NASCAR: Joe Gibbs Racing losing a car for 2022?
By Randy Smith
Despite having proven success in their NASCAR Xfinity Series program, Joe Gibbs Racing might be thinking smaller for the 2022 season.
Joe Gibbs Racing have proven to be the premier Toyota team not only in the NASCAR Cup Series, but in the Xfinity Series as well.
Kyle Busch’s 5-for-5 performance, plus the emergence of Joe Gibbs’s grandson Ty, have shown the true potential of the Charlotte, North Carolina-based team at NASCAR’s second highest level, despite the fact that the team have not won any races outside of the #54 Toyota “star car”.
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With Daniel Hemric set to leave Joe Gibbs Racing for Kaulig Racing for 2022, Gibbs is all but confirmed to run full-time next year.
With sponsor support, the 19-year-old should be taken into serious consideration as a threat to claim his first Xfinity Series championship next year.
Despite not winning any races outside of the “star car” so far this year, Joe Gibbs Racing saw all three of their full-time drivers — Hemric, Brandon Jones and Harrison Burton — advance to the round of 8, and they are all still factors in the hunt for the 2021 title.
But despite their success, Joe Gibbs Racing might decide to get rid of one of their four cars for next season.
FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass recently said that he expects the Joe Gibbs Racing Xfinity Series program to field two cars for full-time drivers and another full-time entry for multiple part-time drivers.
Expect JGR to have Jones and Gibbs in full-time Xfinity rides and a third car with multiple drivers. Would be mildly surprised if it has a fourth Xfinity car. https://t.co/KuRRrQYVZd
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) October 14, 2021
With just Brandon Jones and Gibbs as the full-time drivers for Joe Gibbs Racing, it does appear that they will be downsizing for 2022. They currently field three cars for full-time drivers, while the “star car” is the fourth full-time entry.
Additionally, with Burton being promoted to the Cup Series to replace Matt DiBenedetto behind the wheel of the #21 Ford for Wood Brothers Racing next season, the #20 Toyota may be expendable.
The #18 car has been associated with Joe Gibbs Racing since their debut in the sport back in 1992, so it’s highly unlikely that car would be out, making it the most likely landing spot for Gibbs.
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While the official Joe Gibbs Racing 2022 Xfinity Series driver lineup has yet to be announced, it seems that Gibbs and Jones will be the full-time drivers, with several others competing in the traditional rotational car, thus leaving out a seat once filled.