Joe Gibbs Racing

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Lore & Background

For its first 16 seasons, JGR competed exclusively with General Motors cars, capturing three Cup titles in Pontiac Grand Prixs and one in a Chevrolet Monte Carlo. A pivotal shift occurred in September 2007 when officials announced a move to Toyota, effective for the 2008 season, after their GM contract expired. Joe Gibbs cited Toyota's superior resources as the deciding factor, noting they offered options GM could not match, while also feeling undervalued compared to other GM teams like Hendrick Motorsports and Richard Childress Racing. This transition culminated in 2015 when Kyle Busch delivered Toyota its first Premier series championship. In-house engine manufacturing for the Cup Series ended in 2012, merging with Toyota Racing Development to supply engines for JGR and their technical ally, 23XI Racing.

In Their Own Story

The team's growth trajectory saw a two-car expansion in 1999 with Tony Stewart’s No. 20 Home Depot car, followed by the addition of Denny Hamlin’s No. 11 FedEx entry in 2005. The 2015 season introduced Carl Edwards in the No. 19, who joined JGR after his time at Roush Racing with Matt Kenseth. Beyond the Cup Series, JGR has deep roots in driver development. Their program groomed future winners Joey Logano and Aric Almirola, including a Camping World East Series title for Logano. In 2004, JGR partnered with NFL legend Reggie White to launch a diversity initiative that fielded drivers like Marc Davis and Bubba Wallace, laying the groundwork for NASCAR's Drive for Diversity program. More recently, the organization formed a technical alliance with 23XI Racing in 2021 and sold minority stakes to Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment and Arctos Partners in June 2023.

Reader's Guide

Currently, JGR fields four full-time Cup Series entries: Denny Hamlin (No. 11), Chase Briscoe (No. 19), Christopher Bell (No. 20), and Ty Gibbs (No. 54). In the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series, they run the No. 18 with William Sawalich, the No. 19 shared by Brent Crews and others, the No. 20 with Brandon Jones, and the No. 54 with Taylor Gray. The team's ARCA Menards Series history includes a 2021 championship won by Ty Gibbs. Their development path also saw Riley Herbst driving the No. 18 in 2017 and 2018, while Ty Gibbs claimed ten wins in 2021 to secure his title. In the Truck Series, JGR has historically utilized partners like Kyle Busch Motorsports (2010–2022) for their drivers, though they previously fielded trucks numbered 20 and 48 for Joe's sons, Coy and J. D., between 2000 and 2002.

Did You Know?

• J. D. Gibbs served as team president starting in 1997 until his death in 2019.
• The team switched from General Motors to Toyota beginning with the 2008 season.
• Ty Gibbs won the 2021 ARCA Menards Series championship for JGR.
• In 2004, the organization partnered with former NFL player Reggie White to create a diversity program.
• Joe Gibbs Racing sold minority stakes to HBSE and Arctos Partners in June 2023.