What's So Unusual About Dominance?

In the above picture you see the amazing TEAM of Joe Gibbs Racing that is responsible for winning Joe Gibbs Racing the 2008 Owner's Championship for the No. 20 Toyota. JGR Teammates Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch were selected to drive the season dominating car for the races they were best suited to and did it ever pay off. Big time.

Rookie phenom Joey Logano was being kept in the wings to become the heir apparent to the ride that would eventually be his. There was just one small problem. Sliced Bread wasn't old enough to pilot the No. 20 until May 24th. So the veteran drivers of team the entire Nationwide garage has chased all season long stepped up in a big way for their team.

It's been slated that JGR's approach to its Owners Championship is unusual. Wow, jealousy makes people say crazy things. Excuses and reasons are a dime a dozen but this one is certainly the most colorful I've ever heard. So, the fact that all 4 drivers in a stable were able to climb behind the wheel of the same car and get the same stellar results is odd. Interesting philosophy.

Perhaps the fact that even after the suspension of crew chief Dave Rogers, the team didn't slow down one bit makes it an even more bitter pill to swallow. The entire team stepped up to the plate and showed its qualifications. While the No. 18 car of Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch was the more dominant of the JGR cars after the addition of Logano, the consistency never waivered.

Seeing 4 drivers that get along, look out for one another and strive to bring out the best in each other is definitely something unusual in today's fiercely competitive racing. But it only showcases the caliber man that Joe and JD Gibbs put behind the wheel of their cars. Anyone can hire a race car driver. But when an owner hires a man to do the job, the results are incredible.

Just ask the guys shaking their heads trying to figure out what happened this season. There is such a thing as teammates. There is such a thing as being a gentleman and the drivers of JGR are the finest caliber gentlemen ever to hit the sport of auto racing. There isn't a more deserving group of guys than the ones that earned this trophy.

I've watched Denny Hamlin mentor Joey Logano in a way that leaves me in awe. Joey's first race, Denny was talking to Logano on the radio and his encouragement was breath taking. The entire team is there for each other in the same way and it's refreshing. There is no competition. The other drivers need to take notice and see how it's done.

After winning the pole for the Nationwide series race at Phoenix, Denny Hamlin was more concerned about teammate Joey Logano than he was about himself. That's just Denny but it's also the entire JGR team. Always looking out for each other and doing whatever it takes to help their friend shine if they can't.

In this day and age of fierce competition and struggles to find sponsorship for up and coming superstars, Joe Gibbs Racing and it's champion drivers prove that it truly is a team effort to be successful. It wasn't just one driver. While Kyle Busch has the majority of the wins, he didn't capture them all and he is fully aware of the efforts of his fellow drivers. Perhaps if more teams built their organizations the same way Joe and JD Gibbs have with the caliber of man behind the wheel that they possess the sport would not only be better off, it would be spectacular.