Hamlin’s exit puts Gray, Sawalich in JGR’s Cup crosshairs
With Denny Hamlin set to retire after 2027, Joe Gibbs Racing’s young Xfinity stars must outrun each other to claim a Cup seat—or risk watching Brent Crews take the wheel of the No. 11.
11 seat. Taylor Gray leads the Xfinity standings by one point over Brent Crews, but the margin is razor-thin as the Chase cutoff race approaches. William Sawalich, the third JGR O’Reilly driver, trails Gray by 20 points, putting him in the toughest spot.
The standings tighten with every lap, and the pressure on Gray and Sawalich to secure Cup seats has never been higher. 11 car’s future is the elephant in the room. Crews, a 22-year-old with two Xfinity wins this season, is the heir apparent, but Gray and Sawalich aren’t going quietly.
