Denny Hamlin’s crew chief, Chris Gayle, recently opened up about nearly joining another team before accepting his current role at Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR). Gayle revealed that the opportunity to lead the #11 team ultimately convinced him to stay, despite having another offer on the table.
Gayle stepped into the crew chief position for Hamlin after Chris Gabehart, who served as the #11 crew chief for six seasons (2019–2024), transitioned to the role of competition director. Under Gabehart’s leadership, Hamlin secured an impressive 22 victories, including 13 wins during the first two seasons together.
Since Chris Gayle took over as crew chief, Denny Hamlin has been enjoying one of the strongest seasons of his career. He has collected six wins so far — the most of any driver currently on the grid. His momentum continued recently with a historic victory in the Round of 8 opener at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, which secured his spot in the Championship 4.
On X (formerly Twitter), NASCAR insider Toby Christie offered insight into the opportunity Gayle passed up to remain with JGR. “Chris Gayle says that he had another offer for a crew chief spot outside of Joe Gibbs Racing, and had he not been moved to the #11 car after Chris Gabehart was moved to competition director, he was likely taking the other job,” Christie reported.
Before becoming Hamlin’s crew chief, Chris Gayle began his career at Joe Gibbs Racing as an engineer in 2003. Ten years later, he transitioned into the crew chief role within the team’s Xfinity Series program and notably won the championship with Ty Gibbs in 2022.
The crew chief change on the #11 team last year came as a surprise, even to Hamlin himself. However, the 44-year-old veteran understood that the move was made to enhance the team’s overall performance.
Looking ahead, the #11 crew will return to action at Martinsville Speedway this Sunday. With their Championship 4 spot already locked in, Hamlin and his team will head into the weekend without much pressure. Joining Hamlin in the title fight is teammate Chase Briscoe, who recently clinched his berth with a win at Talladega Superspeedway.
### NASCAR Insider Predicts Christopher Bell as Favorite in Championship Battle
NASCAR insider Jeff Gluck recently weighed in on the potential Championship 4 showdown, suggesting that Christopher Bell could emerge as the favorite over his Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe — if Bell secures his spot at Martinsville Speedway this weekend.
Speaking on The Teardown podcast with Jordan Bianchi, Gluck said, “If Bell makes it, I think Bell becomes a favorite among the JGR drivers.”
Gluck also addressed threats from other teams, particularly Team Penske. He noted that if either Joey Logano or Ryan Blaney makes the final four, the Ford-affiliated team could be the frontrunner at Phoenix Raceway, which has hosted the season finale with a Penske winner for the past three years.
He explained, “If a Team Penske car is in, they’re the favorite for Phoenix. If it’s like Larson or Byron or Elliott, I have to put the Hendrick Car fourth and JGR above them. Not saying they couldn’t [win] because execution-wise, I think Hendrick always finds a way.”
Gluck concluded, “But speed-wise, you’re going to think, ‘Okay, JGR maybe has the edge there.’ But, if Bell makes it, I think I have to put Bell over Briscoe and Hamlin.”
Currently, Christopher Bell sits third in the playoff standings with 37 points, just one point ahead of Kyle Larson. Drivers below the cutline entering the penultimate race in a must-win situation include William Byron, Joey Logano (the defending champion), Ryan Blaney, and Chase Elliott.
The upcoming Martinsville race will be crucial as the field fights for a spot in the Championship 4 and the chance to claim NASCAR’s coveted title.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/nascar/news-denny-hamlin-s-crew-chief-brink-leaving-jgr-accepting-job-offer-different-team-replacing-chris-gabehart