One of the most shocking transitions of the offseason was Chris Gabehart being removed as the crew chief of Denny Hamlin’s No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing team. The duo had worked together since 2019 and reached victory lane 23 times. After months of silence, Gabehart has now opened up on how the breakaway came to be.
Advertisement
He noted in an interview that Hamlin leads a very busy life and is adept at handling such news without it impacting other things. However, he did then admit that his job change must have been tough to take. He said, “Denny’s life is quite busy his self, so finding time to absorb details on any week for him is a lot because there’s a lot going on, right?”
“He does a good job of it, but there’s a lot going on. So, in this case, it was tough.” The announcement of the crew chief being given the role of Director of Competition came roughly 12 days after the season finale in Phoenix. Hamlin had no clue that such talks were going on and expressed his obliviousness to the press.
He’d said at a media availability, “I certainly was shocked. That’s all I’ll say. The first few days was a shock, but I’m moving on.” He settled on the idea that Joe Gibbs Racing would do what’s best for it as a holistic team and that decisions in that direction would ultimately benefit him as well. Gabehart, for his part, is bent on making a difference.
Chris Gabehart vows to make a big difference in 2025
Gabehart did not agree to leave Hamlin on a whim. He thought long and hard about what it would mean for him and his friend’s respective careers. This is why he is confident that his new role will benefit everyone to a great extent. He said, “I understand the perception of this, but I have every intention of making it pretty clear that this wasn’t just a passive move.”
“I mean, I plan to make a big difference. So it may feel awkward up front here, but I hope in several months’ time, everybody has a good understanding of why it happened.” Needless to say, the other Joe Gibbs Racing drivers are thrilled that they now get to draw wisdom from one of the best minds in the sport.
Christopher Bell said in an interview last month that he has already had plenty of conversations with Gabehart and that his central role will benefit the team collectively. What all this means for Hamlin is still a question. He will take on the upcoming season with Chris Gayle as his crew chief.
