Joe Gibbs Racing heads into this weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway determined to extend its legacy at the venue, backed by impressive statistics and a successful 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season. The organization, prominent for its strong performance at Las Vegas, continues to cement its place among elite Cup Series teams as its drivers chase further wins in the playoffs, reaffirming the significance of the Joe Gibbs Racing Las Vegas connection.
Historical Success for Joe Gibbs Racing at Las Vegas
In the NASCAR Cup Series, Joe Gibbs Racing has established a dominant presence at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Over 116 combined starts on the famed 1.5-mile tri-oval, the team has amassed four Cup Series victories, with Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth, and Martin Truex Jr. each driving JGR Toyotas to the top step of the podium. Complementing these victories are 30 top-five finishes, 60 top-10s, eight pole awards, and 1,325 laps led, marking the team as a consistent contender every time they visit Las Vegas.
The success in Las Vegas is a reflection of the organization’s competitive strength, with each driver contributing significant milestones. These accomplishments at the tri-oval are woven into the fabric of the team’s rich motorsports history and highlight how Joe Gibbs Racing Las Vegas races have been pivotal throughout their Cup Series campaigns.
Team Performance Throughout the 2025 Season
Joe Gibbs Racing’s 2025 campaign has marked a return to familiar form, as the team’s drivers combined for 11 NASCAR Cup Series victories to date. This achievement is the strongest for the organization since its record-shattering 19-win season in 2019. Notably, these 11 wins tie JGR with Hendrick Motorsports’ efforts in 2022 and 2024, both occurring after the introduction of NASCAR’s Next Gen racecar in 2022—a testament to the adaptability and high performance of the team.
Through 32 races this year, JGR’s drivers account for three of the top six average finishing positions among all full-time competitors. Christopher Bell leads the pack with an 11.7 average finish, while Chase Briscoe holds third with 12.4, and Denny Hamlin sits sixth at 13.6. These numbers demonstrate a collective consistency that has proven invaluable during the tightly contested 2025 playoff chase.
Denny Hamlin’s Pursuit of Another Las Vegas Win
Denny Hamlin, driving the No. 11 ampm Toyota Camry XSE, arrives at Las Vegas Motor Speedway as a proven winner at the venue, having triumphed there in September 2021. Since September 2020, Hamlin has finished 11th or better in eight of the past ten races at Las Vegas, including two eighth-place results last season. However, during the March race, a late caution during green-flag pit stops left Hamlin trapped a lap down, relegating him to a 25th-place finish despite running among the top contenders most of the event.
Hamlin recently secured his advancement to the Round of 8 for the seventh consecutive year, thanks to finishes of 12th at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, second at Kansas Speedway, and 23rd at the Charlotte ROVAL. This season stands out as Hamlin’s 19th playoff appearance, continuing an unbroken streak since the start of his career, with the exception of 2013 due to a back injury. Throughout his time in NASCAR, Hamlin has finished in the championship’s top five nine times and has frequently advanced deep into the playoffs under the elimination format, including four Championship 4 appearances. These milestones reinforce Hamlin’s reputation as one of the most persistent and resilient drivers chasing victory in the Cup Series playoffs.
The No. 11 team is guided by crew chief Chris Gayle, whose history at Las Vegas includes two wins, five top-five finishes, and a pole in the Xfinity Series, alongside a best Cup Series result of fifth with Ty Gibbs in March 2024. Hamlin’s partnership with Gayle continues to strengthen as they tackle the crucial closing rounds of the season.
For this weekend’s race, the No. 11 Camry features sponsorship from ampm, a major West Coast-based convenience store brand with more than 1,000 locations and an emphasis on technological innovation for customer convenience.
Fans eager to meet Hamlin will have the opportunity for autographs on Friday, October 10, at noon at the ampm store near the Las Vegas venue.
Chase Briscoe’s Breakout Year and Vegas Prospects
Chase Briscoe, piloting the No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry XSE, is enjoying a season of career highs across nearly every statistical measure. At Las Vegas, Briscoe’s best Cup Series finish was fourth in October 2022, while his Xfinity Series career at the track is highlighted by leading 253 of 400 laps to sweep both 2020 races. He also secured third place in his only Truck Series start at Las Vegas.
This past weekend, Briscoe finished 14th at the Charlotte ROVAL, a solid result that solidified his place in the Round of 8. Entering Sunday’s Cup Series playoff event, he ranks seventh in the standings, 14 points shy of the Championship 4 cutoff but leading all drivers with 233 points and a 5.7 average finish over the playoffs so far.
Briscoe’s season includes 13 top-five finishes and 17 top-10s, figures tied for first and second, respectively, along with a series-leading seven pole awards, and an average starting spot of 10.4. With 808 laps led so far this year—more than all his previous Cup seasons combined—Briscoe’s momentum and performance hint at strong potential for Joe Gibbs Racing Las Vegas aspirations this week.
