is running a team on the brink of its third NASCAR championship, as his famous father takes care of other business.

Shortly after Joe Gibbs leads his Washington Redskins against the Oakland Raiders on Sunday in Landover, Md., Tony Stewart will race his No. 20 Home Depot Chevrolet at Homestead-Miami Speedway, trying to wrap up another title for the team that carries the coach's name.

Stewart, who added a title in 2002 to the one Bobby Labonte earned for JGR in 2000, heads into the season-ending Ford 400 needing only to finish ninth or better to take his second title.

J.D. Gibbs doesn't want to take the credit, but if Stewart clinches, this title would belong mostly to him. The first two came while he was learning his role as team president and his father still attended races and came to the office almost daily.

Then Joe Gibbs, a three-time Super Bowl winner and Hall of Famer who left coaching at the end of the 1992 season - the race team's first year - returned to the sidelines with the Redskins in 2004 and left J.D. in charge of the race team.

"Sure, I was concerned when he decided to put it on my shoulders," J.D. Gibbs said Friday. "What my dad has a gift for, he's a great team builder, good leader."

At 36, J.D. says he feels more comfortable in his role. And he has help from team manager Jimmy Makar, Stewart's veteran crew chief Greg Zipadelli, vice president of operations Todd Meredith and others.

Stewart has no doubts about the team president.

"I think he underestimates his ability as the team leader," Stewart said. "J.D. is a really smart guy - a lot smarter than he lets people know."

Trucks postponed

HOMESTEAD - NASCAR's season-ending truck race, the Ford 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, was postponed Friday night because of rain. The race is scheduled to start at 8:30 a.m. today.

NASCAR made several attempts to start the race, and the trucks ran 12 laps under caution until scattered showers prevented a green-flag start.

[Last modified November 19, 2005, 01:08:18]

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