Chris Gayle will be Denny Hamlin‘s crew chief in the NASCAR Cup Series next year, as Chris Gabehart was promoted to competition director at Joe Gibbs Racing, JGR announced Nov. 22.
Gayle previously served as Ty Gibbs‘ crew chief over the past two years after leading him to a NASCAR Xfinity Series championship in 2022.
“Denny is obviously a first-ballot Hall of Famer,” Gayle said in a release. “I’m looking forward to working with him and the guys on the No. 11 team. He and Gabehart have established an incredible culture that is a very good barometer for our other drivers and teams to strive to match. I have all the confidence in the world we can hit the ground running and continue the success that this group is accustomed to in 2025.”
Gabehart had led the No. 11 team for the past six years, earning 22 victories, including two Daytona 500s.
Gibbs’ crew chief for 2025 will be announced at a later date.
About the author
Joy joined Frontstretch in 2019 as a NASCAR DraftKings writer, expanding to news and iRacing coverage in 2020. She's currently an assistant editor and involved with photos, social media and news editing. A California native, Joy was raised watching motorsports and started watching NASCAR extensively in 2001. She earned her B.A. degree in Liberal Studies at California State University Bakersfield in 2010.
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Is this a good sign or a bad sign for the 11?
Gibbs starting the countdown on Denny’s career.