After a mixed 2022, Joe Gibbs Racing was looking for more consistency across their four teams in 2023. While Ty Gibbs would be replacing Kyle Busch, expectations were high for the returning three drivers. With Martin Truex Jr and Denny Hamlin on expiring contracts, the question was whether the lineup would remain the same after the season. At first, it seemed like a foregone conclusion. However, negotiations dragged out, especially with Hamlin. With the silly season distractions, how would Joe Gibbs Racing fare in 2023? Did they improve upon their 2022Â Season in Review grade of a B-?
Denny Hamlin – #11
2023 Stat Line:Â 36 Starts – 3 Wins, 14 Top-5s, 19 Top-10s, 4 Poles, Avg Fin 12.4
Crew Chief: Chris Gabehart
Driver Points Ranking: 5;Â Owner Points Ranking: 5
Notable Results: 3-time winner; Round of 8 appearance; Beat all but four of your favorite drivers (in the standings)
Another year, another championship missed for Denny Hamlin. Outside of William Byron, it is arguable that Hamlin was the best driver in the Cup Series this season. His average finish ranks him third while his 19 Top-10s ties him for the second most in the series. On a weekly basis, Hamlin ran near the front with a chance to win. Especially early in the playoffs, Hamlin looked to be the championship front runner. In each of the first four races, Hamlin ran inside the Top-5 all race long and usually was the dominate car. Despite only claiming a single win during those races, Hamlin led an impressive 382 laps.
Statistically, Denny Hamlin improved upon on 2022. The largest improvement came with laps led, where Hamlin was only 2 laps shy of being the third driver to break the 1,000 mark. His 998 laps led is an improvement of 374 laps from last year.
Despite his improved year, Denny Hamlin’s championship aspirations ended at Martinsville once again. At least this time it was not due to his chief rival pulling a miracle move. After wrecking out of Homestead, Hamlin faced an uphill battle to make the Championship Four. While William Byron did his best to give away his spot, Hamlin was unable to make it the Phoenix for the second straight season. At this point, a championship will seemingly always elude Hamlin. While he has strong seasons, the label of “choker” will remain firmly stamped on his resume by most fans.
Embrace the Dark Side
Since 2020, the fan perception of Denny Hamlin was been steadily declining. After pulling his shenanigans at Martinsville after Alex Bowman’s win, Hamlin has been usually booed by fans during prerace ceremonies and his wins. Last season, Hamlin’s rivalry with Ross Chastain did not help his perception either. While Chastain was at fault for certain moments of the rivalry, most fans supported the Melon Man over Hamlin. Although Hamlin would retort with snippy comments from time to time, he was still clinging to his babyface persona.
That all changed in 2023. Hamlin has officially turned heel and embraced the hate. Starting with (idiotically) proclaiming he intentionally tanked Chastain’s position at Phoenix, Hamlin began making more pointed comments. Whether it was in post race interviews or on his new podcast, the man clearly did not care about having a filter. Then he had two on track incidents with Kyle Larson in races he won. Pocono was the worst of the two, driving Larson into the wall on the exit of Turn 1. Fans demonstrated their frustrations during his celebration while Hamlin retorted by saying they could boo his rock (at the track).
Perhaps Hamlin’s finest moment came at Bristol, where he won after dominating the race. Once again, fans showered the driver will boos (and one threw a cucumber). In response, Hamlin told them that he “beat all their favorite drivers“. When asked who he was referring to, Hamlin replied “all of them”. This was the pinnacle of Hamlin’s villain arc. While it was a solid mic drop moment, Hamlin never looked as dominant through the remainder of the season. While Hamlin has seemingly embraced being NASCAR’s top villain, it does not feel as natural as it did for Kyle Busch, Joey Logano, and Ty Gibbs (in Xfinity).
2023 Grade: A-
Denny Hamlin had a strong 2023 season. While he might have left a few wins on the table, there is no doubt he was one of the best drivers this year. During the bulk of the season, Hamlin was considered a (if not the) championship favorite. Most NASCAR media personalities consistently spoke about how this season felt different. That this season would be the year where Hamlin got that championship monkey off of his back.
