Joe Gibbs Racing switches pit crews for Christopher Bell, Ty Gibbs

Joe Gibbs Racing is reallocating their resources for the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.

As Christopher Bell contends for a title, Ty Gibbs barely missed the cut-off, so JGR has decided to switch their pit crews moving forward, as Gibbs’ bunch is one of the fastest in the sport, hoping it’ll provide a nice boost to Bell’s chances.

“Joe Gibbs Racing has swapped pit crews for Christopher Bell and Ty Gibbs ahead of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs,” wrote Kelly Crandall of Racer. “Bell earned his third consecutive berth in the postseason and begins his hunt for a championship from the seventh seed. He has 2,014 points. Gibbs did not qualify for the postseason, although he was in contention to earn a spot going into the regular-season finale last weekend in Daytona. He is headed toward Rookie of the Year honors.

“The No. 54 crew for Gibbs has one of the fastest pit crews on pit road, ranking inside the top five in the Cup Series. The group won the NASCAR Pit Crew Challenge in May during All-Star Race weekend at North Wilkesboro Speedway.”

Alas, the decision makes a ton of sense for JGR. Bell has a shot at being a champion at the end of the season, and they’re doing everything they can to gain an advantage. It’s not a slight against Gibbs, but that’s simply the way the cookie crumbles when you miss the playoffs.

It’ll be fascinating to see if a faster pit crew truly makes a difference for Christopher Bell. Either way, Joe Gibbs Racing is gaining an advantage for their driver by making a move.

Darlington under tropical storm warning ahead of Cook Out Southern 500 playoff race

Meanwhile, some harrowing news is coming out of Darlington, South Carolina, where the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs are slated to begin on Sunday.

According to FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass, Darlington Raceway, the site of Sunday’s Cook Out Southern 500, is currently dealing with some intense weather, including being under a tropical storm warning at the moment.

“Darlington is now under a tropical storm warning,” tweeted Pockrass. “That means tropical storm winds (39-57mph winds expected within 36 hours). The forecast for Darlington is gusts up to 40mph. 4-8 inches of rain.”

While the weather is supposed to clear up, as The Weather Channel is projecting sunny skies for Labor Day Weekend, it’s still concerning to hear what’s happening at the track at the moment. Many pre-race festivities leading up to Sunday’s race could be in jeopardy, not to mention potential damage to the track.

Alas, NASCAR fans around American will be hoping for the best for Darlington, and anyone affected by the tropical storm as a whole. Hopefully we’re able to go racing safely, and without any weather worries this weekend.