RACINBOYS EXCLUSIVE By Lee Spencer (Richmond, VA) -- Joe Gibbs Racing has signed an extension with Toyota Racing, an agreement confirmed by team owner Joe Gibbs on Saturday afternoon at Richmond Raceway.

The former Super Bowl-winning coach of the Washington Redskins entered NASCAR in 1992 with Dale Jarrett. Over the last 27 seasons, JGR has expanded to four Cup teams and three full-time squads in the Xfinity Series. JGR has earned 150 Cup victories in 2,196 starts—92 under the Toyota banner.

PHOTO CREDIT: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

Gibbs, 77, would not disclose the length of the contract.

“Quite a while,” Gibbs said with a laugh. “It was good.”

Over the last 27 seasons, Gibbs’ teams have won Cup titles with Bobby Labonte (2000), Tony Stewart (2002, 2005) and Kyle Busch (2015). The organization switched manufacturers from General Motors to Toyota in 2008. JGR has served as the NASCAR flagship team for Toyota ever since.

Busch currently leads the Monster Energy Cup Series standings. JGR has two NASCAR Xfinity driver’s titles with Busch (2009) and Daniel Suarez (2016). In addition to Busch, Gibbs’ Cup roster includes Denny Hamlin, who signed an extension with both JGR and sponsor Fed Ex earlier this year, Suarez and Erik Jones.

Gibbs couldn’t be happier with his relationship with Toyota.

“You never know about partnerships until you get in a relationship and then the tough things you go through test everybody,” Gibbs said. “Over this period of time, we’ve been through some rough stuff and we keep fighting through it and we’ve been really impressed with the partnership we have. It’s everybody inside of Toyota. It’s all the way to the top from Mr. Toyoda, he’s a big race fan, Bob Carter, and all the way down. And we love it.”

Gibbs said the move to Toyota in 2008 was a game-changer for the JGR. In addition to being perennial contenders in NASCAR’s Cup Series, JGR continues to develop top talent coming through the stock car ranks through its Xfinity Series program. On Friday night, Christopher Bell picked up his second NXS win with the organization and Noah Gragson finished second in his Xfinity debut. Ryan Preece, who runs part-time with Gibbs, has won twice in just seven starts with the organization.

“We had a chance to come over there (Toyota) and be first and that wasn’t going to be the case any where else,” Gibbs said. “That’s been so good for us. Having the partnership with Toyota has been great.”