It’s been a banner year for Joe Gibbs Racing (at least on paper). Denny Hamlin has been the points leader more often than not, with 3,034, Chase Briscoe’s finally living up to the hype, and Christopher Bell? He just punched his ticket to the Round of 12 with a clutch Bristol win. All three look like solid bets to make it to the Round of 8. Maybe even Phoenix. But there’s one JGR driver whose season hasn’t been quite as picture-perfect.

One who’s had the speed to lead laps, showed up front in the NASCAR inaugural In-Season Challenge to bag $1 million, and mixed it with the best, but can’t seem to catch a break when it really counts. And it’s that fight, the grind through bad luck and early-season struggles, that’s got team owner Joe Gibbs publicly tipping his cap.

Joe Gibbs acknowledges T

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