Chris Gabehart has parted ways with Joe Gibbs Racing ahead of 2026 NASCAR season

Tough news for Joe Gibbs Racing. Competition director Chris Gabehart is on the way out and his future is up in the air as of right now. The news had been rumored recently, but was confirmed during a break in the antitrust trial.

From the 2024 season to the 2025 season, Chris Gabehart made the transition from crew chief of the No. 11 team of Denny Hamlin to JGR competition director. At the end of the season, Gabehart was acting as another crew chief, essentially, for Ty Gibbs and the No. 54 team.

This is a massive loss for Joe Gibbs Racing and a massive get for whoever picks Gabehart up. We will surely find out soon where Gabehart is going to land. Jenna Fryer of the AP confirmed the news during a break in the trial today. Hamlin had no comment on the departure.

During a break in court, I confirmed Chris Gabehart has left JGR. Denny Hamlin said he had no comment.

— Jenna Fryer (@JennaFryer) December 3, 2025

There will be a lot of speculation about where Chris Gabehart will end up. Being overshadowed by the lawsuit, this likely won’t be as big of a story as it would have been otherwise. Now, it feels more like an afterthought. It will not be an afterthought when JGR goes to Daytona without him in their camp, though.

JGR loses a major piece with Chris Gabehart departure

Joe Gibbs Racing wanted to keep Gabehart, clearly. That is why he was moved from crew chief to competition director to oversee the entire JGR competition department. He had to micromanage the 54 team at the end of the season this year. Not exactly what his job should have been at such a crucial time in the season. But it didn’t appear like there was tension, at least on the surface.

We just don’t know if this was amicably decided, if someone offered Chris Gabehart a big bag he couldn’t refuse, or if it was a falling out. Those questions might be answered in the offseason, but right now, it doesn’t feel like we’re going to hear much about it as this trial continues.

Denny Hamlin credits Gabehart largely with reviving his career in NASCAR. Even this year, when Gabehart moved from the pit box to a bigger role at JGR, it appeared that whatever he was doing, worked for Hamlin. Chris Gayle also performed great as a crew chief for Hamlin in their first year together.

We will see if Joe Gibbs Racing takes a step back in 2026. Hamlin, Christopher Bell, and Chase Briscoe combined to win 13 races in 2025. Can they maintain that pace as an organization without Gabehart?