Through playoff Talladega, that seemed like a strong case. However, it all went a bit sideways starting at the ROVAL. Hamlin wrecked out at the ROVAL and never found his groove again (outside of Martinsville). When the clutch moments arrived, Hamlin failed to meet the challenge. While it is not a massive choke job as fans have seen in other seasons, it is still disappointing to see a great driver and team consistently shrivel up in the biggest moments.
2024 Outlook
Here is a legitimate question: does Denny Hamlin need to win a championship? Already, Hamlin is arguably the greatest driver to never win one. He is a first ballot Hall of Famer. Surely, 2024 will be similar to the past six seasons where Hamlin runs Top-5 most weeks and wins multiple races. Until further notice, Hamlin will be the face of the Joe Gibbs Racing stable. On top of his driving, Hamlin is establishing himself as a vocal owner in the sport. While fans are souring on Hamlin the driver, many enjoy Hamlin’s openness as an owner.
Obviously, Denny Hamlin’s expectations for 2024 is the Championship Four. He has failed to reach that in the past two seasons. Back to back fifth place points finishes have been disappointing for this team. If Hamlin can make it to Phoenix, perhaps he will rise to the occasion to change the choker narrative. With a new multiyear deal, Hamlin will be a force to reckon with next year.
Martin Truex Jr – #19
2023 Stat Line:Â 36 Starts – 3 Wins, 9 Top-5s, 17 Top-10s, 3 Poles, Avg Fin 13.3
Crew Chief: James Small
Driver Points Ranking: 11;Â Owner Points Ranking: 11
Notable Results: The Clash winner; 3 wins on the season; Regular Season Champion
After a bitterly disappointing season in 2022, Martin Truex Jr was looking to right the ship in 2023. Despite being a Top-5 points team, the sixteen regular season winners kept Truex out of the playoffs. Plus, Joe Gibbs Racing teams are expected to win. Much like Chase Elliott’s 2023, Truex running well was not good enough.
2023 kicked off in a great way for Martin Truex Jr. He survived bumper car derby to win The Clash. However, the start of his season was a bit sluggish compared to the bulk of his season. Through the first 10 races, Truex only managed a single Top-5 and 3 Top-10s. Then, Truex won Dover and started a strong run to the regular season championship. From Dover through Watkins Glen, there was not a better driver in the Cup Series. During that stretch, Truex won 3 times, racked up 8 Top-5s, and had an average finish of 9.2. If you remove his 3 non-lead lap finishes, that average is a staggering 3.8.
Playoff Collapse
During the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona, Martin Truex Jr locked up the regular season championship during Stage 2. Heading into the playoffs, it was difficult to not envision Truex at least in the Championship Four. As mentioned earlier, his summer stretch was impressive. The 19 team was constantly running in the Top-5 and battling for wins. A lot of the tracks lined up well for Truex too. As long as Truex avoided disaster, it would almost be a cake walk to the Championship Four with his stash of playoff points. Then the playoffs started.
To put it simply, Martin Truex Jr had an abysmal playoff run. Through the first two rounds, Truex’s best finish was 17th at Texas. Even with his 36 playoff points, Truex barely scrapped by the first two rounds. His first Top-10 of the playoffs came at Las Vegas. Even that run was not good though, as Truex had to claw his way into the Top-10. It was a night and day difference between the regular season and the postseason. If there was a rake to step on, Truex and his team found a way to slam their foot directly on it every week. Truex exited the playoffs on a whimper after Martinsville. It was a shocking display of ineptitude.
2023 Grade: C+
While 2023 was a great bounce back for Martin Truex Jr, the lackluster playoff run truly sours the season as a whole. A team that was dominating the Cup Series became a complete shell of themselves. After averaging a 11.4 finish in the regular season, Truex’s playoff average finish was 18.4. Not only were the results poor, Truex simply did not have the speed he did in the first 26 races. In the final 10 races, Truex only managed to score 47 stage points after scoring 203 in the regular season.
