“He brings out the best in me, that’s for sure.” That’s exactly what Denny Hamlin said about his ex-right-hand man. Over the years, he credited one particular voice for sharpening his strategy. Indeed, settling him down mid-race and helping him grab win after win when the pressure was sky high. Moreover, that chemistry brought in over 20 couples, including some of Hamlin’s most dominant seasons.

However, now, that trusted voice seems to be speaking into a different headset. One that belongs to Joe Gibbs’ grandson, Ty Gibbs. In a surprising move, the man who once called the shots for Hamlin returned to the pit box, but not for No. 11. Instead, he was in the year of the rising star in the No. 54, guiding him lap by lap with the cool precision of a playoff tactician.

Ty Gibbs gets help from Hamlin’s ex-crew chief

Half a season after being elevated from Denny Hamlin‘s trusted crew chief to Joe Gibbs Racing Competition Director, Chris Gabehart surprised everyone by climbing back into a pit box for 23-year-old Ty Gibbs at Atlanta. It was a move made by a man who helped Hamlin claim 22 Cup wins between 2019 and 2024, and now he’s lending that winning blueprint to the No. 54 team. NBC journalist Dustin Long wasted no time sharing this news with the audience. Quickly taking to X, he wrote, “Denny Hamlin’s former crew chief, Chris Gabehart, took on an added role with Ty Gibbs’ team at Atlanta. Gabehart explains what he’s doing and balancing that with his duties as JGR competition director.”

In an interview with NBC, Gabehart personally summed it up, saying, “Let’s call it unorthodox for this garage. But the reality is that once (Joe Gibbs Racing) got three cars in the playoffs, when you look at it simply, we’ve got one left we’re trying to get in.” Teammates Chase Briscoe with one win, Christopher Bell racking up three wins, and Denny Hamlin notching his third win of the season have locked themselves comfortably into the playoffs. Ty Gibbs remains the lone JGR Driver sitting on the outside looking in. However, Chris’s work won’t stop with Gibbs; he’ll still be overseeing all four JGR cars as they chase playoff points.

His presence atop Gibbs’ pit box means his hands-on expertise can tip the balance in JGR’s bid to get all four cars on track in October. Gibbs has been showing flashes of real speed, too. At Michigan, he brought home a solid third-place finish, pushing his Toyota deep into contention. He and his crew burned up the circuit, only to be hamstrung, in Gibbs’ words, by “excessive fuel saving” in the closing laps.

When Gibbs expressed frustration over the radio, Gabehart was quick to step in alongside Tyler Allen, Ty Gibbs’ crew chief,  to calm him down, saying, “Hey, we didn’t give (anything) away. We had a great day. We did what we needed to do. And that was, we got a top five. Our other car won. It’s about big picture. All right? Take this and build.” It wasn’t just a pep talk; it was strategic leadership at work.

“Tyler and his team has been doing a great job,” Gabehart said after Saturday night’s race at Atlanta. “They were a stone’s throw away from winning at Michigan. They were a caution away from contending for the win at Mexico. (Pocono), golly, strategies upside down, and (Atlanta strategy was) upside down.

Gabehart admits the balancing act will be challenging; his main focus will be on Gibbs. Gabehart said, “That’s ultimately up for me to manage. The decision was made to spread me a little thinner … so that’s what we’ll do.” Despite stepping back from everyday crew chief duties, Chris’s edge remains sharp. He knows exactly how to stack strategy, pace, and crew morale to Victory Lane wins, and that might just be what Ty Gibbs needs.

As NASCAR moves on to Chicago next weekend, Ty Gibbs is ready to gear up in the playoffs. He is concerned about the Chicago Street race, after the Mexico experience.  And as  JGR teammate Denny Hamlin dislikes street courses, Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon seems to have a different view.

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Hamlin and Gordon split on the Chicago Street race

Denny Hamlin has never been one to chase road or street racing glory; he’s a stock car purist through and through. Yet even he admits that something is different about the Chicago Street race. Introduced in 2023 as a bold experiment, the event has now carved out a permanent and highly expected spot on the cup series calendar, even as rain has drenched both of its first editions.

The 12-turn, 2.2-mile layout weaving through Grant Park, DuSable Lakeshore Drive, and Michigan Avenue has defied expectations. Hence, producing thrilling, chaos-filled races and conditions that would typically ruin a weekend. However, Hamlin, reflecting on how the inaugural race’s downpour emptied the stands and disrupted the fan experiences, says, “ I hate that the street race has been mired by rain. There’s a lot of positives to the Chicago Street race. It’s racing, it’s called passing zones. The scenery is fantastic… It’s in the mould in which I would like to see any street race that we continue to implement.”

Undoubtedly, Hamlin remains cautious about the wet-weather risks, especially when it comes to keeping fans engaged. However, Hendrick Motorsports vice president Jeff Gordon feels quite the opposite. Gordon believes Chicago’s unpredictable weather has been a blessing in disguise. Indeed, creating some of the sport’s most entertaining moments. “It’s a very fun and flowing course. It puts on a great show, and the drivers really love it.” Jeff Gordon also emphasizes the spectacle of NASCAR cars carving through a major American city. However, with the third edition of the grand Park 165 on the horizon, the stakes are higher than ever, and for drivers like Ty Gibbs, it could make or break the playoff hopes.