The Timken Company announced that it has extended its agreement with Joe Gibbs Racing as an official technical partner of the NASCAR racing organization. Timken will provide product development and technical engineering across Joe Gibbs Racing's multiple team operations, including the Nextel Cup Series where the "Car of Tomorrow" race car design will debut in March.
For the last three years, Timken has worked collaboratively with the engineering team at Joe Gibbs Racing to develop and test technologies that improve the car's powertrain and driveline performance, delivering longer life, improved fuel economy and higher horsepower availability.
This year the Car of Tomorrow vehicle, a NASCAR design initiative to improve driver safety, performance, competition and cost-management for the teams, has already had significant engineering implications for all competitors in the Nextel Cup. As a result, Joe Gibbs Racing has turned to Timken for help in developing technologies that will drive performance while still conforming to the new NASCAR specifications.
"With the Car of Tomorrow design, NASCAR has given us defined parameters within which we can work," said David Holden, research and development engineer at Joe Gibbs Racing. "That brings more parity to the sport, but it also poses tremendous design challenges for us in terms of loads, stiffness and weight. Fortunately, working with Timken engineers, we are able to accommodate some of those changing conditions and still field very competitive cars."
Products like Timken's engineered surfaces coatings, alloy steel from Timken operations in Canton and Timken(R) RacePac(TM), an integrated hub and bearing assembly specially designed for NASCAR teams, demonstrate Timken's ongoing commitment to quality, safety and reliability to meet the high-performance demands of the motorsports industry. In addition, the company will continue to provide other innovative bearing and steel products to Joe Gibbs Racing that will be used throughout the car, from the suspension and steering systems to the engine and transmission.
"We have many partners, but Timken's technical support contributes directly to our ability to win races," said J.D. Gibbs, president of the race group. "As the inherent challenges of the Car of Tomorrow materialize, we expect to lean heavily on Timken and its technical expertise for solutions."
"We value our relationship with Joe Gibbs Racing because it allows us to take what we have learned at the racetrack under high speed and tough conditions and leverage that knowledge into new solutions for all of our customers' benefit," said Alastair R. Deane, Timken senior vice president - technology. "Our involvement in the sport translates into the creation of real value for our automotive, industrial and steel customers as we all have mutual challenges related to products that handle heat, speed and wear."