Winning in NASCAR requires more than just a driver’s talent and speed, as there are a lot of things at play, from team tactics to vehicle design. It is clear from Joe Gibbs Racing’s success at Phoenix this past Sunday that the new Camry, which Toyota introduced for the 2024 season, has changed the game.

Team owner Joe Gibbs is very happy with Toyota’s upgraded design because he thinks it is a big step up from last year. Following their recent win with Christopher Bell, he is confident in their ability to secure the championship, especially considering how close they came in 2023.

Joe Gibbs aims for season victory with Toyota’s new challenger

Using the new Camry XSE at the season’s beginning was a daring decision by Toyota, but it’s paying off handsomely now. The team behind the wheel of Toyota seems to be overjoyed with the upgrade. It was a fantastic weekend for JGR and Toyota as not only did Bell win the race but the new challenger took four of the top six qualifying slots on Saturday.

Since the team had to adjust to new regulations for the short-track race at Phoenix following Las Vegas Speedway, the #20 team’s victory was really special and emotional. Noting the importance of maintaining a proactive approach in the very competitive NASCAR circuit, Joe Gibbs, in a post-race press conference acknowledged his satisfaction with the entire team’s performance.

When asked about what he thinks about Toyota’s ‘new body’, he said, “Everybody knows in our sport, it just takes a lot of people and everybody working together. It does start with Toyota, all the support and help they give us. I am just so pleased with the effort at the race shop, all of our guys. Everybody knows how important Phoenix is. I think it was a great effort. There was a lot of new to it, the new package and all that. I couldn’t be happier with the way today went.” 

Seeing how well the drivers ran with the new Camry,  the team owner sounded confident about their possibilities this season. With a win for William Sawalich at ARCA and a win for Chandler Smith in Xfinity, it was a big weekend for JGR, and Gibbs believed that they would be in the title hunt this year.

In addition to Christopher Bell and his heroics, young Ty Gibbs also showed an outstanding effort across the short track, which led to his career-best 3rd-place finish in Cup.

Joe Gibbs’ grandson came to play at Phoenix

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The drivers for Toyota were fantastic throughout the race, with five of them dominating for more than fifty laps each. Early in the race, Ty Gibbs and Denny Hamlin seemed like they would win, but they suffered setbacks while fighting for the lead. Despite starting in the 13th position, Christopher Bell was able to capture the victory, while Ty Gibbs, another emerging star from Joe Gibbs Racing, succeeded in securing third place.

The grandson of Joe Gibbs was in first place for most of the first stage. In fact, he dropped an amazing performance in the second stage after a two-tire pit stop. With three top-ten results in four races, he is currently the season’s best-average finisher.

Speaking of his career-best Cup finish, Ty Gibbs said after the race, “It was a good day for our Monster Energy Toyota Camry. We just need a little bit more. We got in a hole there a little bit on pit road and got back through it. It was a good day and a really good recovery.” He also praised the new Toyotas stating, “I think everybody at JGR and Toyota with this new car, they just did a great job. We’re happy with it.

Christopher Bell Claims 7th Cup Series Career Win With Resounding Phoenix Victory

If Ty Gibbs continues his impressive run and wins the next race in Bristol, he will surely be a name to watch.