The announcement of Joe Gibbs Racing’s (JGR) crew lineup for the 2025 season has sparked a wave of intrigue in NASCAR. In place of Chris Gabehart, Denny Hamlin will have a new crew chief Chris Gayle, who has been with JGR since 2005. JGR’s four teams will be overseen by Gabehart, who will be promoted to competition director. The news stunned Hamlin, who confessed to being “shocked”. Nevertheless, his response came amid a season of challenges for JGR.

Hamlin, who did not request the change, will need time to adjust. As he spoke to reporters at the Charlotte Convention Center during the NASCAR awards ceremony, he appeared to be processing the unexpected announcement. The team has not yet revealed who will take over the No. 54 team, Gayle’s former position with JGR.

Ty Gibbs accepts change as Joe Gibbs Racing reshuffles for 2025

After Ty Gibbs‘ former crew chief was moved to Denny Hamlin’s No. 11 team on Friday, Gibbs spoke about the changes at Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR). Additionally, JGR announced that Hamlin’s crew chief, Chris Gabehart, would be promoted to Competition Director. There is no crew chief on the No. 54 team right now, but the team intends to add one in the near future. Gibbs admitted to Fox Sports’ Bob Pockrass that he “hit a plateau” after working with Gayle and talked about the shift. “We hit a plateau for sure, but I don’t think nothing was off. I think that we still have a great relationship, and we’ve worked really hard this year, and I know they’ve worked extremely hard,” Gibbs said.

Gibbs finished 15th in the final standings after his second season in the Cup Series with 12 top-10 finishes and 8 top-five finishes. As well as the Coca-Cola 600 and Pocono, he won two pole positions this year. While keeping in account that the team put in a lot of effort, the 22-year-old pointed out the fact that changes are a natural part of the process.

He added, “I think stuff changes. I think my grandfather won three Super Bowls with three different quarterbacks, so I think stuff changes, and it’s healthy. I think that it will work its way when Gabehart is going to go do this deal, so I’m hopefully excited for the future, and hopefully, we run really great next year in one of our races.”

For those unaware, Joe Gibbs won three Super Bowls with the Washington Commanders as their head coach! The 83-year-old was the coach of the team between 1981 and 1992 and won titles in 1982,1987 and 1991. He had a second stint on the team in the early 2000s, which was not as glittering as his first stint, but he did make the playoffs twice. This was more playoff appearances for the team than they had in the time between his two stints! He left the team once again in 2008, citing family obligations. 

With his plethora of leadership experience, no one would dare to question Joe Gibbs’s decisions, and rather, people treat them with the utmost trust. Despite the tumultuous season for Joe Gibbs Racing, the future is looking up with changes being made.

JGR is also adapting to the future and accepting changes

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Joe Gibbs Racing had a tough season in 2024. All of their drivers failed to make it to the Championship 4, and they went 18 races without a win. Ty Gibbs‘ grandfather had his own input on the recent changes at JGR. Ty Gibbs’ former chief, Chris Gayle, led JGR’s Xfinity team to 10 wins in 2021. As a result of moving Chris Gabehart to a new role and adding Gayle to the No. 11 team, JGR will be stronger for next season, according to team owner Joe Gibbs.

Gibbs also said, “While we are still in the process of finalizing the new crew chief for the 54 team, we believe all these moves ultimately make our team stronger as we prepare for 2025.” Gibbs won the Xfinity championship in 2022 with Gayle as his crew chief, and they moved to the Cup Series in 2023. In their first playoff appearance this year, the team reached the Round of 16 but was eliminated.

JGR’s competitive standing could be reshaped by Gayle’s move to Denny Hamlin‘s team as part of a broader shake-up. It is hoped that this change will rejuvenate the team and address the issues that prevented them from finding the victory lane in the latter part of 2024. 

Ty Gibbs has been open about his own progress, but he has also been optimistic about JGR’s changes. As he steps into a new chapter of his career, he remains confident. And as the 2025 season approaches, all eyes will be on JGR. Like his grandfather’s football dynasty, Ty Gibbs believes success can come even after transition and reinvention. Despite its abruptness, the shake-up at Joe Gibbs Racing may make one of NASCAR’s most storied organizations more competitive.