3 NASCAR drivers with the longest careers at Joe Gibbs Racing ft. Denny Hamlin

Joe Gibbs Racing is one of the strongest organizations in the NASCAR Cup Series. Owned by the famed NFL coach Joe Gibbs, the Huntersville, North Carolina-based team fields four full-time Toyota Camry drivers.

Since its inception in 1992, JGR has clinched five championship trophies and accumulated over 200 wins in the Cup division. Coach Gibbs' team ran Pontiac and Chevrolet cars before announcing Toyota as its manufacturer in 2008. In its storied NASCAR history, several NASCAR legends like Carl Edwards, Dale Jarett, and Tony Stewart have contributed to JGR's success, with Hall-of-Famer Stewart securing two Cup Series titles driving the #20 entry.

However, three other drivers have been part of the Toyota roster for more than a decade and have been instrumental in making Joe Gibbs Racing one of the top-performing NASCAR teams in the present times.

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3 NASCAR Drivers with the longest careers at Joe Gibbs Racing

#3 Bobby Labonte (11 years)

Bobby Labonte - Source: Imagn

Former NASCAR driver turned analyst took over the reins of the #18 car in 1995 as the sole entry of JGR from Dale Jarett, who secured the team's first-ever Daytona 500 victory in 1993.

The younger brother of two-time Cup Series champion Terry Labonte, Bobby brought home JGR's first Championship title in 2000 after dominating the standings for 25 races, finishing ahead of Dale Earnhardt. Moreover, the Hall of Famer Labonte earned crown jewel victories such as the 1995 Coca-Cola 600, the 2000 Brickyard 400, and the 2000 Southern 500, before moving to Petty Enterprises in 1996.

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#2 Kyle Busch (15 years)

Kyle Busch - Source: Getty

After three full-time seasons with Hendrick Motorsports, Kyle Busch debuted with JGR in 2008 and continued the dominance of the #18 with a new manufacturer, Toyota.

Busch clinched Toyota's first Cup Series championship in 2015 and brought home another trophy for JGR in 2019. He and Kurt Busch, along with the Labonte brothers, are also one of the two sibling pairs to win championship titles. In 2022, the 63-time Cup race winner ended his time with Gibbs after falling out with his primary sponsor, Mars, and transitioned to the legendary Richard Childress Racing team.

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#1 Denny Hamlin (19 years)

Denny Hamlin - Source: Getty

Denny Hamlin has had the longest tenure in Joe Gibbs Racing and is still an active driver, piloting the #11 Toyota. He made his debut for Gibbs' outfit in 2006 and finished the year strong, with a third place standings in the final points table.

Hamlin has also finished nine times inside the top five of the final driver's standings in his time with JGR and has amassed 54 Cup wins. His wins include three Daytona 500 and Southern 500, and one Coca-Cola 600 races.

In his impressive NASCAR career, Hamlin is still looking for his maiden Cup Series trophy as he returns to the track for JGR next season.