While NASCAR’s silly season has been in full swing, few moves have caught fans off guard quite like this one. Denny Hamlin’s longtime right-hand man, who transitioned into the director of competition role at Joe Gibbs Racing earlier this year, has officially decided to leave the organization. When asked about the departure by journalist Jenna Fryer, Hamlin declined to comment. But NASCAR veteran Dale Earnhardt Jr. didn’t hold back, reacting to the news by calling it a “big loss for JGR.”

Dale Jr. concerned about Joe Gibbs’ organization amid Gabehart’s move

Speaking on his Dale Jr. Download, the 51-year-old sounded off on Gabehart’s departure.

“It’s a big loss for JGR, and it kind of makes you wonder what the general temperature is, I guess, when a guy like that’s going to leave the building,” he said.

And why would anyone not be surprised? Gabehart, who spent time as Denny Hamlin’s crew chief on the No. 11 Toyota, a partnership that produced 22 victories before he moved into the role of Joe Gibbs Racing’s competition director in 2025, shifted roles, a move that reportedly caught Hamlin by surprise.

Watching someone who has been so monumental for the team is definitely raising eyebrows.

Following Gabehart’s shift, Chris Gayle took over as crew chief, and the No.11 didn’t miss a beat. Hamlin went on to earn a series-best six wins this year, including the 60th victory of his career, which tied him with Kevin Harvick for 10th on NASCAR’s all-time wins list.

As the season progressed, Gabehart became more directly involved with Ty Gibbs and the No.54 team, which has struggled through the early portion of the year. His hands-on presence coincided with a turnaround, highlighted by Gibbs’ victory in the inaugural NASCAR in-season challenge, walking away with $1 million.

More importantly, after Gabehart’s involvement with Ty Gibbs’ team, the youngster showed clear improvement. This is highlighted by a runner-up finish at the following race in Chicago, along with two additional top-five finishes and four top-10 results.

Now, Gabehart is set to move on once again. While rumor suggests he could be headed to Spire Motorsports, nothing has been officially confirmed. The departure has even prompted Dale Jr. to question whether deeper issues may be developing within Joe Gibbs’ organization.

“It appeared that he had position; he had been elevated out of the away from the crew chief position from Denny Hamlin into the Director of Competition. And I thought, ‘Man, this guy is perfect for this, and they will be well-positioned with him in that role.’ So it’s hard to imagine how he got away or what would have been the result or the cause, I guess, of the departure,” Junior added.

But amid the move, a more pressing matter persists: Is Gabehart really set to join Spire Motorsports in 2026?

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Gabhart’s potential shift downplayed amid Spire Motorsports shakeup

Spire Motorsports has officially announced its crew chief lineup for the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season, doing so with roughly 2 months remaining before the green flag drops at the Daytona 500 in February.

What stood out most from the announcement, however, was not who was named but who was missing. Chris Gabehart was nowhere on the list, despite recent speculation linking him to a potential off-season move to Spire.

Although Gabehart’s departure from JGR has yet to be formally confirmed, his much-rumored move also appears not to have materialized.

In Friday’s announcement, Spire confirmed Ryan Sparks as Daniel Suarez’s crew chief, Travis Peterson for Michael McDowell, and Luke Lambert for Carson Hocevar. Matt McCall was also named the team’s Series competition director.

As a result, the announcement effectively rules out Gabehart’s immediate ties to Spire, leaving his next move and the future in the spot uncertain for now.