Joe Gibbs Racing named Tyler Allen crew chief for Ty Gibbs and the No. 54 team in the NASCAR Cup Series, beginning in 2025. Allen was the crew chief of JGR’s No. 20 NASCAR Xfinity Series team for eight of the team’s nine victories on their way to a runner-up finish in the owner’s championship.
Prior to his first season as a crew chief in 2024, Allen spent seven years as a race engineer under Adam Stevens with drivers Kyle Busch and Christopher Bell. The Bellevue, Washington native was on the 2019 Cup Series championship team and earned five Championship 4 runs (2017-2019 with Busch and 2022-2023 with Bell).
Allen’s 2024 season produced eight wins under multiple drivers, 17 top-fives and 22 top-10s. The two took the pole at Charlotte Motor Speedway in one Xfinity Series race alongside Ty Gibbs, and led 27 laps to earn a ninth-place finish.
“It’s an honor to be named crew chief for Ty Gibbs and the 54 team as we head into the 2025 season,” Allen said. “This opportunity has been a dream of mine since starting here at JGR 10 years ago, and I’m thankful for the support and guidance I’ve received from my mentors, teammates and everyone along the way. Ty has shown a lot of speed and potential the last two years, and I look forward to building on that experience to get the 54 car in Victory Lane.”
Allen will oversee the No. 54 squad for Gibbs’ third season in the Cup Series. Gibbs was significantly better in year two than he was in year one and finished with eight top fives, 12 top 10, two poles, 417 laps led and a playoff spot in year two.
On November 22, JGR announced Chris Gabehart will become competition director and Chris Gayle will transition to crew chief for Denny Hamlin and the No. 11 team.
Allen had been named crew chief for Taylor Gray and JGR’s No. 54 Xfinity Series roster in 2025. With Allen’s move to the Cup Series, veteran crew chief Jason Ratcliff will head back to the top of the pit box to work with Gray.
Ratcliff stepped away from the box after 2023, spending 2024 as JGR’s new Team/Driver Coordinator for the company’s Xfinity and ARCA Menard Series teams.
“I’m thrilled to join Taylor and the 54 team for the 2025 season,” Ratcliff said. “After a year away from the track, I’m eager to return to the pit box every weekend. Taylor has the talent and determination to excel in NASCAR, and it’s our mission to help him achieve that success.”
Ratcliff, a 24-year veteran of the pit box, has worked with 28 different drivers and claimed 72 national touring wins and captured the 2009 Xfinity Series championship with Kyle Busch. Ratcliff has made 253 Cup Series starts and 548 Xfinity Series starts as a crew chief winning 15 Cup Series races and is the winningest crew chief in Xfinity Series history at 57,
Ratcliff’s 209 top fives, 406 top 10s and 49 poles are the sum of his 801 starts.
“We take a lot of pride in our Xfinity Series program and the depth of talent that we have been able to maintain,” said Joe Gibbs, owner and founder of Joe Gibbs Racing. “Tyler Allen was successful at the Cup level with us while working under Adam Stevens and was impressive last season in the Xfinity Series, leading that 20 team to eight wins while working with a number of different drivers. We have an exciting young and talented team on the 54 car.
“It is also exciting to have Jason Ratcliff back on the pit box in the Xfinity Series to work with Taylor Gray next season,” added Gibbs. “He has contributed so much to our organization over his career.”
