While every other NASCAR Cup Series teams are returning to the Richmond Cup race after a two-week break for the Olympics with a fully refreshed crew, Joe Gibbs Racing’s star driver is returning without his regular crew chief, who is unable to travel with the No:20 crew due to health reasons.
Adam Stevens injured both of his knees during his vacation with his family and had to undergo surgery. JGR revealed that he will miss live action for several upcoming weekends. However, Stevens will still be involved in Christopher Bell’s campaign by guiding the team from the war room at JGR HQ.
Christopher Bell discussed the absence of his crew chief at Richmond Raceway before race day. Despite Stevens’ absence, he believes the team will be fine. As long as the crew chief is available at the Huntersville war room and there are no technical difficulties, it will not impact the team’s performance.
The No:20 Toyota driver previously shared how he learned about the injury. He revealed that the news was shared through the No:20 team group chat, where Stevens informed them that he was injured and would miss some races. Bell admitted that nobody was expecting such news.
Bell has had a successful 2024 NASCAR Cup season, winning three races so far. He hopes that Stevens’ injury will not hinder their progress. It will be interesting to see how the No:20 team performs without the physical presence of their crew chief.
Photo from Christopher Bell Instagram
