Tag: Joe Gibbs Racing

Hamlin on Daytona 500 champ Byron: ‘He races so wise beyond his years’

A three-time champion of the Daytona 500 was highly complimentary of the race’s newest champion this week. Denny Hamlin congratulated and praised William Byron on his podcast “Actions Detrimental,” saying the victory was well earned. The Joe Gibbs …

A three-time champion of the Daytona 500 was highly complimentary of the race’s newest champion this week.

Denny Hamlin congratulated and praised William Byron on his podcast “Actions Detrimental,” saying the victory was well earned. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver, who won at Daytona in 2016, 2019 and 2020, also told Byron it was his time to bask in the glory of winning the sport’s biggest race.

“He races so wise beyond his years, he really does,” Hamlin said. “I admire William, I admire his work ethic, who he is as a person.”

The victory was the 11th of Byron’s career in his seventh season at the Cup Series level. Hamlin is a series veteran and is considered a favorite when it comes to the superspeedway events. In his praise, Hamlin compared Byron to a former Hendrick Motorsports driver against whom he spent many years racing.

“I think of him (Byron) a lot like Jimmie Johnson in the sense of he just gets results; he gets a lot of results, and he’s not super flashy about it,” Hamlin said. “He’s a really good person outside the race car as he is in the race car. He always races fair with everyone. Have we ever heard William Byron getting into or wrecking someone?”

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Hamlin and Byron have gone toe-to-toe over the years. In the fall race at Texas Motor Speedway in 2022, Byron spun Hamlin under caution. The two later hashed things out – on Hamlin’s podcast – and have moved on with no ill feelings. It’s why Hamlin didn’t even bring it up when making his statement about not hearing about Byron having issues with fellow drivers.

“I’ve got tremendous respect for him as a driver,” Hamlin said. “He’s going to be a very deserving and good Daytona 500 champion for us over the next 12 months.”

The 43-year-old Hamlin knows that Byron, who is 26, has many more years ahead of him with the potential to keep adding to his resume. Something Hamlin went into when asked Saturday at Atlanta Motor Speedway about all the praise he sent Byron’s way. It’s the progression of Byron through the NASCAR ranks in a short time and his development as a driver that hasn’t gone unnoticed by Hamlin.

“I think we saw it in the Truck Series to Xfinity Series, he always was winning,” Hamlin said. “And again, he’s always had really great equipment, but to have a lot of his teammates as well. He’s just continually, in my mind, gotten better and better. Then, to be [26 years old], he’s got such a long future ahead.

“He’s a guy that we could be talking about in that 60 (to) 70-win category if he keeps going on this pace. He’s got the potential.”

Hamlin paces manufacturer-clustered Daytona 500 practice

Denny Hamlin, a three-time Daytona 500 champion, was fastest in NASCAR Cup Series practice Friday while in a draft with his Toyota teammates – his Camry clocking in at 197.477mph (45.575s). He was followed by eight other Toyota drivers. Erik Jones …

Denny Hamlin, a three-time Daytona 500 champion, was fastest in NASCAR Cup Series practice Friday while in a draft with his Toyota teammates — his Camry clocking in at 197.477mph (45.575s). He was followed by eight other Toyota drivers.

Erik Jones was second-fastest at 197.468mph, Christopher Bell third at 197.429mph, Ty Gibbs fourth at 197.394mph and John Hunter Nemechek fifth at 193.377mph.

Tyler Reddick was sixth at 197.364mph, Jimmie Johnson seventh at 197.282mph, Bubba Wallace eighth at 197.126mph, Michael McDowell ninth at 194.569mph, and Austin Cindric completed the top 10 at 194.523mph.

Daytona 500 polesitter Joey Logano was 14th fastest at 194.07mph.

All three manufacturers had small groups of teammates drafting together, which was reflected on the speed charts.

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The fastest eight drivers in practice were Toyotas. The next six were Fords. Chevrolet had the following six.

There were no incidents in practice.

David Ragan pulled double duty. He got behind the wheel of the No. 60 Ford he qualified for the Daytona 500 with RFK Racing, but he also got on track in the No. 17 Ford for Chris Buescher, who returned to North Carolina early Friday to be with his wife Emma for the birth of their second child. Buescher will return to Daytona for the 500.

Ragan was 26th on the speed charter in the No. 60. He was 39th on the chart after shaking down the No. 17 Ford, which was just a three-lap run.

Track time during the 50-minute session was a high priority. The local forecast calls for rain to move into the area Saturday and potentially stay through early Monday. If so, it would mean Friday’s lone practice would be the only on-track time between Thursday’s Duels and the start of the Daytona 500.

