Joe Gibbs’ Regret of Losing Joey Logano Behind JGR Securing Tony Stewart’s Ace, Claims NASCAR Veteran

Good race car drivers are hard to come by, especially on the Cup Series level. Most of the team has got hold of the talented drivers in the scene, making it hard for the competitors to replace a departing veteran. Joe Gibbs Racing found themselves in a similar situation when Martin Truex Jr. announced he wouldn’t be returning to the #19 car in 2025.

With limited options and not willing to bet on the young talent from either Xfinity or Truck Series, JGR identified Chase Briscoe as the ideal candidate. Now JGR did regret the way they handled the situation with Joey Logano and lost him to Team Penske in 2013. So was this move a sort of learning lesson for owner Joe Gibbs, who didn’t want to repeat a similar mistake? This is what veteran driver Kenny Wallace was trying to pitch as he shared his take on Briscoe’s move to JGR.

Joe Gibbs Racing made amends after losing out on Logano says Kenny Wallace

Logano was fast-tracked into his new role as a Cup Series driver after his heroics in the Busch Series. He was the most hyped young talent at the time, and JGR was keen to sign him and build a winning project around him. The team had lost out on their star driver Tony Stewart and were on a hunt for a talent that could replicate his success story with the #20 car.

But after two wins in 147 starts driving the #20 car, he was shown the exit door and replaced by a veteran driver Matt Kenseth ahead of the 2013 season. Logano would go on to win two championships with Team Penske, whereas in Kenseth they were once again forced into the process of looking for a new driver after his five-year stint.

“Chase is a good race car driver, would there have been a better choice? I mean however Joe Gibbs knows what he’s doing you would think, but also let’s go back he let Joey Logano go. Joe Gibbs Racing let Joe Logano go and Roger Penske says okay we’ll take him. Do you guys think Joe Gibbs learned from that and said okay Chase Briscoe.” Kenny Wallace said this on the Dale Jr. Download.

This selection was indeed a surprise for many as Briscoe for the most part had struggled with SHR in the Cup Series. Before his win at Darlington Raceway that helped him breakthrough into the playoffs, he had a sole win to his name in three years driving the #4 Ford. But, like Logano, there’s no doubting Briscoe’s racing talent which he did showcase at the Xfinity level.

Kenny Wallace sarcastically roasted the veteran team owner after Briscoe proved his mettle by emerging victorious at Darlington. “I’m laughing at myself because if there was a hidden camera you know like a looking live, when Chase Briscoe wins Darlington and they show you Joe Gibbs, he’s probably going Ricky Flair, I’m looking good now boys.” However, did Joe Gibbs Racing make the right call in assigning the keys of the #19 Toyota Camry to Briscoe?

JGR made the most of the choices they had

JGR was pretty tight in terms of prospects that could replace Martin Truex Jr. You had Noah Gragson a young talent with a lot of potential but he was bagged by Front Row Motorsports. Chandler Smith from the Xfinity roster looked like a bright spark but lacked the experience. There were also rumors that Kyle Busch could potentially stage a reunion with his former team, but in the end, they were only rumors. And ultimately, they bagged the senior driver from the defunct SHR team.

What Briscoe brings to the table is four years of Cup racing experience with a proven track record. Even when things have been against him and his team, he’s managed to grind out those tough days. This was the case for the entirety of 2024, but he made a big turnaround with his Darlington win. He did make it past the first round of the playoffs and is eyeing to have a deep playoff run.

At 29, it is fair to say that Briscoe still has the best years of racing ahead of him. Christopher Bell and Briscoe form a good duo who would lead the JGR lineup in the future. Like Truex Jr. Hamlin’s days competing in the #11 car are numbered, so the team is ensuring they have the right personnel in place before that transition happens. However, the success of Briscoe’s move to the team depends on his performance on the track next year.