Can Denny Hamlin break Joe Gibbs Racing's 18-race winless streak in the 2025 Daytona 500?

NASCAR: Daytona 500 - Source: Imagn — Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing celebrates winning the 2020 Daytona 500 - Source: Imagn

Regarded as one of the favorites to win the Cup Series crown in 2024, Joe Gibbs Racing's chances fell flat as Denny Hamlin and company failed to stand up to the occasion when it was needed the most. The last victory was at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on June 23, the 18th race of the season.

Since then, no JGR drivers have been able to step on the podium's top step. On an 18-race winless streak, the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway could be an exciting way of getting rid of that tag.

JGR star Hamlin has been historically a strong driver around the Daytona International Speedway. He won three editions of the Daytona 500 races in 2016, 2019, and 2020, and is the most successful current Cup Series driver in NASCAR around here.

Besides this, Hamlin will pair up with a new crew chief Chris Gayle in 2025. Gayle earlier served as Ty Gibbs' crew chief. Hamlin's former crew chief Gabehart will take up the role of director of competition at JGR. Hence, fans can expect Hamlin in a different way this season, and Daytona 500 could be the race to show it.

Joe Gibbs Racing has been quite strong throughout the season last year. However, the brilliance was short-lived and was only visible during the first half of the season. Christopher Bell won the USA Today 301 race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on June 23, the final victory for JGR in 2024.

None of the four drivers managed to win a race in the last 18 races. There were seven victories in the first 18. All JGR drivers ran dry races in the playoffs—the round of 16, round of 12, round of eight, and the Championship 4. While JGR fumbled, Team Penske rose to the occasion and seized the glory with Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney.

Joe Gibbs Racing will continue in the Cup Series with four charters, and Chase Briscoe's addition in place of Martin Truex Jr. was the only change that was made in the team. Denny Hamlin will be in charge of the #11 Toyota Camry XSE, Bell in the #20 entry, Ty Gibbs in the #54 entry, and Briscoe in the #19 entry.

How did the 2024 season turn out for Joe Gibbs Racing?

Adrenaline ran high on JGR drivers as they started the 2024 season on a scintillating note with Denny Hamlin, who claimed the customary Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum victory. However, they remained winless in the first three races, the Daytona 500, the Ambetter Health 400, and the Pennzoil 400.

In the fourth race, Christopher Bell was victorious; he claimed the Shriners Children's 500 at Phoenix. JGR triumphed back-to-back this time as Bell's teammate, Hamlin, won the Food City 500 at Bristol, the season's sixth race. The #11 JGR driver won again at the Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond and then the Wurth 400 at Dover.

Denny Hamlin (11) celebrates with his team after winning the 2019 Daytona 500 - Source: Imagn

Hamlin had the most impressive start to the season among all Joe Gibbs Racing drivers. He clinched three wins in 11 races to give JGR an edge in the championship. Bell, on the other hand, also claimed two more victories in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte and the USA Today 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

In between this, Ty Gibbs won the NASCAR All-Star race, and therefore, Joe Gibbs Racing had three drivers in the playoffs. However, all hopes were lost after the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway on November 3, 2024, the final race of the round of eight. Denny Hamlin and Christopher Bell, who were a part of the round of eight, failed to win a race in this round, and as a result, their championship hopes were gone.

About the author

Sabyasachi Biswas is a passionate motorsport journalist for Sportskeeda, with a Master's degree in Mass Communication and Journalism. He has over eight years of experience in the field and has over 10000 published articles on the internet.

As a dedicated follower of motorsport, Sabyasachi watches events closely, ensuring his reports are thorough and supported by reputable sources. He is inspired by Max Verstappen’s fearless attitude and dreams of attending the Indian GP if it returns to the calendar. An ardent F1 fan over the years, he enjoyed watching Felipe Massa and Sebastian Vettel and is now following Verstappen's dominant journey on the track.

Apart from F1, he is a big-time NASCAR and football (also soccer) fan. Sabyasachi supports Kyle Larson of Hendrick Motorsports and Spanish club, Real Madrid.

He was a sub-junior level footballer and won inter-district quizzes and debate competitions back in school. A travel freak by nature, Sabyasachi likes to try different cuisines and learn about new cultures. When away from his keyboard, he enjoys soccer, geopolitics, and playing with Khushi & Ubbu - his adorable beagles.

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Edited by Aayush Kapoor