The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season kicked off with immense pleasure for Chevrolet drivers, but the same couldn’t be said for those wielding the new Camry XSE. For Coach Gibbs, Toyota’s performance at the start of the season threw up major signs of concern. Although Toyota Racing Development believes they can pull their socks up well before the playoffs, has Joe Gibbs Racing lost trust in their ‘new’ manufacturer off-track too? If the choices for his Atlanta charter are to be considered, TRD may have been in deep trouble!

Joe Gibbs Racing arrived for the Ambetter Health 400 in the rival’s chariot

Before we get into Joe Gibbs’ vehicle of choice for his transportation to the track, it’s worth mentioning the grievances that the JGR squad had to face at Daytona, owing to TRD’s new challenger. In qualifying, the Camry XSE was a rather formidable force. But unfortunately, all that failed to transition into the Daytona 500, leaving Christopher Bell as the only JGR driver capable of fighting for a podium. As for the rest of JGR, the Camry XSE hadn’t treated Hamlin (P19), Truex Jr (P15), and Ty Gibbs (P17) too well.

Fast-forward to the Ambetter Health 400 and the Joe Gibbs Racing crew was exclusively spotted by AviateAlabama.com as they exited Coach Gibbs’ private jet in Atlanta. While that wasn’t out of the ordinary, the chariot of choice to transport the team from the airport to the track may rub TRD the wrong way! After all, it wasn’t a brand new Toyota Sequoia or Rav4 that Gibbs entered. The TRD man was spotted in his former OEM partner’s prized vehicle, the Chevy Tahoe.

With an MSRP of $56,200, the 2024 Chevy Tahoe maintained its practical pricing while providing consumers with newer tech. While the MSRP itself is rather reasonable, the one Joe Gibbs was spotted entering may cost far higher than that, with a similar spec going for $79.070 on Chevy’s official website. It’s also worth noting that the car comes with 460 Lbs of torque, ample to get JGR to the track as quickly as possible.

While it’s safe to say there isn’t much animosity between General Motors and Toyota, it isn’t unusual to see drivers or teams using only their Motorsport OEM’s street vehicles, such as the case in Formula 1. Either way, Joe Gibbs may be re-questioning the ideal SUV for his transport after TRD’s resurgence in the following races.

Coach Gibb’s Chevy affiliations may change after TRD’s dominant comeback!

Trending

Dodge’s NASCAR Legacy Walks the Tony Stewart Path as Ultimate Rescue Leaves Fans Jaw-Dropped

May 04, 2024 10:47 AM EDT

Racing Community Goes Berserk as Tony Stewart Drops Surprising ‘Fans Double’ Announcement Amidst Indy Return

May 03, 2024 01:47 PM EDT

Martin Truex Jr’s Crew Chief Makes Heartbreaking 4-Word Racing Admission

May 04, 2024 04:11 PM EDT

Chase Elliott’s Crew Chief Shockingly Turns the Tide in His Favor as Fans Hand Over the ‘Bada**’ Crown

May 03, 2024 02:44 PM EDT

Ryan Blaney Trashes Kyle Busch’s Modern-Era NASCAR Outcry in 5-Words

May 04, 2024 02:21 AM EDT

Get instantly notified of the hottest NASCAR stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.

Follow Us

Wouldn’t it be hilarious if TRD’s comeback was the perfect response to Coach Gibbs’ opting for a Chevy SUV? After all, it wouldn’t be the first time Toyota had pulled JGR away from General Motors. With that said, it’s worth mentioning that JGR truly turned their fortunes around in Bristol. While it’s true that TRD started the year on the back foot, they quickly instilled confidence in Hamlin and Co., resulting in a battle for the lead between all four JGR drivers last weekend.

The Camry XSE has also helped Christopher Bell and Denny Hamlin both secure wins and a place each in the playoffs. It seems like the Camry XSE’s earlier troubles are over. Even Martin Truex Jr had nothing but praise for the new challenger after the race at Bristol. Naturally, Coach Gibbs also believes that TRD has bounced back from the start of the year with great grace. Gibbs shared with SiriusXM’s NASCAR Radio, “I think we’re off to a good start. To be truthful, though we started off with stricter play, we were kind of off.”

Gibbs had expressed concerns surrounding the form of all four teams, feeling that they were on the back foot to Hendrick Motorsports and Team Penske. Fortunately, the tides turned just in time for Gibbs to state, “We’ve kind of bounced back the last three weeks. So I felt good about that and you feel good if you see all four of your cars, in our case, have speed and see that we’re performing.” 

NASCAR Rumor: Dale Earnhardt Jr Poised to Replace Kyle Larson at North Wilkesboro for the All-Star Weekend

While Coach Gibbs may prefer to ride around the stress of America in a Chevy Tahoe, the Camry XSE’s resurgence at the short tracks could leave GM out to dry once more.