With John-Hunter Nemechek shifting as much as the Cup Sequence and Sammy Smith departing the workforce for JR Motorsports, there have been a number of openings at Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) for 2024.
These are extremely sought-after rides, with all three of Gibbs’ Xfinity vehicles reaching Victory Lane this previous yr. They received a complete of 11 races with 5 completely different drivers.
Including a fourth automobile for Smith
The workforce has added the No. 81 Toyota Supra to its lineup with Chandler Smith behind the wheel, who returns to Toyota after a yr with Kaulig Racing and Chevrolet. Jeff Meendering can be Smith’s crew chief for the 2024 season.
Smith ended the 2023 season ninth within the championship standings, incomes his first profession NASCAR Xfinity Sequence victory at Richmond in April.
Kaulig additionally gave him the chance to make his NASCAR Cup debut, with Smith working three races in whole. He was spectacular, scoring a top-20 in each race and at all times enhancing on his earlier finest consequence. After failing to make the Daytona 500, he completed seventeenth on debut at Richmond, then fifteenth in his return to Daytona and eleventh at Talladega.
Moreover, he has 5 victories within the NASCAR Truck Sequence, all driving for Toyota and the now defunct Kyle Busch Motorsports workforce. As a Truck Sequence competitor, he made the Championship 4 in 2022 and positioned third within the remaining standings.
He is additionally loved success in ARCA Menards Sequence, successful ten races in simply 35 begins.
Photograph by: Rusty Jarrett / NKP / Motorsport Photos
Chandler Smith, Kaulig Racing, Chevrolet Camaro
Creed to compete for an Xfinity title with JGR
The No. 18 Toyota Supra, beforehand pushed by Sammy Smith, will now have Sheldon Creed behind the wheel. Creed leaves Richard Childress Racing, the place he has spent the final two seasons. Regardless of going winless, he is been a frequent contender on the entrance of the sector. Creed has recorded seven runner-up finishes, and has been near Victory Lane on a number of different events.
Profitable got here simpler for him within the Truck Sequence with eight victories and the 2021 championship on his resume. He additionally received the 2018 ARCA Menards Sequence title.
After a contentious playoff race at Martinsville in October, Creed’s now ex-teammate Austin Hill let it slip that the transfer was a executed deal, however the subsequent bit of stories additionally discovered its manner into the general public area earlier than Wednesday’s announcement. Coach Gibbs himself was caught on digital camera saying that Aric Almirola can be “driving for us now” whereas talking to Washington Commanders proprietor Josh Harris at a recreation earlier this month.
Sam McCaulay will lead Creed from atop the pit field is amongst three new crew chiefs being added to JGR’s roster for subsequent yr.
Photograph by: Matthew T. Thacker / NKP / Motorsport Photos
Sheldon Creed, Richard Childress Racing, Whelen Chevrolet Camaro
Almirola and Nemechek to separate #20
As anticipated, the workforce has now confirmed that Almirola will compete with JGR on a part-time foundation within the No. 20 automobile, which he’ll share with a number of others. Nemechek will return for choose races as properly.
Almirola, a veteran of 460 Cup races with three victories on the high degree of the game, already revealed that he is not going to return to full-time competitors subsequent yr.
He has 4 wins within the NASCAR Xfinity Sequence, together with a shock victory at Sonoma earlier this yr whereas driving for RSS Racing.
Nemechek received seven races for JGR in the course of the 2023 season, and ended the yr fourth within the championship standings.
Tyler Allen will accomplice with these drivers because the No. 20 automobile’s crew chief for subsequent yr.
Photograph by: David Rosenblum / NKP / Motorsport Photos
Race winner John Hunter Nemechek, Joe Gibbs Racing, Romco Tools Toyota Supra
No. 19 to function a number of drivers
Ryan Truex, William Sawalich, Joe Graf Jr., and Taylor Grey will all share the No. 19 Toyota Supra. Seth Chavka will work with these younger drivers as crew chief.
Truex, the youthful brother of JGR driver and 2017 Cup champion Martin Truex Jr., earned his first profession win for the workforce earlier this yr at Dover.
Each Sawalich and Grey can be making their Xfinity debuts subsequent yr.
Following his 18th birthday on October third, Sawalich will run the ultimate three races of the 2024 season at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Martinsville Speedway, and Phoenix Raceway.
“During the last couple of months, we’ve been working diligently to place collectively our 2024 Xfinity program which can embrace the addition of a fourth workforce,” mentioned Steve DeSouza, EVP NASCAR Xfinity Sequence/Growth at JGR. “Our 2024 roster has an important stability of expertise, youth, knowledge, and expertise. We consider the veteran drivers will regularly benchmark our program, praise, and problem one another, in addition to help our youthful drivers to additional develop their ability set. We’re additionally enthusiastic about our crew chiefs and the groups they’ve assembled. We take a variety of satisfaction in not solely our program’s on-track success, but additionally within the alternative to develop and promote our workforce members.”
