If you’ve ever pictured a NASCAR shop turning into a dusty old ghost town once the season ends, Joe Gibbs Racing is here to shut that myth down hard. The team hopped on social media with a surprisingly entertaining behind-the-scenes update, giving fans a peek at what really happens in the off-season. Spoiler: it’s a lot busier than anyone expects.

Sure, the 2025 season ended on a better note for JGR with two drivers in the title hunt, but no championship trophy to show for it. And yes, the goal for 2026 is crystal clear. Come back stronger and finish the job. Before the team can dive into the chaos of a new year, someone has to keep the shop running, and one Joe Gibbs Racing employee stepped up to explain what the off-season looks like.

Joe Gibbs Racing’s grind never stops

Joe Gibbs Racing’s president, Dave Alpern, has been there and done that. Speaking on the team’s official Instagram, Alpern busted the myth wide open, saying, “Obviously, it’s a ghost town during Christmas week and around Thanksgiving…But at the same time, there’s more going on here on Thursdays and Fridays… So actually, later in the week, there’s more activity at the shop than there is during the week. And that’s when we do a lot of the things.”

Joe Gibbs‘ organization doesn’t sleep. One may not see cars being built during the off-season, but that doesn’t mean the shop sits idle. This stretch of the calendar is all about upkeep. The pit boxes rolled back into the building to be stripped down, inspected, and repaired. Carts and toolboxes are dismantled piece by piece, getting the kind of attention they never have time for during the hectic race schedule.

Even though the pit crew enjoys a bit of downtime, many of them still pop in for practice reps and equipment work. Sheets of used vinyl pile up everywhere as wraps are peeled off holders, gear, and anything else that carried a sponsor logo during the season. And before long, it all starts again: new wraps go on, cars come together, the Joe Gibbs Racing shop comes alive, and the countdown to the first race officially begins.

Alpern added, “We might fix things around the shop, rearrange, paint, upkeep, different things that are hard to happen during the season. We redo the pit boxes. Once January rolls around, it is full bore, and there’s a ton going on, and we’re really already preparing for Daytona. So there’s usually quite a bit of hustle and bustle going on at the shop, even when we’re not traveling to the racetrack on the weekends.”

In fact, Joe Gibbs Racing has always been one to be transparent about the behind-the-scenes, as seen in 2023, when they uploaded a YouTube video on the shop activities during the off-season.  And all of these smaller things are what help Joe Gibbs Racing keep everything in order. Joe Gibbs Racing had one of its strongest seasons in recent memory.

Denny Hamlin led the charge, winning six NASCAR Cup Series races and earning a multiyear contract extension with the team. JGR rookie Chase Briscoe also delivered, scoring a dramatic superspeedway victory at Talladega to punch his ticket into the Championship 4. Meanwhile, Christopher Bell helped maintain consistency, contributing to JGR’s overall dominance: the team led more than 10,000 laps over the course of the season, which is a milestone in the next-gen era.

On top of the Cup success, Joe Gibbs Racing won the 2025 Xfinity Series Owner’s Championship, marking its seventh NXS owner’s title and underlining the depth of talent across the organization. With JGR having a really good 2025 season, it can be said with certainty that they do look forward to getting that trophy that slipped away this year. The work truly never stops, and joining this community, one young ace secures the opportunity to work with such a prestigious organization.

Brent Crews will race for JGR in 2026

Brent Crews is officially set to take over the No. 19 Toyota for JGR in the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, securing a major step in his young career. At just 17 years old, Crews will compete in 29 of 33 scheduled races, setting up for events due to age-based restrictions. As a Toyota development driver, he’ll still be eligible for a playoff waiver, since absences caused by age limitation are considered valid exceptions under NASCAR rules.

Crews arrived at JGR after an eye-catching year in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, where he made 10 starts and quickly proved he belonged. He led more than a hundred laps and nearly won the Charlotte Roval before settling for second place.

Nine of those starts came with TRICON Garage, with another made for a new truck team he co-owns. Beyond Trucks, Crews has already built an impressive ARCA résumé: six wins in 17 national starts plus additional victories in both ARCA East and West.

His new ride, the No. 19 Toyota GR Supra, was a rotating driver entry throughout 2025 and still managed to secure the Owner’s Championship. Aric Almirola closed the season with a runner-up finish at Phoenix, while also securing three triumphs in the Xfinity Series. The seat was also shared by Justin Bonsignore, Jack Perkins, Riley Herbst, Ty Gibbs, Chase Briscoe, and Christopher Bell.

With a series of wins and successful drivers having proved their mettle in the card, a lot of pressure comes onto the 17-year-old, who is more than excited to start his 2026 season.