Being Joe Gibbs Racing’s first-ever NASCAR Cup Series champion is no small feat. It takes a lot of courage and determination to pull off a championship while feeding off the NASCAR greats, such as Dale Earnhardt and Jeff Gordon. This year around, JGR had another opportunity to add to their 5 championships, but a near miss led to the heartbreaking loss.

However, looking back on their first-ever Cup championship in 2000, and almost 25 years later, their most-coveted driver and ex-NASCAR veteran cannot help but pen down the emotions they felt when they lifted the much-awaited trophy in Victory Lane.

Bobby Labonte reflects on the emotions of his 25th championship anniversary

Speaking on JGR’s official Instagram page, Bobby Labonte, who was sitting next to his ex-team owner, didn’t hold back. He said, “I remember when coach called and said, ‘Hey do you want to drive for me?’ And it meant a lot. I mean obviously driving for coach starting off in 1995 and building to that championship with everybody here and seeing the growth.” He went on to say, ” You never know if you’re going to win a championship or not. But when that phone call came, I didn’t realize what was going to take place in years to come.”

Five years. That’s how long Labonte took to capture his first and only Cup Series championship. Bobby Labonte clinched the 2000 NASCAR Winston Cup Series title at the Penzoil 400 in Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 12, 2000, with a steady fourth-place finish that sealed his fate.

His 2000 season stands as a master class in consistency and precision. Piloting the No. 18 Interstate Batteries Pontiac for Joe Gibbs Racing, Labonte captured four victories, at Rockingham, the Brickyard 400, the Southern 500, and the fall race at Charlotte. Remarkably, he never recorded a DNF during the season and completed all but nine of the 10,167 laps. He took the points later after the California race early in the year and never relinquished them, underscoring a campaign where he simply outworked and outperformed many of his rivals week after week.

In fact, Joe Gibbs himself couldn’t help but think about those days. He added, “Bobby helped us build our race team. I remember that first win. Everybody was emotional. It was in that winner’s circle. So you get the first win, and then you fight like I’ll get out, and you get to win a championship. It was a great time in our race team’s life. “

The championship meant a great deal for Joe Gibbs Racing. Founded less than a decade earlier that year, the team was steadily building towards being a top organization. Labonte’s title in 2000 signified the arrival of JGR as a serious force in the Cup Series. His victory margin, 265 points ahead of Dale Earnhardt, and the fact that Labonte never finished outside the top 20 more than twice, reflected a season of elite delivery. While the season didn’t see LaBonte dominate in every race, he wasn’t the fastest every weekend; it was strategic driving, teamwork with crew chief Jimmy Makar, and the mechanical reliability that set him apart.

Moreover, JGR celebrated Labonte’s 25th anniversary with much excitement earlier in the year. The team released a unique content series, exhibited the championship-winning car, and posted virtual and in-person appearances. The content series provided the NASCAR community with a blast from the past from Bobby LaBonte and team members. The fans also met the driver at the track and virtually while JGR exhibited the championship-winning No. 18 Pontiac at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway museum in April.

Fast forward to Phoenix, and JGR was hoping to claim their 6th title via Denny Hamlin, who has always been riddled with some heartbreak despite coming close to winning his elusive title in these 20 years. However, as JGR looks to regroup and try again, it is also focused on its new generation of racers in the NASCAR series who aim to bring championship trophies to the well-respected team. However, one NASCAR insider is sounding off on that idea.

Bob Pockrass explains why the 2025 Truck champion won’t race for JGR

Corey Heim’s future in NASCAR remains uncertain despite a standout 2025 season that saw him capture the NASCAR Truck Series championship with his 12th win at Phoenix Raceway. The TRICON Garage driver is not expected to compete full-time in 2026, with reports indicating a part-time schedule under Toyota’s banner. The bigger question remains: why isn’t the 23-year-old aligned with Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota’s top-tier organization?

According to FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass, if JGR had plans to develop Heim in the NASCAR O’Reilly Series, they would have already failed him in select 2025 races. Bob also noted that the past rivalry between Heim and Joe Gibbs’ grandson, Ty Gibbs, in the ARCA Menards Series “apparently” makes such a partnership less than ideal.

Unlike most Toyota prospects who rise to JGR’s development pipeline, Heim has spent his O’Reilly Series time with Sam Hunt Racing instead. While his long-term Cup Series trajectory still appears tied to Toyota, it’s 23XI Racing, not JGR, that seems to be the more likely destination when he makes the jump to NASCAR’s top level.