Joe Gibbs Racing 2014 Review
By Richard Tix
2014 Season Stats
Wins: 2
Top 5: 29
Top 10: 55
Poles: 7
If I had to describe the 2014 season for JGR in one statement I would use "a down season." After a strong 2013 season where JGR newcomer Matt Kenseth won a Cup high 7 races, JGR as a whole won 2 races in 2014 (Denny Hamlin-1 and Kyle Busch-1). Was it Toyota Racing Development and engines that were not up to par? Was it that JGR was just behind on the new aero package? Was it a combination of both?
My take is that it was a bit of both. I truly didn't see much speed out of any Toyota's in 2014, so maybe TDR was just behind in helping the teams. I think some of it also had to do with they knew they were getting a new bodied Camary in 2015 and the rules might change again, so once they were behind they just never fully bought in to catching up.
Instead, it looked like JGR saved some of there best cars for the Chase after they knew everyone was locked in. Because the highlight of the season was that all three JGR drivers got into the Chase. Kyle Busch only got knocked out because of some bad luck at Talladega and Denny Hamlin eventually found himself in the Finale at Miami. So despite a bad season in the win column, all the drivers still made the end goal of making the Chase and JGR had a 25% chance of winning a Championship during the Finale (Denny Hamlin).
- By most season's standards 2014 would have been one to forget for Hamlin. But, 2014 was the start of a new Chase in NASCAR and that made it possible for him to make the Chase with his lone win even though he had a bunch of rough finishes during the season. He ended up making the Finale in Miami and finished 3rd in the points. He ended 2014 with 1 win, 7 top 5's, 18 top 10's, and 3 poles.
- After 7 wins in 2013 Kenseth didn't notch a single win in 2014. It was disappointing for the #20 team and his fans, but he still had a consistent season and finished it by making the Chase. Matt still had more top 5's and top 10's in 2014 then he did in his first season with JGR (2013). He ended the year with zero wins, 13 top 5's, 22 top 10's, and 2 poles while finishing 7th in the standings.
- I bought into the notion that Rowdy was finally ready to win a title in 2014 after a strong finish to 2013, well he made me look foolish. It wasn't a bad season bad any stretch, but we have come to expect a bit more out of Kyle. That being said, Kyle still made the Chase and put himself in a good spot before Talladega, where bad luck struck and left him out of contention for the final four races. Rowdy ended the season with 1 win, 9 top 5's, 15 top 10's, and 3 poles while finishing 10th in the points standings.
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