Joe Gibbs Racing Darlington Race Preview arrives as anticipation builds for Sunday’s Southern 500, with the team aiming to extend its winning tradition at Darlington Raceway. Leading talents like Denny Hamlin, Chase Briscoe, Christopher Bell, and Ty Gibbs will take on the storied “Track Too Tough to Tame,” each bringing recent successes and playoff ambitions into one of NASCAR’s most iconic events.
Joe Gibbs Racing’s Deep Roots at Darlington
Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) has established itself as a dominant force at Darlington Raceway, accumulating 11 NASCAR Cup Series victories after Denny Hamlin’s spring triumph. Across 136 combined Cup starts at the South Carolina track, JGR has earned 41 top-five finishes, 76 top-10s, four pole positions, and spent 3,027 laps leading the field. Notable past winners in JGR cars include Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin, Erik Jones, Matt Kenseth, Bobby Labonte, and Martin Truex Jr., all reaching victory lane at this historic oval.
Denny Hamlin Seeks to Add to Darlington Legacy
Denny Hamlin heads to Darlington as the most decorated active NASCAR Cup Series driver at the track, boasting five wins, 14 top-five and 19 top-10 finishes. His remarkable average finish of 7.9 is unmatched among drivers with more than two starts at the facility. Earlier this year, Hamlin secured a thrilling victory at Darlington after a lightning-quick pit stop set up a dramatic overtime restart. This win marked his second of the 2025 season and added to his record six Xfinity Series victories at the “Lady in Black.”
The opening Round of 16 in the playoffs sets up favorably for Hamlin and his No. 11 crew. Besides Darlington, his back-to-back second place results at World Wide Technology Raceway make him one of only three drivers achieving multiple top-five finishes since the circuit joined NASCAR’s calendar. On the Bristol Motor Speedway short track, Hamlin owns four wins and a strong record of twenty top-10s, including two wins across his last four starts, each ending fourth place or better.
This season marks Hamlin’s 19th appearance in the NASCAR playoffs—a record—in a career that has missed only the 2013 postseason due to injury. He has finished in the season’s top-five standings nine times, and under the current elimination playoff system, Hamlin has reached the Round of 8 on nine occasions and the Championship 4 four times, solidifying his status as a perennial contender.
Through the regular 2025 season, Hamlin ranked sixth in driver points and tied for the series lead in wins and top-five finishes. He also accumulated 13 top-10s, led 555 laps, and topped the Xfinity Fastest Lap bonus leaderboard six times, showcasing his relentless competitiveness.
Crew Chief Chris Gayle’s Role and Sport Clips Support
Crew chief Chris Gayle adds another layer of experience and success to the No. 11 team, having claimed two Darlington wins as a crew chief—the 2019 Southern 500 with Erik Jones and again with Hamlin in April 2025. In 10 starts atop the pit box at Darlington, his drivers have collectively scored five top-five finishes and seven top-10s, reflecting Gayle’s ability to deliver strong results on challenging tracks.
This weekend, Sport Clips will serve as the primary sponsor for Hamlin’s No. 11 Toyota Camry XSE. The Georgetown, Texas-based company has a longstanding partnership with JGR going back to 2009 and operates over 1,800 stores across the United States and Canada. Sport Clips’ involvement extends beyond racing, through their work with the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and the Help A Hero scholarship initiative, which has awarded more than 3,350 scholarships totaling over $15.3 million to support the educational goals of active-duty service members and veterans.
“Sport Clips Help A Hero Scholarship”
—Sport Clips
More information can be found by visiting the VFW’s scholarship page for details on eligibility and the application process.
Chase Briscoe Geared Up for Southern 500 Defense
Chase Briscoe returns to Darlington as the defending winner of the Cook Out Southern 500. His 2023 victory in the regular season finale clinched a playoff berth, and Briscoe previously won the Xfinity Series race at Darlington in 2020. Earlier in the current year, he fought handling issues that led to a 28th-place result at the 1.366-mile track.
Briscoe also looks well-positioned for the other playoff Round of 16 venues. At World Wide Technology Raceway, he recorded a personal best 17th-place finish last season and was the Cup pole winner for the inaugural event there in 2022. At Bristol, he has two straight top-10s, including a highlight fourth-place drive this year.
