Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) has a storied history at Daytona International Speedway, boasting eight NASCAR Cup Series victories at the 2.5-mile superspeedway. The team’s first Daytona 500 triumph came in 1993 when Dale Jarrett won driving the No. 18 Interstate Batteries car. Since then, drivers like Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Erik Jones, Tony Stewart, and Jarrett himself have brought JGR to victory lane at this iconic venue. In 187 starts, the team has earned 41 top-five finishes, 57 top-10s, five poles, and led 2,166 laps, demonstrating consistent competitiveness.
A Look Back at the 2025 Season for Joe Gibbs Racing
Last season, Joe Gibbs Racing made a strong statement by placing three of their drivers within the top five of the final NASCAR Cup Series standings: Denny Hamlin finished second, Chase Briscoe was third, and Christopher Bell secured fifth. The team combined for 13 wins that counted toward points, 47 top-five and 69 top-10 finishes, 2,494 laps led, and won 13 pole positions. In addition, Christopher Bell captured the non-points NASCAR All-Star Race, while Ty Gibbs earned victory in the inaugural In-Season Tournament, highlighting the depth of talent across JGR’s lineup.
Denny Hamlin’s Pursuit of a Fourth Daytona 500 Win
Entering his 21st Daytona 500 start this year, Denny Hamlin remains a dominant force at Daytona. His three victories at the Great American Race (2016, 2019, 2020) place him among an elite group of drivers. Notably, Hamlin won the 2016 event in the closest finish in Daytona 500 history, edging out Martin Truex Jr. by a mere 0.010 seconds on the final lap. In 2019, he led a historic 1-2-3 finish for JGR at the event, while the 2020 race saw another dramatic victory over Ryan Blaney and Ryan Newman. Despite an unfortunate multi-car accident on the race’s last lap in 2025, Hamlin has maintained his reputation as a top Daytona competitor.
Hamlin’s 2025 season was marked by six wins — the most of any driver — including triumphs at Martinsville Speedway, Darlington Raceway, Michigan International Speedway, Dover Motor Speedway, World Wide Technology Raceway, and Las Vegas Motor Speedway. His victory in Las Vegas was career win number 60, a milestone that only 11 NASCAR drivers have reached. Hamlin also secured 14 top-five and 18 top-10 finishes, along with five poles and 1,024 laps led, finishing second overall in the championship standings.
Among NASCAR Hall of Fame inductees, Hamlin is tied with legends Bobby Allison, Jeff Gordon, and Dale Jarrett with three Daytona 500 wins each. Should he capture a fourth Harley J. Earl trophy, he would join second-place Cale Yarborough just behind seven-time champion Richard Petty. Beyond the Daytona 500, Hamlin has also achieved six additional wins during Daytona Speedweeks, including victories in the 150-mile Duel qualifying races (2008, 2014, 2017) and The Clash exhibition races (2006, 2014, 2016).
Chris Gayle’s Role as Crew Chief Drives Success
Chris Gayle, now entering his eighth full season as a NASCAR Cup Series crew chief, had a breakout year guiding Denny Hamlin during the 2025 campaign. In 250 races as a crew chief, Gayle has led teams to eight victories, 57 top-five and 99 top-10 finishes, nine poles, and 2,167 laps led. Under Gayle’s leadership, Hamlin’s No. 11 team achieved six wins, 14 top-five and 18 top-10 finishes, five pole awards, and led 1,024 laps in 2025. Gayle also boasts significant success from his NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series tenure, where his teams secured 37 wins, 84 top-fives, 133 top-10s, 25 pole positions, and led nearly 6,000 laps in 198 starts.
