Joe Gibbs Racing has a bright future in the NASCAR Cup Series due to Christopher Bell and Ty Gibbs; however, it is undeniable that Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr.’s driving careers are more than likely going to be over in a few years.
Due to a rising star in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, it would not be surprising to see one of them go sooner rather than later.
Joe Gibbs Racing should push to sign this rising Xfinity talent for the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season
Joe Gibbs Racing is one of NASCAR’s powerhouse teams and that has been on display to start the 2023 season. The organization has four wins between the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series in the middle of April with more certainly on the way.
In fact, John Hunter Nemechek, driver of the No. 20 Xfinity car for Joe Gibbs Racing, became the latest driver for the organization to enter victory lane after a dominant performance at Martinsville Speedway.
It represented Nemechek’s second victory of the 2023 season as he looks to be the one to beat in the Xfinity Series this season. However, the driver of the No. 20 car is not the one that we are talking about when it comes to a possible elevation.
Sammy Smith, the driver of the No. 18 Xfinity car for the organization, has been super impressive to this point as he features one win, three top-5 finishes, three top-10 finishes, and a 12.3 average finish through eight races this year.
Smith is only 18 years old and should not be running this well in the Xfinity Series for a driver with his amount of experience. It is eerily similar to Ty Gibbs as he burst onto the scene and now drives the No. 54 car in the Cup Series.
The 18-year-old driver has shown a tremendous amount of speed but has made some mistakes in his maiden Xfinity Series season. Despite those early struggles, Smith has turned it around with an 8.6 average finish in the last five races.
Smith is clearly going to be a star in the Cup Series and he is NASCAR’s best prospect. It should not be long until the rising Xfinity Series talent is behind the wheel of a Cup Series car just like Gibbs.
Joe Gibbs Racing should make a push to sign Smith to the Cup Series program because the future is pretty murky. Truex might retire at the conclusion of the 2023 season while Hamlin could be on his way out sooner rather than later.
If Truex does retire after Phoenix Raceway, it would create an opening at Joe Gibbs Racing for Smith to slide into the abandoned No. 18 car after the number was changed to the No. 54 car for last year’s Xfinity Series champion.
With Hamlin’s driving future uncertain, why would Joe Gibbs Racing sign someone else into the vacant seat? It could create a possibility where three young drivers are under contract with Hamlin running until he decides to retire from NASCAR.
The organization does not want to lose Smith because he features an incredible amount of talent and sponsorship. It would not hurt for the 18-year-old driver to have another season in the Xfinity Series but it is important to make sure he has a spot in the Cup Series program.
The future is bright for Smith and he could follow the exact same timeline as Gibbs. There is an incredible amount of incentive to place him in the Cup Series as it allows him to develop and experience that learning curve quickly.
If not Smith and Truex or Hamlin decide to leave Joe Gibbs Racing, who would be an ideal candidate to fill a seat? Continue reading to find out three names that make sense!
Related: Denny Hamlin becomes the primary focus of NASCAR silly season for 2024
3 ideal candidates for Joe Gibbs Racing if one of its two veteran drivers leaves the team
Joe Gibbs Racing might have up to two seats that need to be filled if Hamlin and/or Truex decide to walk away. Smith was already covered as the top option; however, there are three more names that would make sense.
Nemechek is an obvious choice if the organization doesn’t want to rush Smith to the NASCAR Cup Series. The driver of the No. 20 car is going to win multiple races this season and should be in the Cup Series no matter what in 2024.
There will be several openings for Nemechek, such as the No. 4 car for Stewart-Haas Racing. If Joe Gibbs Racing wants to keep Nemechek within the program, it’s going to take a Cup Series seat to make it happen.
Daniel Hemric might be a name that is completely out of the blue but it would represent a good stop-gap if Smith is simply not ready for the Cup Series next year. Hemric, 32, won the 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series championship with Joe Gibbs Racing in the No. 18 car.
The 32-year-old driver has previous Cup Series experience and could use this as a jumping board to making his full-time return to the series. Perhaps, Hemric would be more ready this time around and run well in competitive equipment.
Michael McDowell would also be an unexpected name to some people; however, the driver of the No. 34 car has experience with Joe Gibbs Racing. McDowell, 38, has been impressive with Front Row Motorsports and could be in line for a better ride.
The 38-year-old driver could be given a one-year deal to prove his worth and represent another stop-gap option for the organization. Of course, if McDowell started to compete at a high level, it could create a complicated situation.
Joe Gibbs Racing will have plenty of options on the table but it seems like the future is coming soon. Smith will end up with the Cup Series program but it is a matter of when at this point.