It would be too harsh to grade Truex any lower than a C though. During the middle of the season, Truex was the driver to beat. That 15 race stretch from Dover through Watkins Glen is the most dominant stretch during the Next Gen era. That stretch could have been better had he not wrecked out at Darlington late in the race. In terms of rebounding from 2022, this season was a success. However, the potential was there for this to be much better than it was.
2024 Outlook
Heading into next season, many expect this to be Martin Truex Jr’s last season. Although his (mostly) strong 2023 could be a case to continue racing after 2024, retirement seems to be on the horizon for the JGR driver. If that is the case, it would not be surprising to see an announcement prior to the Daytona 500. After a storied career, Truex would be a driver fitting for a retirement tour ala Kevin Harvick.
If it is a retirement season, Martin Truex Jr is in a great position to have one of the strongest retirement seasons ever. Despite the playoff blunder, Truex and the 19 team are a formidable team with championship aspirations. At the very least, another multiple win season should be in the cards for Truex. Whether he is retiring or not, 2024 should be another good season for Martin Truex Jr.
Christopher Bell – #20
2023 Stat Line:Â 36 Starts – 2 Wins, 10 Top-5s, 19 Top-10s, 6 Poles, Avg Fin 12.9
Crew Chief: Adam Stevens
Driver Points Ranking: 4;Â Owner Points Ranking: 4
Notable Results: Career high 6 poles; Bristol dirt win; Homestead win to advance to Championship Four
With his first Championship Four appearance last season, Christopher Bell seemed like the prime candidate to have a breakout 2023 season. Flashing his clutch gene, Bell ended the season on a high by winning the last two elimination races. Although he was the fourth best driver in the Championship Four, 2023 was an opportunity to build off that tremendous success.
Early in the season, it looked as if Bell was going to have a standout season. Through the first 11 races, Bell looked as strong as Martin Truex Jr did during his summer stretch. In addition to leading the points for three weeks, Bell collected a win and averaged a 10.5 finish. In races that he finished, Bell’s worst finish was 16th at Martinsville and his average finish improves to a 5.8 result.
However, Christopher Bell’s season fell off a cliff after Dover. From Kansas through the first race of the playoffs, Bell struggled to find consistent results. His average finish ballooned to 16.3 with more finishes outside the Top-20 (6) than in the Top-10 (5). It was a rough stretch for the 20 team that also saw them finish off the lead lap 4 times.
Much like last season though, Bell found his groove during the playoffs. From Kansas to Martinsville, Bell looked like his early season form. His worst finish was 15th at the ROVAL while averaging a 6.8 finish. While his summer was sluggish, his playoffs were fantastic. However, the good runs ended when his brake rotor failed in the Championship Race. Bell and the 20 team are the first to experience a mechanic failure in Championship Four history.
2023 Grade: B
It is a bit odd how similar Martin Truex Jr’s and Christopher Bell’s seasons mirror each other. When one driver was running well, the other struggled. Unfortunately for Truex, the momentum switch was flipped during the playoffs.
When looking at Bell during his peak 19 races, there were few who were better than him. An average finish inside the Top-10 and his only bad finishes were DNFs. However, the entire season paints a more inconsistent image. Bell mostly vanished from competitive runs during the summer months. While he peppered in 5 Top-10s, it was a far cry from when Bell was at his best. This is why Bell saw his wins, Top-5s, and Top-10s dip from last season. However, he did better his laps led and average finish.
2024 Outlook
Similar to this season, 2024 will be the year many will expect Christopher Bell to establish himself as the top driver at Joe Gibbs Racing. While Truex and Hamlin will still be there, their time is running out. Bell is on the path to be the future of the organization. He has had back to back Championship Four appearances, but he lacks that statement season. The results have been good, not great.
In addition to the usual JGR level of expectations, Bell could be in line to have a William Byron-esque season. The key for Bell is finding that season long consistency that has avoided him thus far. Clearly, Bell is a talented driver in top equipment. If he able to put it together for 36 races, then there is a great chance that 2024 sees Bell rattle off 5 or 6 wins.
