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Learn how "Coach" has been successful both on the track and the field

1991

April Joe Gibbs and business partner Don Meredith meet Hendrick Motorsports general manager Jimmy Johnson and racing legend Richard Petty, among others, to discuss forming a Winston Cup team. June Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) acquires sponsorship from Interstate Batteries to run the full Winston Cup schedule in 1992. July JGR hires driver Dale Jarrett and crew chief Jimmy Makar. August Team members begin reporting for work at the original home of JGR on Harris Blvd., in Charlotte, N.C. The team leases shop space and engines from Hendrick Motorsports. September First race cars are built. The team has a total of 18 crew members.

1992

January First race cars take to the track during GM testing at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. February First Winston Cup race for JGR. Jarrett starts 35th and finishes 36th due to an accident after 91 laps. July J.D. Gibbs (Gibbs’ oldest son) and Todd Meredith (Don Meredith’s son) join JGR full-time.

1993

February Jarrett scores first Winston Cup victory for JGR in the Daytona 500. The win comes exactly one year after JGR made its Winston Cup debut. March Joe Gibbs retires as head coach of the NFL’s Washington Redskins after 12 seasons, where he guided the team to three victories in their four Super Bowl appearances. His final record is 140-65 with a 16- 5 playoff record. November Interstate Batteries extends contract with JGR. A new shop just north of Charlotte is built.

1994

April Joe Gibbs moves from Vienna, Va., to Charlotte to be closer to his race team. October Jarrett wins second Winston Cup race for JGR at Charlotte Motor Speedway. November JGR moves into its new shop at Twin Lakes business park just north of Charlotte. Bobby Labonte replaces Dale Jarrett in the No. 18 car.

1995

April Labonte scores first Winston Cup pole position for JGR at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. May Labonte wins third Winston Cup race for JGR at Charlotte Motor Speedway. June Labonte wins fourth Winston Cup race for JGR at Michigan International Speedway. August Labonte scores second Winston Cup pole position for JGR at Michigan International Speedway. Labonte wins fifth Winston Cup race for JGR at Michigan International Speedway from the pole position, sweeping both Michigan races. November JGR starts its own in-house engine program, ending its lease agreement with Hendrick Motorsports.

1996

September Labonte scores third Winston Cup pole position for JGR at Dover (Del.) Downs International Speedway. October JGR announces it will switch its make of cars from Chevrolets to Pontiacs. Labonte scores fourth Winston Cup pole position for JGR at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Labonte scores fifth Winston Cup pole position for JGR at Phoenix International Raceway. November Labonte scores sixth Winston Cup pole position for JGR at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Labonte wins sixth Winston Cup race for JGR at Atlanta Motor Speedway from the pole position, the same day older brother Terry wins his second Winston Cup championship.

1997

April Tony Stewart unofficially joins JGR, competing in five Busch Series races for Bobby Labonte Enterprises. June Labonte scores seventh Winston Cup pole position for JGR at Dover Downs International Speedway. September Labonte scores eighth Winston Cup pole position for JGR at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway. October J.D. Gibbs is named president of JGR. Labonte scores ninth Winston Cup pole position for JGR at North Carolina Speedway. November Gibbs buys the assets of Labonte’s Busch Series team. Labonte wins seventh Winston Cup race for JGR at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

1998

January JGR announces that Stewart will run 22 Busch Series races in 1998. February Labonte scores 10th Winston Cup pole position for JGR at Daytona International Speedway for the Daytona 500. Stewart scores first Busch Series pole position for JGR at North Carolina Speedway. March Labonte win first Busch Series race for JGR at Darlington Raceway. Labonte wins eighth Winston Cup race for JGR at Atlanta Motor Speedway, his third win in four starts at Atlanta. Gibbs breaks ground on a new, 120,000 square-foot shop on a 14-acre site in Huntersville, N.C. April Labonte scores 11th Winston Cup pole position for JGR at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. Labonte wins ninth Winston Cup race for JGR at Talladega Superspeedway from the pole position. It is the team’s first restrictor plate win since forming their own engine department. May Labonte scores second Busch Series pole position for JGR at Charlotte Motor Speedway. July Labonte scores 12th Winston Cup pole position for JGR at Daytona International Speedway. September The Home Depot announces its sponsorship of a second JGR team in Winston Cup with Stewart. October Stewart scores third Busch Series pole position for JGR at North Carolina Speedway. December Employees move into the new home of JGR – 13415 Reese Blvd., West in Huntersville, N.C.

