Chris Gabehart’s NASCAR career move became a topic of speculation after news broke that he would be leaving Joe Gibbs Racing, the championship-winning team, ahead of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season. Despite his recent promotion to competition director for the 2025 season, no official statement has yet been made by Gabehart or any team about his next step in the sport.
Rumors Connect Gabehart to Spire Motorsports
Reports suggest Gabehart may join Spire Motorsports for the next NASCAR Cup Series season. If he makes this switch, it would mean leaving Joe Gibbs Racing, which has a long history of success, for a younger team. Spire Motorsports entered the Cup Series in 2019 and is co-owned by Jeff Dickerson. Over the past several seasons, the organization has gradually established itself, making strategic decisions to grow its presence and results.
Bringing in someone with Gabehart’s depth of experience—as both a championship-contending crew chief and a competition director—would reflect Spire’s commitment to strengthening its program and competing against the sport’s elite teams. However, neither Spire nor Gabehart has commented publicly about any deals or new roles at this time.
Spire Motorsports’ Current Lineup and Opportunities
The team’s NASCAR Cup Series effort currently fields three full-time cars: Michael McDowell in the #71, who signed on ahead of the current season; Carson Hocevar in the #77, who joined this year; and Daniel Suarez, set for his first stint with Spire after a five-year run at Trackhouse Racing. One uncertainty is that none of these drivers have had a crew chief announced for the upcoming season, leaving several key positions potentially open for Gabehart or new appointees.
At this stage, there is little clarity about what specific job Gabehart might take if he joins Spire. While his latest experience was as competition director at Joe Gibbs Racing, his extensive history as a crew chief could mean he takes on that role again. The team’s internal structure and precise staffing decisions will likely shape his responsibilities if he is confirmed to join the organization.
Tracing Gabehart’s Path at Joe Gibbs Racing
Chris Gabehart began his tenure at Joe Gibbs Racing in 2012, starting as a race engineer on Kyle Busch’s #18 Toyota fielded in the Cup Series. Over several years, he refined his technical acumen and grew within the company, eventually being promoted to crew chief within JGR’s NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series operation from 2016 through 2018.
In this three-year span in the O’Reilly Series, Gabehart’s teams captured nine wins with multiple drivers, underlining his versatility. He returned to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2019 as crew chief for Denny Hamlin and the #11 car, a partnership that became one of the most dominant in modern NASCAR. Together, Hamlin and Gabehart achieved 22 wins, including the prestigious Daytona 500 in 2019 and 2020, as well as claiming victory in the 2021 Southern 500. The pairing reached the Championship 4 three consecutive years from 2019 to 2021, a testament to their consistent competitiveness at the highest level.
Gabehart’s record as a Cup Series crew chief includes 209 races, 11pole awards, 90 top-five finishes, and 120 top-ten results—accomplishments that have established his reputation in both engineering and leadership capacities across the NASCAR landscape.
Significance of Gabehart’s Next Step for NASCAR
The uncertainty around Chris Gabehart’s next NASCAR role has generated significant discussion among industry observers and fans alike. With his technical background, leadership experience, and history of winning at the sport’s top level, wherever Gabehart lands could have noticeable implications for team performance and competition dynamics. If he moves to Spire Motorsports, his arrival could elevate the team’s profile and ambitions, altering the pecking order within the competitive NASCAR Cup Series. Stakeholders will be watching closely for formal announcements as the 2025 season approaches, anticipating what Gabehart’s future move may mean for both him and the teams that aim to challenge for championships.
