Chris Gabehart’s presence in Denny Hamlin’s garage was a major confidence boost. He was instrumental to the team’s success, which is why his exit, confirmed in early December 2025, was widely seen as a move that could affect Hamlin’s 2026 season. The driver, however, would disagree.
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Gabehart’s exit marked the end of a lengthy run within the organization, one that helped shape the No. 11 program over several years. Before stepping into an executive role, he delivered some of the most reliable results atop the pit box for Hamlin, guiding the team to 22 victories across six seasons. During the 2025 campaign, he moved into a competition leadership role, serving as a central resource and sounding board for Ty Gibbs.
Gabehart’s exit was immediately viewed as a major internal shift for Joe Gibbs Racing, with many framing it as a development that could influence the organization’s competitive outlook entering 2026. Hamlin, however, approached the situation with far less urgency than he had the previous offseason, when he learned that Gabehart would no longer serve as his crew chief and that Chris Gayle would take over the role.
At that earlier point, Hamlin openly wrestled with uncertainty and struggled to gauge how the transition might shape his season. This time, the reaction carried a different tone. With Gabehart leaving the organization entirely, the shift appeared to land with less force for the #11 JGR driver. Speaking during a media session at Bowman Gray Stadium, he addressed the change directly.
“It’s a little different. I’m used to having Chris (Gabehart) there. But we also have the experience of Wally Brown that’s been in that role as competition director in many of the heyday years of JGR and their performance. I think he can step in there and do the role.”
Hamlin emphasized continuity, pointing out that Brown never stepped away from the inner workings of the competition group.
“He never left, he was always in those competition meetings. So, he can just kind of pick up that quarterback role. I think that he got to observe some things that Chris Gabehart did last year that he can refine. Even he admittedly said that I think that was a good direction and pick up from where he left off. So I’m confident that JGR can have so much depth within the race team that they can find a way to make it work,” he added.
In the days following Gabehart’s departure, industry chatter pointed toward Spire Motorsports as a potential landing spot for the 2026 season, with speculation centered on a senior competition position. However, that narrative lost traction on December 12, 2025, when Spire Motorsports announced Matt McCall as its NASCAR Cup Series competition director for 2026, closing the door on the idea that Gabehart would fill that role.
Gabehart has not yet announced a publicly assigned team for the 2026 Cup Series season. But within the industry, some believe contractual restrictions may be at play, with a non-compete clause cited as a possible reason for the absence of immediate clarity.
Kevin Harvick’s view on Gabehart leaving JGR
The move also drew a reaction from Kevin Harvick, who weighed in during a recent episode of Harvick’s Happy Hour. Gabehart’s influence on the No. 11 team carried big weight, and his background as a crew chief shaped much of that impact. But speaking as a team owner, Harvick pointed out the distinction between a crew chief’s and a competition director’s responsibilities, noting that the transition can challenge even experienced leaders.
The 2014 Cup Champion acknowledged that some crew chiefs adapt beyond the pit box and succeed in broader roles, while others remain best suited to race-week execution. Reflecting on the recent performance of the No. 11 group, he said,
“I think the interesting part, to me, is last, I would say the #11 team was as good as they’ve ever been with a different crew chief. I think Chris being on the competition side and still being there helped that 11 team stay together, but those guys did a phenomenal job.”
The situation now presents a compelling path for JGR to move forward without Gabehart in any capacity, allowing the full impact of that departure to evolve.