1999

February Stewart qualifies on the outside pole for the Daytona 500 – his first career Winston Cup start. March Labonte scores 13th Winston Cup pole position for JGR at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Labonte scores 14th Winston Cup pole position for JGR at Atlanta Motor Speedway. April Stewart scores 15th Winston Cup pole position for JGR at Martinsville Speedway. May Stewart wins The Winston Open at Charlotte Motor Speedway and finishes second in The Winston. Labonte scores 16th Winston Cup pole position for JGR at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Stewart pulls double-duty, completing the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 in the same day. June Labonte scores 17th Winston Cup pole position for JGR at Dover Downs International Speedway. Labonte wins 10th Winston Cup race for JGR at Dover Downs International Speedway from the pole position. Labonte wins 11th Winston Cup race for JGR at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway. July Labonte wins 12th Winston Cup race for JGR at Pocono Raceway, sweeping both Pocono races. August Labonte wins 13th Winston Cup race for JGR at Michigan International Speedway. Stewart scores 18th Winston Cup pole position for JGR at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway. JGR buys the assets of Diamond Ridge Motorsports, a two-car Busch Series team that will compete the full 34-race schedule in 2000. Jeff Purvis and Jason Leffler are the drivers. September Stewart wins 14th Winston Cup race for JGR at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway, becoming the first rookie to win a race since the late Davey Allison in 1987. October Labonte scores 19th Winston Cup pole position for JGR at Charlotte Motor Speedway. JGR’s No. 18 team wins Union 76 Pit Crew Competition at North Carolina Speedway. Stewart wins 15th Winston Cup race for JGR at Phoenix International Raceway. November Stewart wins 16th Winston Cup race for JGR at Homestead-Miami Speedway just after winning the previous weekend at Phoenix. Labonte wins 17th Winston Cup race for JGR at Atlanta Motor Speedway. JGR confirms its Busch Series lineup for 2000 – a two-car effort with Jason Leffler driving the team’s No. 18 ride, and Jeff Purvis taking the seat in the team’s No. 4 machine. Stewart earns the Winston Cup Rookie of the Year title with three wins, two poles, 12 top-five and 21 top-10 finishes.

2000

January JGR fields a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team for a limited schedule, with Coy Gibbs driving 12 races and J.D Gibbs driving five races. February Labonte wins 18th Winston Cup race for JGR at North Carolina Speedway. Following the Winston Cup race at Las Vegas, Labonte takes the point lead for the first time in his career. April Leffler scores fourth Busch Series pole position for JGR at Texas Motor Speedway. June Stewart wins 19th Winston Cup race for JGR at Dover Downs International Speedway. Labonte scores 20th Winston Cup pole position for JGR at Michigan International Speedway. Stewart wins 20th Winston Cup race for JGR at Michigan International Speedway just after winning the previous weekend at Dover. July Stewart scores 21st Winston Cup pole position for JGR at Pocono Raceway. Purvis scores fifth Busch Series pole position for JGR at Pikes Peak (Colo.) International Raceway. Stewart wins 21st Winston Cup race for JGR at New Hampshire International Speedway. August Leffler scores sixth Busch Series pole position for JGR at Indianapolis Raceway Park. Labonte wins 22nd Winston Cup race for JGR at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. September Labonte wins 23rd Winston Cup race for JGR at Darlington Raceway. Labonte scores 22nd Winston Cup pole position for JGR at New Hampshire International Speedway. Stewart wins 24th Winston Cup race for JGR at Dover Downs International Speedway, sweeping both Dover races. October Stewart scores 23rd Winston Cup pole position for JGR at Martinsville Speedway. Stewart wins 25th Winston Cup race for JGR at Martinsville Speedway from the pole position just after winning the previous weekend at Dover. Labonte wins 26th Winston Cup race for JGR at Charlotte Motor Speedway. November Leffler scores seventh Busch Series pole position for JGR at Phoenix International Raceway. Labonte scores 24th Winston Cup pole position for JGR at Phoenix International Raceway. JGR announces its Busch Series lineup for 2001 – a two-car effort with Mike McLaughlin driving the team’s No. 20 ride, and Jeff Purvis taking the seat in the team’s No. 18 machine. Stewart wins 27th Winston Cup race for JGR at Homestead-Miami Speedway, becoming the only Winston Cup race winner at Homestead in the series’ two visits to the South Florida track. Labonte, by virtue of his fourth-place finish at Homestead, secures his first Winston Cup championship, as well as the first championship for JGR. December Labonte and the No. 18 team of JGR are formally recognized as the 2000 Winston Cup champions in the Grand Ballroom of the Waldorf-Astoria during the annual Winston Cup awards banquet in New York City.

