Emphasis on testing huge for Gibbs amid '08 changes

Yes, the current testing under way at Daytona International Speedway is important -- for all Sprint Cup teams, and especially so for those fielded by Joe Gibbs Racing as it makes the manufacturer's transition from General Motors to Toyota.

But perhaps no one can keep such details in proper perspective more so than J.D. Gibbs, president of JGR. He wasn't even flinching over the sudden news Tuesday that his father and the race team owner, Joe Gibbs, had decided to resign as head coach of the NFL's Washington Redskins (complete story).

It is easier to understand what is really important in life when you have something difficult thrown at you, like having a young son diagnosed with leukemia -- as J.D. Gibbs' son, Taylor, was one year ago Tuesday.

With the move to Joe Gibbs Racing in 2008, Kyle Busch is among nine drivers Jarrod Breeze says has to step up and shine in the upcoming season.

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• Busch, Toyota give new look

"He's done well. He's in remission so far," Gibbs said of Taylor, now 3. "He's got two more years of treatment. And then hopefully, once you go seven years [in remission], they feel real good about it."

"That means more than anything."

It certainly means more than what's happening at Daytona, now or ever. Yet Gibbs and JGR had reasons to be excited after Monday's first day of testing when Kyle Busch, the organization's newest driver, laid down a fast lap of 184.064 mph that was third-fastest -- trailing only a pair of Busch's former Hendrick Motorsports teammates, two-time defending Cup points champion Jimmie Johnson and Casey Mears.

Gibbs admitted that with the switch in manufacturers and the fact that what was known as the Car of Tomorrow now being run full time on the Cup circuit, the current two-week testing period at Daytona is even more critical than usual.

"I think for us it's always important," Gibbs said. "And it's always easy to read too much into the testing deal, especially at Daytona. But for us, it's a big deal. We want to come out of the box strong.

"Obviously we've made big changes, going from GM to Toyota. General Motors was super with us for 16 years, a great partner. And so far, Toyota has been really supportive and great to work with, too -- but there's a learning curve."

Television analyst and former Cup champion Darrell Waltrip agreed. He said that the current tests are crucial not just for Toyota-powered teams such as JGR, but for all teams -- given the fact that the COT is still so new to everyone, especially in a superspeedway setting.

"Guys had a hard time with the old car at Daytona, trying to make 'em handle and run good," Waltrip said. "So the new car is just going to be a bigger challenge yet. That car is not going to be happy at Daytona.

"Daytona has a lot of aero push off the corner. This car is really subject to having aero push off the corner. I am concerned about the car at Daytona, in the current condition that it's in." (Continued)