“No More Way To Sugarcoat It”- HMS Legend Brutally Slams Joe Gibbs’ Failure To Fulfill Unkept Promises

In recent times, the esteemed Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) team appears to have fallen short of producing a winning formula. It all comes down to the pursuit of triumph in NASCAR, which is to be achieved through meticulous pit stop strategies, having a car that strikes the right balance, and executing well-timed passes on the track. When these elements seamlessly blend together, NASCAR witnesses the emergence of a race winner and, with consistent application, a potential Cup champion. However, JGR seems to be subdued with its own set of issues.

Interestingly, the JGR team holds an impressive record for executing the fastest pit stop in the sport’s history, clocking in at a mere 8.54 seconds. And it’s unbelievable when the same team makes a pit stop mistake that causes a driver to finish in the runner-up position. According to a former employee of Hendrick Motorsports (HMS), it was the pit crew’s performance that drove Christopher Bell to the second spot. Had the pit crew’s performance been on par, Christopher Bell might have emerged victorious at the Las Vegas race.

Former HMS employee criticizes Joe Gibbs Racing pit crew’s underperformance

The race at Las Vegas, won by Kyle Larson, delivered a thrilling spectacle, primarily because of Christopher Bell’s captivating performance in the closing laps that stole the spotlight. Many spectators even speculate that had he been given just one more lap, Bell could have overtaken Kyle Larson and claimed victory in the playoff race. However, despite the widespread acclaim for Bell’s efforts, a NASCAR insider believes that had the #20’s pit stop been executed more efficiently, the outcome could have been different.

During a discussion with Jeff Burton and Marty Snider on Motorsports on NBC, Steve Letarte candidly expressed that despite Joe Gibbs promising faster and more flawless pit stops for #20, by switching Ty Gibbs’s pit crew with Bell’s, the crew’s performance has been less than satisfactory.

“They’ve sat on four poles in the seven races in the playoffs. They have been on the first pit stall four out of seven races. There’s no more way to sugarcoat it. The #5 team beat the #20 team. Put it down, write it down, put it in ink. It’s the same #5 team—four of the same five members over the wall—that won Kyle Larson a championship by being first off on a pit road on a day that they had a second- or third-place championship car. It’s a team sport; it’s a team championship,” Letarte said.

A disappointed Letarte also offered guidance to the team, stating, “You have to do it when it matters, and what makes the playoffs the best, and what currently makes the #5 team the best, is their history, Jeff, is that when it matters, they find the pit stop they need, and they did it again on Sunday.”

While Letarte didn’t hold back in his critique of the JGR pit crew, he was genuinely captivated by the game that Christopher Bell had put on.

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Steve Letarte applauds Christopher Bell’s remarkable efforts

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Even though it appeared that Steve Letarte was a fervent fan of Kyle Larson, he couldn’t help but admire Christopher Bell’s impressive performance, despite the fact that Bell started his pit road journey a little later than desired. Letarte, in fact, believes that Bell’s performance was nothing short of a spectacle that will be etched in memory for a long time to come.

He expressed, “I believe that the #20 gave us a race we didn’t deserve to see. You give the #5 car, who I thought the best car in the field, clean track, I thought this was over. So, bravo to Christopher Bell. I know there are some thoughts about what he could have done on the last lap. I look at the opposite. How about what he did do on laps 5 to go, 4 to go, 3 to go, 2 to go, because he should have never even gotten there. The fact that he gave us a finish would be what I am saying if I am Adam Stevens.”

Furthermore, considering Christopher Bell’s impressive form in the playoffs, boasting four pole wins out of seven races, it’s safe to say that one of the remaining two playoff races is well within his grasp. That is, of course, assuming his pit crew doesn’t encounter any more mishaps.

Read More: “I Let the Team Down”- Christopher Bell Sells Himself Out Despite Joe Gibbs’ Approval After Las Vegas Loss to HMS