2001

January JGR fields a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team for a full schedule, with Coy Gibbs driving all 24 races and J.D Gibbs driving two races. February Stewart wins the Budweiser Shootout at Daytona, a specialty non-points event the week before the Daytona 500. April McLaughlin wins second Busch Series race for JGR at Talladega Superspeedway. Labonte scores 25th Winston Cup pole position for JGR at California Speedway. May Stewart wins 28th Winston Cup race for JGR at Richmond International Raceway. June Stewart wins 29th Winston Cup race for JGR at Sears Point Raceway earning Joe Gibbs Racing its first road course victory. July JGR consolidates it Busch Series operation to one team with McLaughlin in the No. 18. Labonte wins 30th Winston Cup race for JGR at Pocono Raceway. August Stewart wins 31st Winston Cup race for JGR at Bristol Motor Speedway. November Labonte wins 32nd Winston Cup race for JGR at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

2002

February Stewart wins the Budweiser Shootout at Daytona for the second straight year. March Stewart wins 33rd Winston Cup race for JGR at Atlanta Motor Speedway. April Labonte wins 34th Winston Cup race for JGR at Martinsville Speedway. May Stewart wins 35th Winston Cup race for JGR at Richmond International Raceway. June Stewart scores 26th Winston Cup pole position for JGR at Sears Point Raceway. July JGR announces it will switch its make of cars from Pontiacs to Chevrolets. August Stewart scores 27th Winston Cup pole position for JGR at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Stewart wins 36th Winston Cup race for JGR at Watkins Glen (N.Y) International. October Stewart takes point lead for first time in career following second-place finish at Talladega. Leads second-place Mark Martin by 72 points with six races remaining on the Winston Cup schedule. November JGR announces its Busch Series lineup for 2003 – a two-car effort with Coy Gibbs moving from the Craftsman Truck Series into the team’s No. 18 ride, and 2002 Truck Series champion Mike Bliss taking the seat in the team’s No. 20 machine. Makar moves from crew chief of Labonte and the No. 18 to become JGR’s senior vice president of racing operations. Michael “Fatback” McSwain joins JGR from Robert Yates Racing and begins transition into role as crew chief for Labonte and the No. 18. Stewart, by virtue of an 18th place finish in the season finale at Homestead, secures his first Winston Cup championship and the second for JGR. December Stewart and the No. 20 team of JGR are formally recognized as the 2002 Winston Cup champions in the Hammerstein Ballroom of the Manhattan Center during the annual Winston Cup awards banquet in New York City.

