Tony back in a Chevy!!!! wtg Smoke..who else is happy to hear the announcement?

Question

ESPN will carry the live official announcement tomorrow, Tony has bought controlling intrest in Has and will be owner and driver and RELEASED by Gibbs end of this year!!!!

Answer 1

I am glad ,I think he will be a lot happier back in a Bowtie .

Answer 2

I am very happy. It was a mixture of desire to be an owner as well as loyalty to GM. Chevy is heavily involved in his Dirt racing program.

Answer 3

Personally I feel that was a factor in him leaving JGR. Had JGR stayed with Chevrolet, he would have had a greater chance at staying there.

JGR's move to Toyota made them the #1 Toyota team, but it may have cost them their best driver.

Answer 4

Only person happy is some kid named Logano.

Answer 5

With the unhappy looks on Tony's face this year I am glad he made the deal with Haas.  In addition, these drivers do not drive in Nascar forever (Mark Martin is an exception) and their future security after they retire from driving is ownership in a team/and or car.  Call it early retirement planning.

I think Gibbs understood Tony's unhappiness (I think Tony was unhappy also about the Toyota this year too.)

Am I glad he is in a Chevy and bought into Haas? Yes, because it will make him happy.  He seemed to not be enjoying his job (racing) this year and you can not go to work and be happy if you do not like your job.  I think Gibbs understood this.

I wish him luck and he is ready for the change.

Answer 6

Maybe the people should have been more loyal to him instead of going to toyota against his wishes. They offered Jr a Chevrolet only contract. Only after Jr turned them down for Hendrick did JGR switch to Toyota.

I'm glad to see him back.

Winter Glory     Chevrolet Racing is a group of people too. A group of people who have worked with Tony for years. even in pontiacs which ran the same chevy engines.

Answer 7

With the COT whats the difference between Toyota and Chevy?  Only thing I see is Toyota has more money to back its teams

Answer 8

i'm happy for him being able to do what he wants for his future - whether it's because he's going back to chevy or he's getting more involved as an owner, or because it will give him the freedom to race the occasional indy500 and coca-cola600 again, whatever - that's cool for him.  

i'm not so happy to see him leave such a great car and a great team (jgr), and more than a great crew chief to strike up with what seems to be, at the moment, a losing proposition.  but you never know - he might be able to make it work.  but i'll miss him and kyle being teammates, and i'll miss him in the #20.

Answer 9

Tony has always been fond of Chevy, even when he was winning with Pontiac. He just loves Chevy. Also Winter you have to keep in mind he also helped make Joe Gibbs who they are.

I am glad hes back with the one he truly cares for the most.

Answer 10

This is supercool, Smoke back in a Chevy.. Smoke just never looked right in a Toy car. I figured he'd do 1 yr and leave somehow. I know his loyalty to Gibbs made it hard for him to leave, but this is a great decision at this stage of his life, Smoke will do just great... Good Job Smoke, now I can actually cheer for you again..

Go Dale Jr & Hms & CHEVY

Answer 11

It'll be great to see him back in a Chevy.  Someone else mentioned how unhappy he looked all season, and I agree.   I'm looking forward to 09 and to watching Tony win again.

Answer 12

I think he should have been more loyal to the PEOPLE that made him what he is today.

Sorry, can't celebrate with you on this one..

edit: I get the Chevy loyalty, I just think loyalty to people is more important than loyalty to a car manufacturer.

Answer 13

Tony still has Chevy sponsorship on his open wheel cars so he  still has his hands in the chevy racing division.

So to see him back in a chevy is cool.

Answer 14

Keep in mind, Tony has personal service deal with Chevy on his other teams.  His sprint car teams, and late model cars all are still chevy sponsored. That was a real touchy situation for Tony.  

Also, Tony is 37, he is on the latter half of his career, he is thinking of his next phase, team ownership, Tony has come to love the buisness of racing just as much as racing itself.  He has a blast running Eldora.   Hendrick, Childress, were both third tier drivers in their day, but look at them now.  I think that is what is driving Tony.

Another issue is that he may have just outgrown Gibbs, Tony's teammates are kids by his standards, Gibbs may be glad that Tony walked away with all heads held high, and he now does not have to be a bad guy a few years down the road, and ASK Tony to leave.

Answer 15

I'm definitely happy for him, maybe now he will be able to fully concentrate on winning races and contending for the championship this year. He's had a lot on his mind this season and maybe now that the monkey is off his back he can sit back a little and enjoy the rest of his ride at JGR.

And no, I don't think he's being disloyal at all by leaving in order to race for himself and drive a CHEVY! Tony was the one who helped Gibbs take his racing team to the level that is now and, if anything, Gibbs should have listened to him more and reconsidered switching to Toyota's. If Tony and Gibbs' relationship was still the way it used to be I don't think Tony would have had any qualms about staying. He could have even still bought the majority ownership of Haas Racing and still raced for JGR if he had wanted to. It wouldn't have been any different than Dale Earnhardt Sr driving for RCR and still being the owner of DEI.

Answer 16

Doesn't matter to me.  I don't get hung up on manufacturers, sponsors, etc.  I just care about the drivers and the skills they possess.  Tony could drive a Peugeot and I'd still cheer for him.

Answer 17

me Tony never belonged in a toy

Winter Glory, you want to talk about loyalty?  Gibbs left the manufacturer that helped them to get all the success they have today just b/c of their greed and you are saying Tony should be loyal when his soon to be ex car owner is just as disloyal as he is

Answer 18

I am glad he is back in Chevy where he belongs.  Plus this a great opportunity for him.  He will be owning his own company (granted it is a partnership) but this will hopefully secure him a future after he is done racing.  But i don't think he will get out of race car for quite awhile.  He is good and has a lot of great racing left in him.  I personally wish him a lot of luck and success.

Answer 19

I think it's great.  Gibbs doesn't give a fig about Tony anymore...they haven't all season.  They've sold out to the devil and Tony needed to get away as quick as possible.  

Smoke still has a lot of spirit left in him and possibly even another Cup...I can finally cheer for him again (in 09) w/o feeling like a hypocrite.