3 potential candidates to replace Chris Gabehart as Competition Director at Joe Gibbs Racing

Chris Gabehart, who was promoted to the role of Joe Gibbs Racing's (JGR) competition director ahead of the 2025 season, has decided to leave the team. He spent this season overseeing competition operations and the performance of all the Cup and Xfinity teams at JGR after moving off the pit box in 2025.

Gabehart had earlier led Denny Hamlin's No. 11 crew for six years between 2019 and 2024. The duo logged 22 wins, which made Gabehart a prized figure in the garage.

Reporter Jenna Fryer of the Associated Press has confirmed Gabehart's departure during the third day of the antitrust trial filed by 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports against NASCAR. Rumors now point toward Spire Motorsports as Gabehart's probable new home in 2026.

But who will take the veteran crew chief's role as competition director at Joe Gibbs Racing in 2026? Here are three potential candidates who could fill the gap at the top of the team's competition operation.

#1. Adam Stevens

Adam Stevens, who is the current crew chief for Christopher Bell and the No. 20 team, has been working with JGR for over 20 years. He also has a long championship pedigree. The 47-year-old joined the team in 2005 as a race engineer on the No. 20 car driven by Tony Stewart.

In 2015, Stevens was promoted to Cup Series crew chief for Busch on the No. 18 car. They won the Cup championship in their first year together and returned to championship form again in 2019.

Moving Stevens into a competition director role would add race-day experience to the post. He also understands Toyota and JGR systems from his years in the shop.

#2. Jason Ratcliff

Jason Ratcliff could be another candidate for the job. He has spent 24 years as a crew chief, with 18 of those at Joe Gibbs Racing. He also won the 2009 NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts (Xfinity) Series championship with Kyle Busch.

The 57-year-old was the crew chief for Taylor Gray's No. 54 Toyota Supra in the NASCAR Xfinity Series this year. In the past seasons, he served as Team/Driver Coordinator for JGR's Xfinity and ARCA programs, helping mentor crew chiefs, refine procedures, and support driver development. That background gives him broad oversight experience.

#3. Chris Burkey

Chris Burkey, the Athletic Director at Joe Gibbs Racing, could also take up the competition director role. He has previously run the human performance and pit crew development at JGR. Promoting Burkey would tie together pit-crew performance and race strategy, as he knows how JGR trains people and runs on-track operations.

Joe Gibbs Racing could also look outside the team and bring in someone experienced for the upcoming NASCAR Season, which starts in the second week of February 2026.