2003

February Labonte scores 28th Winston Cup pole position for JGR at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. March Labonte wins 37th Winston Cup race for JGR at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Labonte scores 29th Winston Cup pole position for JGR at Texas Motor Speedway. May Joe Gibbs Racing announces the formation of a diversity racing program with former NFL defensive lineman Reggie White, creating a grassroots stock car team that will identify and assist minorities with the desire and talent to make a career in motorsports. June Stewart wins 38th Winston Cup race for JGR at Pocono Raceway. Labonte scores 30th Winston Cup pole position for JGR at Michigan International Speedway. Stewart qualifies second to mark the first time that Joe Gibbs Racing starts 1-2 in a Winston Cup race. Labonte extends contract with JGR through 2008. July Stewart scores 31st Winston Cup pole position for JGR at Chicagoland Speedway. August Labonte scores 32nd Winston Cup pole position for JGR at Michigan International Speedway, sweeping the pole position at Michigan for 2003. Stewart extends contract with JGR through 2009. October Stewart wins 39th Winston Cup race for JGR at Charlotte Motor Speedway. November JGR signs USAC standout J.J. Yeley to a multi-year contract that begins in 2004 with an A-B-C development program where Yeley will run selected ARCA, Busch Series and Nextel Cup races. Labonte wins 40th Winston Cup race for JGR at Homestead-Miami Speedway. JGR announces its Busch Series lineup for 2004 – Bliss remains in the team’s No. 20 machine for a full Busch Series schedule, while Yeley runs a limited Busch Series schedule in the No. 18 car.

2004

January Joe Gibbs Racing’s diversity program chooses two drivers – Aric Almirola, a 19-year-old Hispanic from Tampa, Fla., who will compete at the .4-mile Ace Speedway in Altamahaw, N.C., and Chris Bristol, a 26-year-old African-American from Columbus, Ohio, who will compete at the .455-mile Caraway Speedway in Asheboro, N.C. Both drivers are participants in the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series. Joe Gibbs returns as head coach of the Washington Redskins after an 11-year hiatus. March Bliss scores eighth Busch Series pole position for JGR at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. April Labonte scores 33rd Nextel Cup pole position for JGR at Texas Motor Speedway. July Bliss scores ninth Busch Series pole position for JGR at Daytona International Speedway. Stewart wins 41st Nextel Cup race for JGR at Chicagoland Speedway. McSwain released as crew chief for Labonte and the No. 18. Engineer Brandon Thomas named interim crew chief. August Stewart wins 42nd Nextel Cup race for JGR at Watkins Glen International. It is the third road course win for JGR, all of which have been won by Stewart. October JGR announces the formation of a third Nextel Cup team set for full-time competition in 2005, with FedEx as the sponsor, Jason Leffler as the driver and Dave Rogers as the crew chief. Bliss wins third Busch Series race for JGR at Charlotte Motor Speedway. It is the first Busch Series win of Bliss’ career. Bliss scores 10th Busch Series pole position for JGR at Atlanta Motor Speedway. November JGR announces its Busch Series lineup for 2004 – Denny Hamlin replaces Bliss in the team’s No. 20 machine for a full Busch Series schedule, while Yeley returns to run a full Busch Series schedule in the No. 18 car. December Steve Addington named crew chief for Labonte and the No. 18 team – promoted from within JGR’s Busch Series operation where he was the crew chief for the No. 20 team and former driver Bliss. Reggie White, an NFL defensive standout from 1985-2000 and a partner in the JGR diversity program, passes away at the age of 43.

