Chris Gabehart, known for his successful run as Denny Hamlin’s crew chief, made headlines in Denny Hamlin crew chief news by returning to the pit box for Joe Gibbs Racing—this time acting as race strategist for Ty Gibbs at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The shift comes as Joe Gibbs Racing seeks to maximize its playoff potential, with Gabehart’s expertise now focused on getting Gibbs’ car across the playoff line in the final months of the NASCAR Cup Series regular season.
Chris Gabehart’s Return to the Pit Box for Ty Gibbs
Half a season after being elevated from Hamlin’s crew chief to competition director at Joe Gibbs Racing, Gabehart was back in a decisive pit box role on Saturday night in Hampton, Georgia. However, instead of managing Hamlin’s team, Gabehart has assumed a critical strategist position for Ty Gibbs, collaborating with Gibbs over the radio and coordinating efforts with crew chief Tyler Allen. This setup is unconventional for NASCAR, but reflects the increasing pressure and tactical demands as Joe Gibbs Racing seeks to secure all its cars a spot in the playoffs.
Addressing the unique nature of his new responsibilities, Gabehart explained,
“Let’s call it unorthodox for this garage,”
—Chris Gabehart, competition director. He further clarified the strategy, saying,
“But the reality is that once (Joe Gibbs Racing) got three cars in the playoffs, when you look at it simply, we’ve got one left we’re trying to get in.”
—Chris Gabehart, competition director
Recent Challenges and Missed Opportunities for Ty Gibbs
Ty Gibbs has been persistently close to victory in recent weeks. At the Michigan race three weeks ago, Gibbs secured a third-place finish but was vocal on the radio about having to save too much fuel towards the end, which limited his chances to challenge Denny Hamlin for the win.
Responding during the heated moment after Michigan, Gabehart told Gibbs over the team radio,
“Hey, we didn’t give (anything) away. We had a great day. We did what we needed to do. We got a top five. Our other car won. It’s about big picture. All right? Take this and build.”
—Chris Gabehart, competition director
At the following event in Mexico, Gibbs was positioned as the main threat to Shane van Gisbergen for the win. A caution at Lap 66 dramatically altered the race, as it occurred just after van Gisbergen’s pit stop but before Gibbs was able to make his final stop. Allen, new to his Cup Series crew chief role, said about the pit strategy,
“It’s super risky at a road course,”
—Tyler Allen, crew chief. He reflected,
“If that caution doesn’t come, we have a really good shot to win. Unfortunately, it did and buried us back in about 15th and that was about all we could do.”
—Tyler Allen, crew chief
Unable to recover position, Gibbs ultimately finished 11th in Mexico. At Pocono, a demanding strategy saw Gibbs visit pit road five times, more than most of his competitors, resulting in a 14th-place finish. Most recently, in Atlanta, after leading an impressive 32 laps, Gibbs finished the race in 14th, did not earn stage points, and dropped to 24th in the overall standings.
Pushing for a Playoff Berth Under Tight Margins
Despite the setbacks, Gabehart reiterated his faith in the team’s efforts, stating,
“Tyler and his team has been doing a great job,”
—Chris Gabehart, competition director.
“Really, three out of the last four weeks we’ve been at least within shouting distance of a win with this car. It’s nothing about the job that this team has been doing. It’s taking all your resources that are available to you and trying to get the last car in the playoffs.”
—Chris Gabehart, competition director
With Gibbs now trailing the playoff cutline by 86 points and only eight races left before the postseason, the urgency is palpable. The path forward likely requires a win for Gibbs to secure his playoff spot, intensifying the focus on strategy and execution for the remainder of the regular season.
Direct Communication and Strategic Advantage
Gabehart’s dual role as strategist creates an advantage through direct communication with Gibbs during races. This immediacy allows for on-the-spot decisions without the lag of relaying through intermediaries. Gabehart believes this approach can make the crucial difference in today’s ultra-competitive environment, noting,
“The margin for winning and not winning in this sport is as tight as it’s ever been,”
—Chris Gabehart, competition director. He elaborated,
“It’s the smallest of things. One reason might be some instance that I can get through to (Gibbs) or a decision I made on the fly that may not be clear at first but results in an opportunity to win. That’s a nuance. Another nuance is Ty knows my history and resume, so maybe he’ll respond to that in a little bit different way.”
—Chris Gabehart, competition director
This relationship offers other benefits to the team as Allen, still developing his Cup-level experience, gets to observe and learn from Gabehart’s broader, big-picture perspective. Gabehart described it,
“I think the truth is you can learn something from anything and you never know what might make the difference.”
—Chris Gabehart, competition director
Balancing Team Priorities Within Joe Gibbs Racing
With three Joe Gibbs Racing cars already in playoff positions and Gibbs on the bubble, managing resources without compromising other teams’ prospects is a delicate task for Gabehart.
“That’s ultimately up for me to manage,”
—Chris Gabehart, competition director.
“The decision was made to spread me a little thinner … so that’s what we’ll do.”
—Chris Gabehart, competition director
Although less than a year removed from his role as Hamlin’s crew chief, Gabehart’s tactical sharpness remains an asset that could make the difference for the entire Joe Gibbs Racing organization as it pushes toward the playoffs.
Peer Recognition of Gabehart’s Skills and Impact
Alan Gustafson, the Atlanta race-winning crew chief for Chase Elliott, spoke highly of Gabehart’s professionalism and influence.
“I have a lot of respect for Christ, I’ve raced with Chris for a long time,”
—Alan Gustafson, crew chief.
“There’s guys that you work with in this garage that do things the right way and race really hard and give you everything they’ve got and are fair and respectful. Chris is one of those guys. … He’s really good at what he does.”
—Alan Gustafson, crew chief
With the competitive intensity of the current playoff chase, Gabehart’s bold shift into a race strategist role for Ty Gibbs puts all eyes on Joe Gibbs Racing as the Cup Series heads toward its final regular-season stretch. The organization’s approach—underpinned by experience and direct communication—will be central to whether Gibbs can break through and deliver the needed result to reach the playoffs.