Chase Briscoe’s Continued Growth at Daytona
Chase Briscoe, driving the No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry XSE, has demonstrated steady progress at Daytona with 10 starts, two top-five finishes, three top-10s, and 84 laps led. Last year, he earned the pole position and finished fourth in the Daytona 500. Briscoe’s 2025 season was the best of his career, posting three victories at Pocono Raceway, Darlington Raceway’s Southern 500, and the Talladega playoff race. He led the field with seven pole awards, added 15 top-five, 19 top-10 finishes, and led 884 laps, securing third place in the final standings.
James Small will embark on his seventh season as crew chief for Briscoe’s No. 19 team in 2026. After five years working with Martin Truex Jr., Small brings extensive experience, having guided his drivers to 11 wins, 60 top-five and 106 top-10 results, 13 poles, and 4,677 laps led across 217 races.
Bass Pro Shops, Briscoe’s sponsor, is recognized as North America’s leading outdoor and conservation company. Under Johnny Morris’s leadership, Bass Pro Shops has earned a reputation for habitat protection and introducing new generations to outdoor activities. The company has been named
“America’s Most Trusted Retailer for Outdoor Gear”
by Newsweek.
Christopher Bell Aims for Continued Success on the Superspeedway
Christopher Bell has consistently been a strong competitor at Daytona, earning three third-place finishes in his last six races at the track. In 2025, he was contending for the lead late in the race before a push from behind caused him to hit the outside wall. Bell’s first Cup Series win occurred at Daytona’s 3.61-mile road course in February 2021, where he passed Joey Logano late to claim victory, the first of his 13 career wins.
Bell’s 2025 campaign featured three wins in the opening four races at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Circuit of the Americas, and Phoenix Raceway, plus a NASCAR All-Star Race victory at North Wilkesboro Speedway. He also won the Bristol night race during the playoffs. Bell finished the season with 13 top-five and 22 top-10 finishes, securing fourth consecutive top-five finishes in the championship.
Adam Stevens, Bell’s crew chief since 2015, will enter his 12th season at the helm in 2026. Stevens has led his drivers to two Cup Series championships and 41 wins, along with 150 top-five and 231 top-10 finishes, 29 poles, and over 10,000 laps led in 384 starts. Stevens’s teams have finished in the top five in the final standings in nine of 11 seasons and have experienced similar success in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.
DEWALT will be proudly displayed on the hood of Bell’s No. 20 Toyota at the Daytona 500, featuring Borrell Electric Company on the lower hood as an additional partner. Interstate Batteries, a long-standing primary partner of Joe Gibbs Racing, marks its 35th consecutive season supporting the No. 20 car.
Ty Gibbs Builds Momentum at Daytona
Young driver Ty Gibbs has made three Daytona 500 starts, with a best finish of 16th last season. He owns two top-10 results at the Daytona superspeedway, including a fifth-place finish in the fall race of 2023. Gibbs also competed twice in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series at Daytona in 2022, finishing 11th and seventh.
Gibbs earned his first O’Reilly Series victory on the Daytona Road Course in 2021, leading 14 of 56 laps to surge from fifth to first on an overtime restart. In 2025, his third full-time Cup season, Gibbs tallied five top-five and 10 top-10 finishes, leading 304 laps. His highlights included winning the inaugural In-Season Tournament and leading career-high 201 laps at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Tyler Allen will continue as Gibbs’s crew chief for his second season in 2026. Allen guided the No. 54 team to five top-fives, 10 top-10s, and 304 laps led in 2025 and also coached JGR’s No. 20 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series team to eight wins and a runner-up finish in the owners’ championship last year.
Anticipating a Strong 2026 Campaign at Daytona
Joe Gibbs Racing approaches the 2026 Daytona season with high hopes, fueled by their rich history and recent strong performances. The combination of veteran experience from drivers like Denny Hamlin and promising talent such as Ty Gibbs positions the organization as a formidable contender at the World Center of Racing. With proven leadership in crew chiefs Chris Gayle, James Small, Adam Stevens, and Tyler Allen, JGR aims to build on last year’s momentum to capture more victories on this iconic track and strengthen their legacy in the sport’s marquee event.
