Gabehart Named JGR Competition Director; Gayle New Hamlin Crew Chief
Denny Hamlin and Ty Gibbs will have new crew chiefs for the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season as the organization announced on Friday morning that Chris Gabehart, who has served as Hamlin's crew chief since the 2019 season, has been promoted to Competition Director.
With Gabehart moving from the pit box, Chris Gayle, who has served as the crew chief for Gibbs, will move over as the new crew chief for Hamlin. The new crew chief for Gibbs will be announced at a later date, according to a social media post from the team.
🚨 NEWS 🚨
— Joe Gibbs Racing (@JoeGibbsRacing) November 22, 2024
Joe Gibbs Racing has promoted Chris Gabehart to Competition Director.
Chris Gayle will become crew chief for @dennyhamlin and the 11 team.
Crew Chief for the 54 team will be announced at a later date. pic.twitter.com/iooRWcmzJb
Gabehart being promoted to Competition Director breaks up one of the most potent driver/crew chief pairings currently in the NASCAR Cup Series. Together, Hamlin and Gabehart collected 22 NASCAR Cup Series wins over a six-season stretch, and made it to the Championship 4 three times. Gabehart is appreciative for his time as Hamlin's crew chief, and he is dedicated to turning 2025 into a successful season for the entire JGR organization.
“I am very thankful for the opportunities that Joe Gibbs Racing has continued to provide me for my entire tenure here and cannot say enough about how much I have enjoyed and appreciated my time with Denny and the entire 11 team,” said Gabehart. “They have all taught me so much about not only how to race at the top of the NASCAR Cup Series, but also, how to lead a great group of talented professionals. In my next opportunity, I am as excited as I have ever been to work with all our talented drivers, crew chiefs, teams and partners to help focus all our efforts towards making 2025 one of the best seasons Joe Gibbs Racing has ever had.”
Team owner Coach Joe Gibbs feels the personnel changes will allow Joe Gibbs Racing, which saw none of its four cars make it into the Championship 4 in 2024, come back stronger in 2025.
“We have a lot of pride in the depth of talent we have throughout our organization,” said Gibbs. “Chris Gabehart will now be an asset across all four of our teams as competition director and we thought it was important to have him transition into his new role immediately. Chris Gayle will bring his own perspective to the 11 team while also maintaining the consistency and continuity they have developed with Denny (Hamlin) over the past several years. 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.”
While the duo of Hamlin and Gabehart had reached the Championship 4 three times, it had been shutout of the Championship 4 in each of the last three seasons.
Hamlin, a 54-time winner in the NASCAR Cup Series, is still searching for his first NASCAR Cup Series championship. At the age of 44, perhaps the swap to Gayle with Gabehart helping push from the top as competition director will be what Hamlin needs to get over the hump.
Gayle, who guided Gibbs to the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs for the first time in the young driver's career in 2024, has two career NASCAR Cup Series wins as a crew chief, both of which came with Erik Jones. Prior to moving to the NASCAR Cup Series full-time as a crew chief in 2017, Gayle had amassed 37 wins in the NASCAR Xfinity Series as a crew chief for Joe Gibbs Racing.
Toby Christie is the Editor-in-Chief of Racing America. He has 15 years of experience as a motorsports journalist and has been with Racing America since 2023.