In 2008, Joe Gibbs Racing made a bold move that many saw as a huge risk. For years, NASCAR was dominated by American car makers like Chevrolet, Ford, and Dodge. But in 2007, Toyota, a Japanese company, joined the sport. Initially, they partnered with Bill Davis Racing, Michael Waltrip Racing, and Team Red Bull. A year later, Joe Gibbs Racing became Toyota’s first major team, and they’ve stayed together ever since.
Over the years, Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota have had their share of ups and downs. They’ve celebrated big wins, like Kyle Busch’s championship titles in 2015 and 2019, and have consistently been strong contenders.
However, they’ve also faced numerous challenges, especially recently. Mechanical problems have been frequent for Joe Gibbs Racing’s cars. The latest issue involves an engine violation that led to a hefty penalty.
In March, Denny Hamlin won at Bristol Motor Speedway. But after the race, Toyota made a serious mistake that’s causing problems now. The engineers dismantled Hamlin’s engine before NASCAR officials had the chance to inspect it, which led to suspicions that they were hiding something.
As a result, NASCAR handed out a severe L2 penalty for not following engine seal rules. Interestingly, Toyota admitted to the mistake themselves. The rules require a post-race inspection of any winning engine if its use is considered complete. In Hamlin’s case, Toyota Racing Development took apart and rebuilt his winning engine from Bristol before showing it to officials.
Because of this, Hamlin and his team lost 75 driver and owner points, along with a playoff point, and Joe Gibbs Racing was fined $100,000. Although this could have hurt his playoff chances, Hamlin’s other legal wins ensured his spot.
Still, this is a setback for Joe Gibbs Racing, especially as they’ve been dealing with many mechanical issues lately. These problems have affected different drivers in various races. For example, Christopher Bell had issues at World Wide Technology Raceway, and Hamlin didn’t last long at Sonoma.
Could Toyota’s problems cost Joe Gibbs Racing a Cup Series title in 2024? We certainly hope not. Denny Hamlin, after years of trying, deserves a shot at his first Cup title. On the positive side, both Hamlin and Bell have secured their playoff spots, despite the scare from Bristol.
With two races left, Martin Truex Jr. and Ty Gibbs are under pressure to join their teammates in the playoffs. But if Toyota continues to have reliability issues, this could be in jeopardy. It would be a big blow if two of their drivers missed the playoffs because of engine problems.
Things didn’t look good at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where Truex Jr.’s team made an unapproved change after inspection, resulting in a penalty. As they head to Daytona this weekend, it could be a turning point for Joe Gibbs Racing. If there really is an issue with Toyota engines, teams like 23XI Racing and Legacy Motor Club might also need to be concerned.