Thirty-nine of the 40 teams participated in practice. The one driver who did not get on track was the No. 62 of Anthony Alfredo for Beard Motorsports.

Joe Gibbs Racing signs young, rising driver to development contract in 2024

Joe Gibbs Racing announced on Tuesday afternoon that it has signed this young, rising driver to a development contract in 2024.

[autotag]Joe Gibbs Racing[/autotag] is one of NASCAR’s powerhouse organizations, so every driver signing is met with raised eyebrows. On Tuesday afternoon, this was the case when the NASCAR team signed a 14-year-old development driver. Joe Gibbs Racing announced that it has signed [autotag]Max Reaves[/autotag] to a multi-year development contract ahead of the 2024 season.

Reaves will begin a development program that will include access to the resources available from Toyota. The 14-year-old prospect will also receive assistance with his 2024 schedule, access to learn from Joe Gibbs Racing’s current driver and crew chief lineup, and public relations and social media training with the coming new year.

Throughout his racing career, Reaves has run quarter midgets, dirt wing outlaws go-karts, bandoleros, 600 micro sprints, legend cars, and pro late models across the southeastern United States. Joe Gibbs Racing obviously sees the potential in Reaves’ driving, even if the NASCAR world won’t see much of him until he turns 18 years old.

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Joe Gibbs Racing reveals John Hunter Nemechek’s Xfinity schedule for 2024

Joe Gibbs Racing revealed John Hunter Nemechek’s Xfinity Series schedule for the 2024 NASCAR season on Monday afternoon.

[autotag]Joe Gibbs Racing[/autotag] has a star-studded lineup in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for the 2024 season. Sheldon Creed and Chandler Smith will be the team’s full-time drivers, while Aric Almirola runs a part-time schedule. Also, [autotag]John Hunter Nemechek[/autotag] will double-dip with starts in the No. 20 car. On Monday afternoon, Nemechek’s schedule for the 2024 season was revealed.

Joe Gibbs Racing announced that Nemechek will drive the No. 20 car in 10 Xfinity Series races during the 2024 NASCAR season. The Legacy Motor Club driver will start his schedule at Daytona International Speedway. Most notably, Nemechek will also compete at the Circuit of the Americas on March 23, Iowa Speedway on June 15, and the Chicago Street Course on July 6.

The former full-time Xfinity Series driver ran well with Joe Gibbs Racing in 2023. Nemechek came close to winning the Xfinity Series championship on a late-race restart but drove into Turn 1 too deep. Nemechek can continue his success in the Xfinity Series without significant pressure. It’s the perfect situation for Nemechek as he returns to the NASCAR Cup Series full-time.

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Aric Almirola reveals number of Xfinity Series races with Joe Gibbs Racing in 2024

Aric Almirola reveals the number of NASCAR Xfinity Series races he will run with Joe Gibbs Racing during the 2024 season.

[autotag]Aric Almirola[/autotag] announced before the conclusion of the 2023 NASCAR season that he would leave Stewart-Haas Racing. Almirola never said he would retire, which came to fruition when he signed with [autotag]Joe Gibbs Racing[/autotag]. The 39-year-old driver will compete in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and has officially said how many races he will run with Joe Gibbs Racing.

In an interview with FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass, Almirola revealed he will run a part-time schedule of 15 to 16 races with Joe Gibbs Racing in 2024. Almirola was announced as a driver alongside Chandler Smith, Sheldon Creed, John Hunter Nemechek, Ryan Truex, Joe Graf Jr., and William Sawalich for the 2024 season.

This is an excellent opportunity for Almirola to downsize his schedule and ease his way into retirement. The former Stewart-Haas Racing driver still wants to compete, and not having the full grind of a 38-race season is the perfect opportunity. Almirola won with RSS Racing at Sonoma Raceway last season, so he is still fully capable of winning races in the Xfinity Series.

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Joe Gibbs Racing reveals Interstate Batteries paint schemes for 2024 season

Joe Gibbs Racing has revealed the Interstate Batteries paint schemes that its four NASCAR Cup Series will run in 2024. Check out the look!

[autotag]Joe Gibbs Racing[/autotag] has done a stellar job when it comes to releasing paint schemes and schedules for sponsors in 2024. The organization has some of NASCAR’s best paint schemes with Christopher Bell’s Rheem and Mobil 1 cars, while Denny Hamlin’s new and improved Sports Clips paint scheme already won a race. Now, another sponsor has been announced ahead of the 2024 season.

