NASCAR: The Joe Gibbs Racing car that won’t return in 2022
By Asher Fair
Joe Gibbs Racing have downsized their NASCAR Xfinity Series team for the 2022 season, but which car will they no longer be running?
It was announced after the end of the 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series season that Joe Gibbs Racing would be downsizing from four cars to three for the 2022 season.
The plan is for them to run just two cars as opposed to three for full-time drivers, and they plan to continue to run the “star car” for several drivers.
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Brandon Jones was confirmed as the full-time driver of the #19 Toyota for the fifth consecutive season, and it has long been assumed that Ty Gibbs would be confirmed as the second full-time driver.
The grandson of team owner Joe Gibbs competed part-time in 2021 as a rookie behind the wheel of the “star car”‘, then the #54 Toyota, and he won four times in 18 starts. He still hasn’t been formally confirmed as a full-time driver for 2022, but it is still believed that he will be.
There were some questions when this downsizing announcement was made as to what car numbers would be used in 2022.
What car number would Gibbs run, assuming he does get the promotion to full-time driver? What car number would be used for the “star car”, and what car number would be axed from the team for 2022?
Daniel Hemric is set to vacate the #18 Toyota after winning the Xfinity Series championship in his first season with Joe Gibbs Racing, as he is set to replace the Cup Series-bound Justin Haley behind the wheel of the #11 Chevrolet at Kaulig Racing.
Harrison Burton is set to vacate the #20 Toyota after spending two seasons with Joe Gibbs Racing, as he is set to move to the Cup Series to replace the Truck Series-bound Matt DiBenedetto behind the wheel of the #21 Ford at Wood Brothers Racing.
That left three realistic options for Gibbs and three for the “star car”: the #18 Toyota, the #20 Toyota, and the #54 Toyota.
Now all signs point toward Gibbs being set to continue running the #54 Toyota, as the “star car” is set to become the #18 Toyota, with Trevor Bayne becoming the first confirmed driver of this car on Wednesday.
With sponsorship from Devotion Nutrition, Bayne is set to compete in seven of the 33 races on the 2022 schedule behind the wheel of the #18 Toyota, beginning with the Production Alliance Group 300 at Auto Club Speedway on Saturday, February 26.
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As a result, Joe Gibbs Racing are not currently slated to field the #20 Toyota throughout the 2022 season, barring an unexpected late change that sends Gibbs to the #20 Toyota and eliminates the #54 Toyota. The season is scheduled to get underway on Saturday, February 19 with the Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner. 300 at Daytona International Speedway.