2005

February Stewart wins Gatorade Duel qualifying race at Daytona International Speedway. June Mike Ford replaces Dave Rogers as crew chief for No. 11 Nextel Cup team. Stewart wins 43rd Nextel Cup race for JGR at Infineon Raceway. It is the fourth road course win for JGR, all of which have been won by Stewart. July Stewart scores 34th Nextel Cup pole position for JGR at Daytona International Speedway. Stewart wins 44th Nextel Cup race for JGR at Daytona International Speedway from the pole position just after winning the previous weekend at Infineon Raceway. It is just the second pointspaying victory for JGR at Daytona, with the first one coming via Dale Jarrett in the 1993 Daytona 500. Stewart wins 45th Nextel Cup race for JGR at New Hampshire International Speedway. August Stewart wins 46th Nextel Cup race for JGR at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Jason Leffler released as the driver for the No. 11 Nextel Cup team. Terry Labonte, J.J. Yeley and Denny Hamlin share driving duties for the remainder of the season. Stewart wins 47th Nextel Cup race for JGR at Watkins Glen International. It is the fifth road course win for JGR, all of which have been won by Stewart. September Stewart scores 35th Nextel Cup pole position for JGR at New Hampshire International Speedway. October Stewart scores 36th Nextel Cup pole position for JGR at Martinsville Speedway. November Hamlin is officially announced as the full-time driver for the No. 11 Nextel Cup team for the remainder of 2005 and all of 2006. He will also compete in a full NASCAR Busch Series schedule in 2006 for JGR. Labonte announces his departure from JGR after 11 years with the No. 18 Nextel Cup team to join Petty Enterprises in 2006. Yeley is officially announced as the full-time driver for the No. 18 Nextel Cup team in 2006. He will also compete in a full NASCAR Busch Series schedule in 2006 for JGR. Hamlin scores 37th Nextel Cup pole position for JGR at Phoenix International Raceway. Stewart, by virtue of a 15th place finish in the season finale at Homestead, secures his second Nextel Cup championship and the third for JGR. December Stewart and the No. 20 team of JGR are formally recognized as the 2005 Nextel Cup champions in the Grand Ballroom of the Waldorf-Astoria during the annual Nextel Cup awards banquet in New York City.

2006

February Hamlin wins the Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway to post his first win in a Nextel Cup event. Yeley scores 11th Busch Series pole position for JGR at Daytona International Speedway. March Hamlin wins fourth Busch Series race for JGR at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez road course in Mexico City. It is the first Busch Series win of Hamlin’s career and the sixth road course win for JGR, with the other five being in Cup with Tony Stewart. April Stewart wins 48th Nextel Cup race for JGR at Martinsville Speedway. Hamlin scores 12th Busch Series pole position for JGR at Texas Motor Speedway. Hamlin scores 13th Busch Series pole position for JGR at Nashville Superspeedway. Yeley scores 14th Busch Series pole position for JGR at Talladega Superspeedway. May Hamlin scores 15th Busch Series pole position for JGR at Darlington Raceway. Hamlin wins fifth Busch Series race for JGR at Darlington Raceway. June Hamlin scores 38th Nextel Cup pole position for JGR at Pocono Raceway. Hamlin wins 49th Nextel Cup race for JGR at Pocono Raceway from the pole position. Hamlin scores 16th Busch Series pole position for JGR at Kentucky Speedway. Almirola scores 17th Busch Series pole position for JGR at The Milwaukee Mile. Yeley scores 18th Busch Series pole position for JGR at Daytona International Speedway. July Stewart wins 50th Nextel Cup race for JGR at Daytona International Speedway. Hamlin scores 39th Nextel Cup pole position for JGR at Pocono Raceway. Hamlin wins 51st Nextel Cup race for JGR at Pocono Raceway from the pole position. Hamlin scores 19th Busch Series pole position for JGR at Gateway International Raceway. August Hamlin scores 20th Busch Series pole position for JGR at O’Reilly Raceway Park. September Hamlin scores 40th Nextel Cup pole position for JGR at Richmond International Raceway. October Stewart wins 52nd Nextel Cup race for JGR at Kansas Speedway. Stewart wins 53rd Nextel Cup race for JGR at Atlanta Motor Speedway. November Stewart wins 54th Nextel Cup race for JGR at Texas Motor Speedway. Hamlin earns the Nextel Cup Rookie of the Year title with two wins, three poles, eight top-five and 20 top-10 finishes.

2007

January JGR announces its Busch Series lineup for 2007 – Hamlin and Almirola share the team’s No. 20 machine for a full Busch Series schedule, while Stewart and Almirola share the No. 18 car with newcomers Kevin Conway and Brad Coleman for a full Busch Series schedule. February Stewart wins the Budweiser Shootout at Daytona for the third time in his career. Stewart wins the Gatorade Duel at Daytona for the second time in his career. Almirola scores 21st Busch Series pole position for JGR at Daytona International Speedway.