Joe Gibbs Racing is one of the most successful teams in the history of NASCAR. The team started in 1992 and has managed to bag 213 wins in the Cup Series. And since 1993, the team has at least one win every season, along with five championships to its name. In the current season, Christopher Bell and veteran Denny Hamlin are JGR’s championship hopes, as they made it to the round of 8.

However, currently, the team has shifted focus to the Xfinity Series, where they have found more success, making them the winningest team in the series with 214 wins so far. Out of which 10 have come this season, with Chandler Smith making the round of 8. As the team eyes its fifth Xfinity Championship, they have already made big plans for the 2025 season.

Taylor Gray bags a full-time ride for the 2025 season

Joe Gibbs Racing previously announced the return of Brandon Jones to its Xfinity team. Jones ran for JGR from 2018 to 2022 before moving to JR Motorsports for two years. The Georgia native found most success with Joe Gibbs’s team winning 5 times and narrowly missing the final 4 in the 2022 season after he crashed in the Martinsville race. In the two years with JRM, Jones did not find the success he’d hoped, not having qualified for the playoffs in both seasons. In the current one, the 27-year-old has only finished once in the top-5. The youngster would hope to return to his top form with JGR.

Jones’s teammate piloting the #54 car will be Taylor Gray; the car will be owned by Joe Gibbs’ grandson, Ty Gibbs, who also competes in the top tiers. Gray is competing part-time for the JGR team in the current season, which is also his debut season in the series. The 19-year-old took NASCAR by surprise after his 3rd-place finish in his debut race at Richmond. Gray has also amassed success in the Truck Series and is currently in contention for the 2024 championship.

Taylor Gray shared his excitement about the recent promotion. He said, “I am very thankful for this opportunity. I feel like I have learned a lot in the races I have run this year, and we can build on that next season. Being able to work with [crew chief] Tyler [Allen] and these guys for a few races has been a great head start on next season and getting that chemistry going, so I’m really excited about what we can do running together full-time.”

With Gray, 2 seats in the 4-driver lineup for JGR remain vacant. Recently, FOX Sports Journalist Bob Pockrass dwelled upon the possibility of the remaining two. Pockrass took to X to write, “That makes JGR’s Xfinity lineup Taylor Gray, Brandon Jones, and TBD. Would expect William Sawalich to be possible for a full Xfinity season. And then the fourth car likely a mix of drivers. … (Chandler Smith future still TBD).”

Smith, currently driving the #81 car, hasn’t received any confirmation about returning to his seat. While rumors hinted he might drive a third car for Front Row Motorsports in the Cup Series, FRM’s ongoing lawsuit over the charter deal makes that unlikely. Meanwhile, Stewart-Haas Racing has tapped Sheldon Creed for the #18 car at JGR in 2025.

JGR’s other Xfinity rides, the #19 and #20 cars, have seen multiple part-timers, including John Hunter Nemechek, Aric Almirola, Ryan Truex, Taylor Gray, William Sawalich, and Joe Graf Jr. There’s speculation about who might get a full-time seat, with Truex looking strong with two wins this season and Sawalich earning his first Truck Series pole at Talladega.

Ty Gibbs takes up ownership of the #54 ride

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Joe Gibbs‘ son, Ty Gibbs, previously hinted at something big coming up as he took to Instagram. In one of his recent stories, he shared a video with the announcement of Taylor Gray in the #54 ride. This was captioned, “First year as 54 owner” and “First year as 54 driver.” While this left many puzzled, a formal announcement has been recently made.

Currently driving for JGR in the Cup Series, Gibbs will now have double duty. He announced to Sports Illustrated’s Racing America about taking up ownership of the #54 ride in the 2025 season, along with driving a full-time ride in the Cup Series. The 22-year-old impressed everyone in the Cup after he made it to the playoffs with his consistent performances throughout the season.

Shouldering such responsibility at such a young age comes with his impressive runs in the Xfinity Series. Before becoming a full-time NASCAR Cup Series driver in 2023, Gibbs had a successful career in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. He won 11 races during his time there, including seven in 2022, which earned him the championship that year. With two promising talents in NASCAR coming in the #54 ride, the team is set to flourish.

What do you think about JGR’s Xfinity Series changes for 2025?