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Joe Gibbs Racing announces changes to executive team

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Can the human dynamic of Hendrick Motorsports and their ability to work together as individuals and as a team allow their drivers to close the gap with Joe Gibbs Racing and Team Penske after their dominance in 2015?

Joe Gibbs Racing will have a new chief operating officer and president, the team announced Thursday. Those are among changes the team has made as it embarks on its 25th season in NASCAR.

Coy Gibbs, youngest son of Joe Gibbs, will join the team’s NASCAR operations as vice chairman and chief operating officer. He replaces Todd Meredith, who has resigned but will continue to consult the organization during the next several months. Coy Gibbs launched JGR’s motocross team in 2008. He will continue to oversee that operation while focusing on the operations side of JGR’s NASCAR program.

J.D. Gibbs will join his father as co-chairman of Joe Gibbs Racing. The organization announced last March that J.D. Gibbs was being treated for symptoms impacting brain function. J.D. Gibbs had been the team’s president.

Dave Alpern, who has been with JGR since its beginning, moves from chief marketing officer to president.

The team also announced that Wally Brown will serve as competition director, and Todd Bowland has been named technical director. Tim Carmichael will assume expanded responsibilities as chief financial officer.

“We feel the timing is right to bring Coy into the NASCAR operations in a more official capacity. He has done an outstanding job with our motocross operations and will continue to provide his leadership there as well,’' Joe Gibbs said in a statement from the team.

“J.D. has always had tremendous insight and perhaps his greatest display of that is when he brought Dave Alpern and Todd Meredith on board to help us launch our race team. It is amazing to think what they have accomplished. I have tremendous respect for Todd (Meredith) and we are all excited for him as he starts a new chapter in his life with his family.

“I also have great confidence in Dave (Alpern). He is someone that J.D. and I have consulted with on every decision we have made and we have complete trust in his leadership. Elevating him to the position of president is something that was inevitable and the timing just seems appropriate right now. Tim (Carmichael), Wally (Brown) and Todd (Bowland) have been leading their respective departments for the last several years and today’s announcement will ensure we don’t miss a beat on the competition side.”

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