Joe Gibbs' official explains why NASCAR cars' numbers are positioned forward

Long-time NASCAR fans may notice that the racing numbers on the side of the racecars have been positioned forward rather than the usual middle. Joe Gibbs Racing has an answer to this update as team president Dave Alpern explained it.

According to the JGR chief, via Instagram, the number was moved forward after the introduction of the Next Gen cars in 2022. The Next Gen cars had less space for sponsors on the quarter panel, which called for a change in number and logo positioning.

NASCAR asked the teams and fans whether it would be a good idea to have the number forward near the front wheel well, or the rear after the door area.

JGR experimented with pushing the racing number rearwards in an all-star race. However, Alpern said the sponsors weren't fond of it, thus the numbers were positioned forward.

With the updated number positioning, teams can use the door space for promoting their respective sponsors.

During the 2024 season finale at Phoenix Raceway, Denny Hamlin had FedEx as the primary sponsor on his No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry, while Martin Truex Jr. had Bass Pro Shops on his No. 19 car.

While Christopher Bell had a huge "Interstate Batteries" logo running between the door and the quarter panel on his No. 20 Toyota, Ty Gibbs had Monster Energy painted on his No. 54 car.

Denny Hamlin driving the No. 11 FedEx Toyota at the Phoenix Raceway - Source: Imagn

As a side note, Hamlin won't run FedEx paint schemes moving forward after their 19-year partnership ended. Moreover, Chase Briscoe will take over the No. 19 car following Truex Jr.'s retirement from full-time competition.

While this positioning could stay for a long time in the NASCAR Cup Series, the cars competing in the Xfinity and Craftsman Truck Series still have their racing numbers in the middle of their side profiles.

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Joe Gibbs Racing explains how NASCAR teams order tires

Joe Gibbs Racing has been sharing behind-the-scenes insights on social media. Recently, the Huntersville-based outfit explained how NASCAR teams order tires for the entire season.

The ordering process starts before the season begins, which will be good for a few races. By then, teams already ordered new tires for over half of the year.

The tires come from Goodyear, an American tire manufacturer that solely supplies slicks to NASCAR. However, Goodyear started supplying rain-ready tires in response to the growing road course races on the calendar.

Upon arrival, Joe Gibbs Racing sends the tires to Champion Tire and Wheel, a transport company that serves the Cup, Xfinity, and Truck Series teams.

Champion is tasked to mount the tires around the wheels before sending them to the track for racing. The company will also retrieve the tires after a race weekend.

Depending on the track, teams order different tire compounds identified by a D-code.

According to JGR, the bill amounts to a little over $100,000 for 12 sets of tires per car.

The Toyota-based team will return to the track on February 16 for the Daytona 500 with Chase Briscoe as its newest driver.