Joe Gibbs Racing mourns the loss of beloved colleague - "We are deeply saddened"

Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) is grieving the loss of Andy "Doggie" Nelson. The team announced the passing of their beloved colleague on October 14.

Originally from Dalles, Oregon, Nelson worked as a tire and interior specialist for JGR and was an important part of the ARCA Menards Series East team. He joined the team in 2019 and helped in ARCA East Series championship wins for drivers like Justin Haley ( 2016) and Harrison Burton (2017).

Nelson passed away in his sleep on October 13 at the age of 39. JGR posted a team release on its social media platform to honor him.

"Andy was a beloved member of our ARCA team and the NASCAR garage. He had a passion for racing and was always willing to lend a helping hand. We are deeply saddened by the loss of Doggie and praying for his family and friends," the team wrote.

Nelson helped Joe Gibbs Racing win 11 races in 2024 and two recent championships. He was also part of Ryan Blaney’s first NASCAR win in 2011 at Phoenix Raceway.

Rob Beattie, a friend and member of the World of Outlaws, shared his grief online, saying,

“The world lost one of the good ones. Andy (Doggie) Nelson. R.I.P my friend.”

Nelson also worked with other teams like Dave Blaney Racing, Turner Scott Motorsports, and MDM Motorsports before joining JGR.

Joe Gibbs Racing drivers facing engine issues in 2024

Joe Gibbs Racing's Ty Gibbs, Christopher Bell, Denny Hamlin, and Martin Truex Jr. have all faced engine problems this year. Recently, 22-year-old Gibbs ended his race early at the Charlotte Motor Speedway due to a mechanical issue.

According to Toyota Racing Development's general manager, TRD tried to fix these problems. The manager said in August that they sent a team to update the engines for better reliability.

"We sent a TRD ‘fire team’ from our Costa Mesa (Calif.) engine shop to make tuning updates to all our engines heading to Michigan this weekend. We are confident that this remediation step will give us the durability margin we need...Our goal and expectation each year is perfect engine reliability. We had only one failure in 2023. TRD takes full accountability for the issues we have had this year, and we have fallen far short of what is acceptable,” said TRD's general manager (via racer.com).

Previously, Christopher Bell led 80 laps at Gateway Motorsports Park before engine trouble slowed him down and Denny Hamlin’s race at Sonoma Raceway ended on Lap 2 due to engine smoke. Martin Truex Jr. also faced engine failure at Richmond.