It’s no secret that the Toyota-backed teams in NASCAR benefit from a superior data-sharing system, among many other things contributing to their 2026 dominance in the Cup Series. However, Denny Hamlin feels the situation is no different than any of the other teams backed by Chevrolet or Ford. 

On Saturday, ahead of the eero 400 at Chicagoland, the JGR driver and 23XI co-owner spoke at the pre-race press conference. He clarified that the alliance between 23XI and Joe Gibbs Racing is a strategic business decision, rather than a mandate from Toyota. His team pays a fee to be affiliated with JGR to accelerate their learning curve and reach competitive levels more quickly.

“I certainly think that Toyota has a role in it, but I don’t know that Toyota’s that much different than the other manufacturers," said Hamlin. "We just pay a fee. So that’s a difference. It’s not like Toyota forces us to work together. We (23XI) chose to be affiliated with Joe Gibbs Racing.”

23XI is a relatively newer and smaller team than JGR, which has been in NASCAR for decades.

“For us, we felt like it would shorten up our learning curve and get us competitive quicker. Now it’s a relationship that we still pay for, but the relationship definitely goes back and forth,” Hamlin explained (via Cup Scene on YouTube).

Such alliances are quite common in NASCAR. He also compared this alliance to that between Team Penske and RFK Racing, two Ford teams.

“I would think that probably us and Legacy are no different than Penske and RFK. I think that we get the same amount of stuff shared that they get, but we just chose to have an alliance, and that’s what I felt was the best business decision.”

Hamlin’s comments came after RFK Racing’s Brad Keselowski, who also had a segment in the press conference earlier, credited Toyota’s data-sharing system for fostering a collaborative environment, which allows its teams to be highly competitive. 

Toyota’s competitiveness has also prompted many young racers to tie up with the brand due to its effective driver training programmes. In recent times, Kevin Harvick’s son, Keelan, signed a long-term programme with the Japanese automaker despite his dad’s connections with Chevrolet and Ford. 

Carl Edwards’ son, Michael, is also another example who signed up with Toyota Gazoo Racing.

And another such young talent on the brink of a Cup Series promotion is Denny Hamlin’s replacement himself.

Is Brent Crews going to be Hamlin’s successor at JGR?

After his win at Michigan in June, Denny Hamlin finally hinted at a potential successor at JGR in 2027. Currently leading the championship, he is appearing more competitive than ever, but back then, when asked about a potential replacement for him when the time comes, he named 18-year-old Brent Crews.

“At the end of next year, I told him, ‘Just check with me in six months. Check with me in six months.’ I don’t want to leave them in flux. They’ve got a great driver in Brent Crews that’s gonna be ready more than likely by the end of next year. It’d be hard — if [Hamlin’s contract ended] right now, it’d be really hard. But I find it hard to believe we’re going to be at this level at this time next year,” Hamlin told Prime Video as reported by motorsport.com. 

This prompted Brent Crews to react, revealing that he never expected his childhood hero to mention his name in such a conversation.

Crews currently drives the No. 19 Supra for JGR in the NOAPS, along with part-time appearances for Tricon Garage in the Truck Series. He currently sits 11th on the table and has seven Top 5 finishes, competing in 15 of 19 races so far.

Read more at the RFK Racing Digest!

Written by

Aaradhya Singh

Edited by

Yash Kotak