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HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — Joe Gibbs Racing will switch to Toyotas in 2008, ending a 16-year relationship with General Motors that produced three NASCAR championships.

JGR had been working on a deal with the Japanese automaker all summer and announced the change Wednesday at a news conference.

This will make Gibbs’ three-car operation the premier Toyota team. With GM, Gibbs had to fight with elite Hendrick Motorsports for top billing and also had to compete with Dale Earnhardt Inc. and Richard Childress Racing.

The competition won’t be nearly as tough at Toyota, which has struggled mightily in its first season of Nextel Cup racing.

The automaker entered NASCAR’s top series amid much fanfare, but was embarrassed by Michael Waltrip’s cheating scandal at the season-opening Daytona 500 and horrendous on-track performances.

Heading into this weekend’s race at Richmond International Raceway, the seven Toyota drivers have totaled just seven top-10 finishes. JGR’s three drivers have combined for 32.

Toyotas teams have also struggled to make races — its drivers have failed to make the field 70 times in 178 attempts, and not one Camry is ranked in the top 35 in owner’s points.

But Gibbs is expected to change that immediately behind two-time Cup champion Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin, and, next year, Kyle Busch. The move also gives Toyota another car from Hall of Fame Racing, which has an alliance with JGR and is expected to field a Camry next season for J.J. Yeley.

In 16 years of Cup competition, JGR has 58 wins, 41 poles and 264 top-five finishes in 937 starts. Gibbs has won championships in 2000 with Bobby Labonte and 2002 with Stewart — both drove Pontiacs for GM at the time — and with Stewart in a Chevrolet in 2005.

Gibbs has fielded Chevrolets since 2003.