The No. 19 team is helmed by Australian crew chief James Small, now in his sixth year. Notably, Small helped Martin Truex Jr. to multiple wins and deep playoff runs, and achieved a 2025 Southern 500 victory with Briscoe. At Las Vegas, his teams have two top-five and nine top-10 results, underscoring his effective leadership and track expertise.
Bass Pro Shops, a renowned name in outdoor and conservation retail led by Johnny Morris, sponsors Briscoe and is recognized for its leadership in habitat protection. The brand was cited by Newsweek as
“America’s Most Trusted Retailer for Outdoor Gear”
—Johnny Morris, Bass Pro Shops.
Supporters can attend Briscoe’s autograph session on Saturday, October 11, at 5:30 p.m. at Bass Pro Shops, Las Vegas, with wristbands for the event distributed from 9 a.m.
Christopher Bell Targets First Las Vegas Triumph
Christopher Bell, driving the No. 20 Rheem Toyota Camry XSE, brings renewed determination to clinch his first Cup Series win at Las Vegas. The Oklahoma native has narrowly missed the checkered flag in each of the last two fall races, starting on pole each time and leading significant laps—155 in one year and 61 in the previous. Across 11 Cup starts at Las Vegas, Bell has logged three top-five and five top-10 finishes, plus three poles. In the Xfinity Series, he earned three top-fives in four starts at the track, and his Truck Series record includes three finishes of sixth or better in four races, showcasing his adaptability across NASCAR’s ranks.
Bell dominated the Round of 12 with the best average finish (4.0), advancing to the Round of 8 for the fourth straight season after top-six results at New Hampshire, Kansas, and the Charlotte ROVAL. The next playoff round features Las Vegas as a strong venue for the No. 20 team, followed by the always unpredictable Talladega Superspeedway, and concluding at Martinsville Speedway, where Bell famously won under must-win circumstances in 2022. Crew chief Adam Stevens, a two-time Cup Series champion, leads Bell’s efforts and brings considerable experience, with an 8.8 average starting position and 12.7 average finish for his teams at Las Vegas.
This weekend, Rheem will welcome more than 225 guests in Las Vegas, including top executives and distributors such as Ferguson, Hajoca, RSD, and representatives from supplier partners like SmurfitWestrock and RTP. Their presence highlights the business relationships that support Bell’s campaign for victory as he continues his pursuit of a breakthrough Joe Gibbs Racing Las Vegas win.
Ty Gibbs Strives for Breakthrough in Las Vegas
Ty Gibbs, behind the wheel of the No. 54 SAIA LTL Freight Toyota Camry XSE, seeks to leverage his prior Las Vegas success into an even more significant result. In six previous Cup Series starts at the track, Gibbs notched his best finish—fifth—in March 2024 and achieved a best start of fourth in 2023. He has already shown his potential at Las Vegas by leading 23 laps in last fall’s event. Further, Gibbs secured a win and a fourth-place finish in three Xfinity Series starts at the venue, highlighting his adaptability and growth as a young Cup driver.
Last weekend’s Charlotte ROVAL race saw Gibbs qualify third, his best starting effort in 2025, before finishing 12th. He and the No. 54 team are working under first-year crew chief Tyler Allen, who impressed in the 2024 Xfinity Series, guiding the No. 20 team to eight victories and a second-place finish in the owner’s standings. Allen claimed his first Xfinity Series victory as a crew chief at Las Vegas in March 2024, leading John Hunter Nemechek and the team to dominate most of the race. As Allen adapts to Cup Series competition, his previous Vegas success bodes well for Gibbs’s prospects this weekend.
Extending Joe Gibbs Racing’s Las Vegas Legacy
With historical successes at Las Vegas and multiple drivers performing at their peak during the 2025 season, Joe Gibbs Racing arrives at this pivotal playoff round energized and focused. Denny Hamlin’s vast experience, Briscoe’s breakout season, Christopher Bell’s hunger for his first Las Vegas Cup victory, and Ty Gibbs’s promising development combine to give JGR diverse options for a shot at victory lane. The organization’s track record—anchored by four previous wins, scores of top finishes, and notable leadership from crew chiefs like Chris Gayle, James Small, Adam Stevens, and Tyler Allen—sets the stage for an intense battle at the 1.5-mile Nevada speedway.
As the playoff pressure rises and the push for the Championship 4 intensifies, all eyes remain on Joe Gibbs Racing Las Vegas ambitions. Whether seasoned veterans or emerging talents, JGR’s drivers are set to shape the outcome, with each result potentially altering the trajectory of their playoff journeys and the team’s legacy at one of NASCAR’s most competitive stages.
America’s Most Trusted Retailer for Outdoor Gear
— Johnny Morris, Bass Pro Shops
