Perhaps the time is here that we all begin to start taking Joe Gibbs Racing’s name again when the subject is top teams. As silly as that may have sounded before the season began until Richmond happened, JGR were having a terrible season, especially when pitted against the other heavyweight, Hendrick Motorsports.

However, Denny Hamlin won the race in Richmond and thrust his team’s name back into that conversation. It was a pretty solid showing by JGR in NASCAR’s most recent race, with all their cars outperforming the other teams in terms of pure pace.

So it could be said now, finally, that Joe Gibbs Racing have found it. Right? Wrong.

Because according to Hendrick Motorsports’ former crew chief Steve Letarte, JGR never had a problem of ‘losing it’ to begin with. 

“They never lost it, they just didn’t execute. They’ve had speed all year long,” Letarte said.

Read More: Denny Hamlin Reveals How Bubba Wallace & Kurt Busch’s Results Made His NASCAR Win “Frustrating” in Richmond

“Denny Hamlin finally runs a clean race, he goes to victory lane. I think everybody was too hard on Joe Gibbs Racing to start the year.”

Letarte saw his Hendrick Motorsports coworkers and learned why HoF means so much

After the names were announced for the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2023, Steve Letarte revealed how it was upon watching his Hendrick teammates’ reaction that he began to fully realize the importance of the honor of the Hall of Fame.

“I will admit, I didn’t give Hall Of Fame credit enough until I sat there and watched some of my heroes, some of my co-workers, Rick Hendrick, Jeff Gordon…Dale Jr,” Letarte said, “and saw what it meant to them and their families, that’s when it set in, not only what it does for the sport, but what it means to the names on this list.”

As for the different categories of the HoF, Steve Letarte described he loves the pioneer side. “Because I get to learn about the heroes that built the sport that I’ve been so fortunate to be a part of,” he added.