Ty Gibbs – #54
2023 Stat Line:Â 36 Starts – 4 Top-5s, 10 Top-10s, 112 Laps Led, Avg Fin 18.4
Crew Chief: Chris Gayle
Driver Points Ranking: 18;Â Owner Points Ranking: 18
Notable Results: 4 straight Top-10s early in season; 2 Top-5s in playoff races
Unlike his three teammates, expectations for Ty Gibbs were relatively low for the 2023 season. Despite getting 15 starts in the Cup Series last year, Gibbs would still be sporting his rookie stripe. Plus, he would be replacing Kyle Busch. The main objectives for Gibbs this season were simple: improve over the course of the season, win Rookie of the Year, and demonstrate more maturity than he had in the Xfinity Series. Anything more than that would be a bonus for the 54 team.
While the numbers were a stepdown for the former 18 team, Ty Gibbs had a solid rookie season. Gibbs hit every mark that was put in front of him for the 2023 season. Although it was by default, he won Rookie of the Year. He ran stronger as the year progressed, including a strong Top-5 run at Bristol. Gibbs did have a streak of 4 straight Top-10s early in the season. However, those were strong results for a mid-pack run. By the end of the season, Gibbs was featuring more in the Top-10 on a consistent basis. In the final 12 races, Gibbs finished in the Top-5 3 times.
2023 Grade: C+
In terms of a rookie season, Ty Gibbs passes with flying colors. By the end of the season, Gibbs demonstrated the talent that saw him dominate the Xfinity Series for two seasons. Although he missed the playoffs, his 18th points rank is respectable. For 2023, the low expectations led to promising results.
The main positive for Gibbs this season was the limited amount of drama surrounding the driver. In the Xfinity Series, Gibbs was a magnet for drama. He would wreck teammates for wins, start fights on pit roads, and came off like a spoiled brat. This season, those moments were few and far in between. Perhaps the worst thing Gibbs did all season was drive too low on pit road at Texas and clobber into Denny Hamlin. Although it did help Hamlin, it knocked Gibbs out of the race.
2024 Outlook
Good for Ty Gibbs on having a successful rookie season. Now it is time to take the kids gloves off. While his results were good for this season, they will be failures next year. In his grandfather’s equipment, Gibbs needs to be in the playoffs and competing for wins. If Ty Gibbs misses the playoffs next season, the calls of nepotism will only increase.
Is Ty Gibbs capable of making the playoffs? Yes; he was within distance of pointing his way into the playoffs at Daytona. Pointing his way in next season is a real possibility. Will Ty Gibbs win a race in 2024? That is a more difficult question to answer. Based on 2023, his best chance might be on the road courses. However, Gibbs did flash speed at the tracks where all of the Toyotas ran well.
Joe Gibbs Racing Grade: A
Despite not hoisting the championship trophy at season’s end, Joe Gibbs Racing was the best Cup Series team from top to bottom in 2023. Three of their drivers made the Round of 8. Meanwhile, their rookie driver accomplished his goals for the year. At certain moments of the season, it seemed likely that JGR would have at least two drivers in the Championship Four. While that did not come to fruition, their 2023 can not be considered anything but a success.
Joe Gibbs Racing will continue to be the flagship team of Toyota. 2024 should see all four drivers make the playoffs, with three heading into the season as championship favorites. Can one of their drivers breakthrough to be the first non-Kyle Busch driver to win since Tony Stewart in 2005?
Despite their recent run of dominance, JGR might be facing a lineup refresh in a season or two. Both Truex and Hamlin will be retiring (or leaving) JGR shortly. While Bell and Gibbs will remain, two new drivers to the fold could have JGR facing a brief slump. Similar to what Hendrick went through in the late 2010s, JGR could feel the pressure to bring home hardware before that reset.
For other 2023 Season in Review articles, click the link(s) below:
Griffin Fuller – Team Penske, Wood Brothers, Stewart-Haas Racing, Trackhouse Racing, Hendrick Motorsports
Robert Cwick – JTG-Daugherty, Live Fast, Front Row (Part 1)Â
Daniel Smith (Statistical Breakdown) – Team Penske/Wood Brothers, Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, 23XI & Legacy Motor Club, RFK/Front Row, Trackhouse/RCR, Stewart-Haas Racing, JTG/Rick Ware/Live Fast, Kaulig/Spire
