Geschickter Expects JTG Daugherty To Remain With Toyota in 2012

JTG Daugherty Racing co-owner Tad Geschickter told Sirius XM NASCAR Radio’s Sirius Speedway with Dave Moody today that his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team will likely maintain its current alliances with Michael Waltrip Racing and Toyota in 2012.

“We are looking at a number of different options that will enable us to continue to share notes and technical support with Michael Waltrip,” he said, adding that the partnership “has definitely helped us be a better team. As it looks today, we are going to assert some independence. But we continue to work every week with Michael to figure out what (the relationship) is going to look like.”

Geshickter confirmed that JTG Daugherty will no longer operate out of the MWR shops in Cornelius, NC, in 2012, instead moving back to their its own facility in Harrisburg. “That’s definitely the plan,” he said. “They’ve obviously got a lot they’re trying to get their arms around, right now, and we own a building full of equipment that we raced out of for a lot of years. We’ve been paying the mortgage on that building and renting space at MWR, too. That was one area where we could put more money into the race car next year, and it makes total sense for us to do that. I think we know enough about how to interact with MWR now that the physical location isn’t as important as it once was.”

He also confirmed that while not complete, talks designed to return JTG Daugherty to the Toyota camp in 2012 are close to bearing fruit. “That’s the biggest thing,” he said. “Without manufacturer support, you’re dead in the water, so we’ve been working diligently with Toyota to understand the nature of our relationship with them. I’m not the type of person who announces anything before it’s signed, but we’ve certainly gone well downfield with those folks in defining what the next several years will look like for us in the Toyota camp. We’re excited about that, and hopefully there will be an announcement coming soon.”

Geschickter said that while he has enjoyed fielding Toyota Camrys the last few years, he also understands his place in the manufacturer’s competitive hierarchy. “Obviously, there’s a pecking order with every manufacturer,” he said. “Michael Waltrip Racing is ahead of JTG Daugherty Racing in the Toyota pecking order, as well they should be. They helped bring Toyota into the sport and they’re running better and better all the time. Toyota has been a great partner through all this, though, and I’m very happy with where we’re at.”

He admitted having conversations with other manufacturers, as well, falling back on some longstanding friendships. “We ran the NASCAR Nationwide Series for 14 years before moving to Cup,” he recalled. “We were a GM team for eight years and a Ford team for five or six. The longer you’re in the sport, the more relationship you have, and we certainly know everyone in those camps. But at the end of the day, you want your manufacturer alliance to directly address the areas you need to be better in, and in that regard, I’m a big fan of the Toyota business model.”

While calling an alliance with a team like MWR “imperative” for a small operation like JTG Daugherty Racing, Geschickter said there are advantages to being small, as well. “I’ve always been a smaller operator, and the infrastructure of some of these big teams makes them a little less nimble,” he said. “When you have your own team, you can make a change without having to go through quite so many cars to fix something.” Overall, however, he said there is no doubt that that bigger is better. “When you only have two and a half hours (of practice) to dial a car in, having every car measure the same so people can compare notes makes you faster.”

Geschickter said an official announcement of next year’s manufacturer and driver lineup will likely come at Talladega in two weeks, but said he expects Bobby Labonte to return to the #47 next season. “Bobby and I shook hands, which is all we’ve ever needed to do,” he said. “Short of signing a contract, we’re feeling pretty good about getting that done.”

Geschickter also revealed plans to expand the team in the foreseeable future, saying, “We’re definitely looking to become a multi-car team in 2013.”