Joe Gibbs couldn’t have imagined a tougher start to the 2026 season. For an organization that entered the year with championship expectations, the early stretch has been far from ideal. Last season, the powerhouse team looked unstoppable, placing three of its four drivers in the playoffs and pushing two of them all the way to the championship. But fast forward to this year, and the Toyota camp suddenly finds itself fighting to regain the same momentum.

But now, Christopher Bell’s crew chief, Adam Stevens, has lifted the curtain and shared an optimistic response despite their poor performances.

“We talked about the sample of tracks to start the season, it’s a little quirky and prone to misfortune,” the No. 20 car crew chief said. “So we don’t feel like we’re suffering for performance at any of the three tracks we’ve really been to. We’re just suffering for results, and hopefully the law of averages will kick in here eventually.”

JGR may not be panicking yet, but the opening stretch of the 2026 season has certainly tested the organization. Drivers like Christopher Bell and Ty Gibbs have shown flashes of speed, yet the results column has not reflected that potential.

Bell, who entered the year as one of the favorites after multiple strong seasons with the No. 20 team, finally broke through with a third-place finish at Circuit of the Americas. The run marked his first top-five result of the year after a chaotic start that included incidents and strategy setbacks in the opening races.

However, Gibbs‘ performance has followed a similar pattern, speed mixed with misfortune. The young ace managed to secure a fourth-place finish at COTA, collecting valuable stage points and moving himself up the early standings.

Through the opening three races, he briefly emerged as the highest-ranked driver within the JGR lineup despite the team entering the race weekend buried outside the top 30 points. Both drivers have emphasized that the cars have been competitive; for instance, race circumstances have repeatedly kept the No. 20 and No. 54 teams from converting that speed into consistent finishes.

Meanwhile, veterans such as Denny Hamlin and newcomer Chase Briscoe remain short of the organization’s expectations this season. Hamlin continues to serve as the team’s experienced anchor in the No. 11 Toyota, Briscoe entering 2026 riding momentum from a strong 2025 campaign that included multiple wins and a Championship 4 appearance.

So far, the duo has only managed one good performance each: Hamlin at COTA (10th) and Briscoe at Atlanta (2nd).

The on-track challenges are only one part of the turbulence currently surrounding the organization off the track; JGR has also been dealing with a growing legal dispute involving former competition director Chris Gabehart.

The case escalated earlier this season as both sides traded legal filings, with JGR seeking court intervention while Gabehart pushed back against the team’s claims. However, with the most recent update, following this Monday’s decision has added a new twist to the drama.

Trouble in paradise for JGR with nasty lawsuit

A federal judge has issued a temporary ruling in the legal dispute between Joe Gibbs Racing and former competition director Chris Gabehart, allowing him to remain employed with Spire Motorsports but with clear limitations on what he can do.

On Monday, Judge Susan C. Rodriguez of the US District Court for the Western District of North Carolina ruled that the former JGR employee may continue working with Spire, though he must avoid any responsibilities that overlap the role he held at GGR before leaving the organization.

Moreover, the court will address the request for accelerated discovery during a scheduled session on March 16. While the issue remains pending, the judge verbally issued a temporary restraining order, which she later detailed in a written ruling released Thursday just ahead of the race weekend at Phoenix Raceway.

The restraining order will remain in effect until March 16, expiring at 11:59 p.m., coinciding with the hearing where the court will consider both the injunction request and the motion for expedited discovery. As part of the ruling, JGR must also post a $100,000 bond, intended to compensate Gabehart for lost pages should the court ultimately rule in his favor.

The case will continue to move forward over the coming days, with JGR required to submit additional filing supporting its injunction request by Friday, Gabehart’s response due Wednesday, and a final reply from JR scheduled for the following week.