Editor’s note: Today’s Joe Gibbs Racing preview continues NASCAR.com’s countdown of team previews for the 2026 Cup Series season.
JOE GIBBS RACING
Manufacturer: Toyota
Engine: Toyota Racing Development
Driver-crew chief pairings: Denny Hamlin-Chris Gayle (No. 11); Chase Briscoe-James Small (No. 19); Christopher Bell-Adam Stevens (No. 20); Ty Gibbs-Tyler Allen (No. 54)
Team outlook: A near return to championship glory in 2025 for the storied JGR program positions the four-car outfit for a bright future in 2026. The team amassed 13 points-paying victories a season ago and returns all four of its driver and crew-chief pairings in the new year. The Toyota powerhouse is poised to remain a top title contender, particularly with three proven veterans in Hamlin, Bell and Briscoe and an up-and-coming talent in Ty Gibbs that seems set for a breakout season.
DENNY HAMLIN, NO. 11 TOYOTA
Experience: 20 full-time seasons in NASCAR Cup Series; 721 starts
2025 stats: 2nd in final Cup Series standings; 6 wins, 14 top fives, 18 top 10s, 5 poles, 1,024 laps led
Driver outlook: Denny Hamlin is back for what could be his penultimate season in the NASCAR Cup Series after two decades. A dominant performance at Phoenix last fall nearly led him to that ever-elusive first Cup championship, but an argument could be made that his chances to break through are greater as NASCAR returns to The Chase championship format. Hamlin won a whopping 17.1% of his Cup starts in 2025 (missing Mexico City due to the birth of his son, Jameson), and wins are worth more points now than a season ago. Coupled with a format that rewards week-after-week consistency through points, Hamlin may be back in the title hunt again come November.
RELATED: Denny Hamlin driver page
CHASE BRISCOE, NO. 19 TOYOTA
Experience: 5 full-time seasons in NASCAR Cup Series; 180 starts
2025 stats: 3rd in final Cup Series standings; 3 wins, 15 top fives, 19 top 10s, 7 poles, 884 laps led
Driver outlook: Chase Briscoe made his first season with JGR count in 2025, qualifying for the Championship 4 amid a three-win campaign that forged the No. 19 team as a weekly contender. He and crew chief James Small got off to a slow start last season as the pairing learned each other’s tendencies, but once they clicked, they became a consistent threat at the front of the field. Without growing pains in 2026, Briscoe should be fighting for race wins all over again in no time.
MORE: Chase Briscoe driver page
CHRISTOPHER BELL, NO. 20 TOYOTA
Experience: 6 full-time seasons in NASCAR Cup Series; 216 starts
2025 stats: 5th in final Cup Series standings; 4 wins, 13 top fives, 22 top 10s, 1 pole, 282 laps led
Driver outlook: Christopher Bell scored the second-most wins for JGR in 2025 while also netting the team’s most top 10s. Bell and crew chief Adam Stevens have become one of the Cup Series’ elite pairings in recent years, scoring Championship 4 appearances in 2022 and 2023 with fifth-place points finishes in each of the last two seasons. The No. 20 team is another that may benefit from pursuing The Chase championship rather than the previous elimination-style format.
MORE: Christopher Bell driver page
TY GIBBS, NO. 54 TOYOTA
Experience: 3 full-time seasons in NASCAR Cup Series; 123 starts
2025 stats: 19th in final Cup Series standings; 0 wins, 5 top fives, 10 top 10s, 0 poles, 304 laps led
Driver outlook: Ty Gibbs is still searching for the first Cup win of his career, but the 2022 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series champion is making strides to contend in the new year. Crew chief Tyler Allen is back atop the box for his sophomore season, calling the shots on the No. 54 team after the group earned five top fives a season ago. What should be encouraging is that all five came on a variety of race tracks — the 0.533-mile Bristol Motor Speedway (third); the 2-mile Michigan International Speedway oval (third); the Chicago Street Course (second), the 1-mile Dover Motor Speedway (fifth); and Talladega Superspeedway (third). Stringing results like that consistently will put Gibbs in position to strike for that first victory.
MORE: Ty Gibbs driver page