Gibbs explains Milwaukee decision
SONOMA, Calif. -- Despite the cheating controversy that spiked interest in the Toyota/Save Mart 350 Nextel Cup event at Infineon Raceway, the buzz in the Cup garage Sunday morning centered on what had happened halfway across the country Saturday night in the Busch Series.
Joe Gibbs Racing driver Aric Almirola, who had practiced and qualified the No. 20 Busch car on the pole, wasn't supposed to start Saturday's race at the Milwaukee Mile. Denny Hamlin was, and Denny Hamlin was on the way to Wisconsin in a private jet, with a helicopter waiting at the airport to transport him to the track.
One problem -- cars were parked on the helipad and there was no place for the helicopter to land when Denny Hamlin arrived at the speedway. Denny Hamlin returned to the airport and raced back to the track under police escort, but by then Almirola had taken the green flag.
Under caution on Lap 59, the No. 20 Rockwell Automation team ordered Almirola to the pits to be replaced by Denny Hamlin. Almirola, who had been running third at the time, left the track without talking to the media. Denny Hamlin regained a lap he lost during the driver change and won the race, though Almirola got credit for his first Busch Series victory because he had started the race.
On Sunday morning, JGR president J.D. Gibbs, who communicated with the No. 20 team by telephone during the race, talked to the media and gave his take on the situation.
"I told those guys as a group, 'Look, if you think Denny can get in the car and win the race, let's go -- let's do that. But if you don't think he can do that, let Aric run it out.' Our guys got together and thought about it as a group and said, 'OK, we think Denny can run well, and we're fast enough to win the race.' "
Gibbs explained that Denny Hamlin's appearance in the AT&T 250 was a gesture of appreciation toward Milwaukee-based Rockwell, the company that had provided Denny Hamlin's initial sponsorship in the Busch Series. JGR currently is talking to Rockwell about sponsoring Almirola in the Busch Series full time next season.
"It kind of became a no-win situation," said Gibbs, who left a message for Almirola Saturday night but had not received a return call as of Sunday morning. "But I just want you guys to know that no one cares about Aric more than we do, and his future. … I know he's upset, and I understand that. I would be, too, if I'm in his shoes."
Gibbs said the team is considering adjusting its Busch schedule to put Almirola in the car for one of the races Denny Hamlin had planned to run.