The Indiana native has enjoyed a breakout campaign, notching career-best numbers in nearly every category—10 top-five finishes (tied for third in the series), 12 top-10s, and a leading six pole awards. His average starting spot is a remarkable 10.3, and his average race finish is a strong 13.7, ranking third overall.
The Leadership of James Small and Bass Pro Shops Engagement
James Small serves as crew chief for Briscoe’s No. 19 team in 2025, having previously led Martin Truex Jr. to significant achievements over five years, including eight wins, 46 top-five and 86 top-10 finishes, and a runner-up finish in the 2021 championship. Under Small’s guidance, the team earned the 2023 regular season championship and secured its ninth career win at Pocono with Briscoe in June. Small’s track record at Darlington includes a previous win and several top finishes, underlining his strategic influence for Sunday’s race.
Bass Pro Shops, under the leadership of Johnny Morris, continues as a prominent partner. The company is renowned for promoting outdoor activities, conservation, and family involvement, and has received repeated accolades from Newsweek.
“America’s Most Trusted Retailer for Outdoor Gear”
—Bass Pro Shops
Christopher Bell Poised for Another Strong Darlington Run
Christopher Bell aims to capitalize on positive momentum at Darlington, following two consecutive third-place finishes at the track. In his 12 Cup starts here, Bell has collected three top-five and four top-10 finishes along with one pole award. His Xfinity Series success includes a pole-to-win performance at Darlington in August 2024. The upcoming Round of 16 also favors Bell and the No. 20 team, with solid records at both World Wide Technology Raceway—where he led a race-high 80 laps last season before a mechanical setback—and Bristol, where he’s delivered five consecutive top-10 results.
Bell has a proven playoff pedigree, highlighted by dramatic victories to reach the Championship 4 in 2022 and a strong playoff showing in 2023. He narrowly missed a third straight trip to the title round last fall, despite leading with six top-five and eight top-10 playoff finishes, carrying a 7.1 average result across that stretch.
Guiding Bell is crew chief Adam Stevens, whose championship expertise is unmatched in the contemporary playoff format. After winning titles with Kyle Busch in both 2015 and 2019, Stevens now leads all active crew chiefs with seven appearances in the Championship 4 since 2014.
During the 2025 regular season, Bell burst out of the gates with three consecutive wins at Atlanta, Circuit of the Americas, and Phoenix. He followed up with a million-dollar triumph in the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro, and closed out the first 26 races with nine top-five and 14 top-10 runs.
Rheem’s Local Connection and Guest Presence
The Darlington weekend also spotlights JGR partner Rheem, which will host over 60 guests, including executives and customers from the Carolinas and Hajoca. Their presence underscores the ongoing corporate and regional support that continues to fuel JGR’s racing operations.
Ty Gibbs: Rising Star Ready for Darlington Challenge
Ty Gibbs enters Darlington buoyed by a career-best Cup Series second-place finish at the track earlier this season, after leading 34 laps. With six Cup starts at Darlington and a prior ninth-place finish already logged in 2024, Gibbs continues to gain experience at one of NASCAR’s most challenging circuits. He has also shown speed in the Xfinity Series, where his best Darlington result is sixth place (2022).
Fresh off an eighth-place finish at Daytona International Speedway, Gibbs carries momentum into the Southern 500. He is paired with rookie Cup crew chief Tyler Allen, who in 2024 led the No. 20 Xfinity Series team to eight victories and guided Christopher Bell to a dominant Xfinity Series win at Darlington last fall, leading 108 out of 150 laps from pole position.
The Road Ahead for Joe Gibbs Racing
Joe Gibbs Racing enters the Southern 500 with optimism, supported by recent wins, strategic crew leadership, and active sponsor engagement. With playoff ambitions high, and race-proven drivers like Denny Hamlin, Chase Briscoe, Christopher Bell, and Ty Gibbs at the helm, JGR is well-positioned to pursue another chapter in its Darlington legacy. Eyes across NASCAR will be on this experienced organization, as the race’s outcome could play a critical role in setting the tone for the remainder of the championship chase.