On Tuesday evening, Joe Gibbs Racing revealed the Interstate Batteries paint schemes for Bell, Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr., and Ty Gibbs. The paint schemes are relatively the same compared to the normal look for Interstate Batteries. The company will be on the Joe Gibbs Racing fleet for select races during the 2024 NASCAR season.

It is smart for Interstate Batteries to continue its partnership with Joe Gibbs Racing as they have a tradition of success. Hamlin already brought Sports Clips to victory lane at the Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum, and more wins are undoubtedly on the way. For Interstate Batteries, they hope to be in victory lane at least once during the 2024 NASCAR season.

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Hamlin nears Earnhardt record with fourth Clash win in L.A.

Denny Hamlin found his way back to the front of the NASCAR Cup Series field when it mattered most Saturday night to claim the victory in the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum. Hamlin started from the pole and led 47 of the first 50 laps at the Los …

Denny Hamlin found his way back to the front of the NASCAR Cup Series field when it mattered most Saturday night to claim the victory in the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum.

Hamlin started from the pole and led 47 of the first 50 laps at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. But after losing the lead and getting muscled out of the way by the competition, he settled into seventh with his Joe Gibbs Racing Camry and did enough to stay within striking distance.

The race’s final caution with 10 laps to go gave Hamlin his chance. He restarted third behind race leader Ty Gibbs and took advantage of his teammate going wide in Turn 1 with Joey Logano. Once in the lead, Hamlin never looked back and held on when the race went to an overtime finish.

Gibbs was the reason for the final caution. The No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry spun in Turn 4 after contact with Kyle Larson.

“A lot of it was what happened in front of me with the No. 54 (Gibbs) and No. 22 (Logano), and you just never what was going to happen there,” Hamlin said. “But I got a really good run off of Turn 2 and just got position and was able to hang on from there. It’s so chaotic, the restarts, with everyone just bumping and banging, but it feels great to win here in L.A.”

The victory is the first for Hamlin in L.A. but his fourth in a Clash event, just one shy of Dale Earnhardt’s Clash win record. Hamlin had three wins at Daytona International Speedway when it hosted the exhibition race, formerly known as the Budweiser Shootout and Sprint Unlimited.

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Kyle Busch finished second to Hamlin. The Richard Childress Racing driver followed Hamlin when the door opened as Gibbs and Logano went wide on the final restart. It’s the second straight podium finish for Busch in The Clash.

Ryan Blaney finished third after driving from the rear of the field after needing to take the provisional to make the race.

Ty Gibbs dominated the middle portion of the Clash but his race soured late. Chris Graythen/Getty Images for NASCAR

Logano finished fourth and Larson finished fifth. Alex Bowman finished sixth, Chase Briscoe seventh, Brad Keselowski eighth, Martin Truex Jr. ninth and William Byron 10th.

Gibbs finished 18th after the spin. He led a race-high 84 laps.

There were seven caution flags Saturday night (only green flag laps counted). The race went green through the first 75 laps before the first caution flew just shy of the halfway break for a spin by Todd Gilliland.

There were seven lead changes among four drivers. Logano took the lead on the initial start before Hamlin made his way to the front on lap three. Gibbs dominated the middle portion of the race, followed by one lap led by Keselowski before Logano retook the top spot. Gibbs was in control of the race, leading by over 2s at one point before the final caution flew and Hamlin overtook him.

“It’s a great momentum boost,” Hamlin said. “It doesn’t do much more than that. But I clean off all the trophies every January 1 in the entryway of the house, and now we get to add one pretty quick, so really happy about that.”

RESULTS

Hamlin scores pole for Saturday’s Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum

Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano have earned the front row for the Busch Light Clash at the L.A. Coliseum. Hamlin’s fastest lap was 13.139s (68.498mph) to win the pole. Logano’s fastest lap was 13.250s (67.925mph) “I’ve been pretty happy with the Sport …

Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano have earned the front row for the Busch Light Clash at the L.A. Coliseum.

Hamlin’s fastest lap was 13.139s (68.498mph) to win the pole. Logano’s fastest lap was 13.250s (67.925mph)

“I’ve been pretty happy with the Sport Clips Toyota so far,” Hamlin said. “It’s just we’ve only had short runs here and there, but you never know with The Clash. Certainly, with the lesser field amount, I think the strong cars can really show, and I think Chris [Gabehart, crew chief] and the team did a great job preparing a great car for me and [I’m] just driving it all we can.”

NASCAR set the field by taking a driver’s fastest lap from the final session on track. Drivers were allowed to run as many laps as they wanted in the allotted time.

Ty Gibbs qualified third (67.868mph), Alex Bowman fourth (67.843mph), Kyle Busch fifth (67.807mph), William Byron sixth (67.588mph), Ross Chastain seventh (67.573mph), and Kyle Larson eighth (67.547mph).

