JGR Must Promote Bell, Shake Up 2020 Lineup

With all the drama that happened during and after the M&M’s 200 Gander Outdoor Trucks Series race at Iowa Speedway this weekend, you would think that I would be writing about that.

I am not.

I am going to explore an idea that I had last week, and Christopher Bell helped my cause by winning his fourth race of the season Sunday evening at Iowa.

Joe Gibbs Racing has to call up Christopher Bell. Next year. 2020. If they don’t someone else will.

So here’s my plan. JGR established in 2019 a partnership with Leavine Family Racing that set up LFR’s 95 car as Toyota’s 5th team. Matt DiBennedeto is that team’s driver. That shouldn’t change in 2020. JGR should offer to fund another team for LFR next season, just like they did three years ago with Furniture Row racing while they were waiting for a spot for Erik Jones to open at JGR. They, along with Toyota and 5-hour Energy fielded the 77 car for one season.

This time, however, I wouldn’t but the rookie (Bell) in the satellite car. I would move an established start already in the JGR fold to the team.

Enter Denny Hamlin.

Hamlin has a long time partnership with FedEx, who has fully funded his team since his rookie year in 2006. With some convincing, and backing from Toyota, Gibbs should be able to get FedEx to move over to LFR with Hamlin, let’s say in the #59 FedEx Camry (see above photo).

This provides a spot for Hamlin so JGR doesn’t have to pay him to “sit on the couch,” while also letting Bell move into the JGR fold in, let’s say, the #11 Rheem (a JGR partner and current Bell sponsor) Camry.

Throw Bell right in to the fire with the best equipment in NASCAR and let him prove how good he really is. He could win a couple races and would be a lock for Rookie of the Year….except for two other guys that should be promoted alongside him….

Lookout for a future post on The General and TRed.