Bubba Wallace qualified ninth (67.370mph), Justin Haley 10th (67.325mph), Tyler Reddick 11th (67.285mph), Ryan Preece 12th (67.275mph), and Brad Keselowski 13th (67.224mph).

It’s the first time Keselowski has qualified for the Busch Light Clash at the L.A. Coliseum. Both he and teammate Chris Buescher were locked out of The Clash in its first two years in L.A.

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“I just drove it as hard as I could drive it,” Keselowski said of making the field. “I picked up a little bit of speed with our Castrol Ford, made a little adjustment to it, spun the tires all the way down the straightaway on the last lap and got in. I don’t know but I’ll take it.”

Chase Elliott qualified 14th (67.159mph), Todd Gilliland 15th (67.019mph), Michael McDowell 16th (67.019mph), Noah Gragson 17th (66.999mph), Corey LaJoie 18th (66.994mph), Martin Truex Jr. 19th (66.900mph), and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 20th (66.870mph).

John Hunter Nemechek qualified 21st (66.795mph) and Chase Briscoe 22nd (66.746mph). The final spot in the field, 23rd, went to Ryan Blaney on a provisional. Blaney, the reigning champion, was not fastest enough to make the top 22 and needed the provisional.

The drivers who will not race in The Clash:

· Josh Williams (Kaulig Racing)

· Carson Hocevar (Spire Motorsports)

· Josh Berry (Stewart-Haas Racing)

· Daniel Suarez (Trackhouse Racing)

· Austin Dillon (Richard Childress Racing)

· Erik Jones (Legacy Motor Club)

· Chris Buescher (RFK Racing)

· Austin Cindric (Team Penske)

· Daniel Hemric (Kaulig Racing)

· Christopher Bell (Joe Gibbs Racing)

· Kaz Grala (Rick Ware Racing)

· Harrison Burton (Wood Brothers Racing)

· Zane Smith (Spire Motorsports)

Martin Truex Jr. in a Toyota won the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum last year. Logano in a Ford won the inaugural event.

Joe Gibbs Racing reveals Denny Hamlin’s new Sports Clips paint scheme

Joe Gibbs Racing has revealed Denny Hamlin’s new Sports Clips paint scheme for the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season. Check out the new look!

[autotag]Joe Gibbs Racing[/autotag] has already released one of [autotag]Denny Hamlin[/autotag]’s paint schemes for the 2024 NASCAR season, and it wasn’t FedEx. Earlier in the week, Joe Gibbs Racing revealed Hamlin’s new paint scheme and schedule with Mavis, which will be on the No. 11 car for eight races. Now, the NASCAR team has released another non-FedEx paint scheme for 2024.

On Tuesday evening, Joe Gibbs Racing revealed Hamlin’s new Sports Clips paint scheme for the first unofficial race weekend at the Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum. The white base stays the same, but more red and black are on the front of the car, creating a white number. Overall, it is a very sharp scheme to open the 2024 NASCAR season.

The driver of the No. 11 car is entering the new campaign after shoulder surgery during the offseason. Fortunately, Hamlin doesn’t need a backup driver for the Busch Light Clash, so he will drive the No. 11 Sports Clips Toyota. Despite the surgery, the company believes that Hamlin will compete at a high level and win his first NASCAR Cup Series championship in 2024.

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Joe Gibbs Racing reveals Martin Truex Jr.’s new Bass Pro Shops paint scheme

Joe Gibbs Racing has revealed Martin Truex Jr.’s new Bass Pro Shops paint scheme for the 2024 NASCAR season. Check out the new look!

[autotag]Joe Gibbs Racing[/autotag] has begun the process of revealing paint schemes and sponsorship schedules for the 2024 NASCAR season. At this point, Denny Hamlin and Christopher Bell have been the most popular drivers when it comes to announcements. However, another Joe Gibbs Racing driver can now be added to the list.

On Monday afternoon, Joe Gibbs Racing revealed [autotag]Martin Truex Jr.[/autotag]’s new Bass Pro Shops paint scheme for the 2024 NASCAR season. Based on the initial render, Truex’s new No. 19 car features more orange at the front of the vehicle. This comes as Toyota Racing developed a new stock car that will compete in the NASCAR Cup Series this season.

Bass Pro Shops hopes this new paint scheme represents a restart for Truex, who struggled during the 2023 playoffs. The driver of the No. 19 car won the 2023 Cup Series regular season title but failed to make the Championship 4. To turn it around, Truex will need to have a hot start, and it begins with Bass Pro Shops support along the way.

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