Denny Hamlin acknowledged Saturday that 23XI Racing would have its own pit crews next season instead of relying on Joe Gibbs Racing.

“We‘re on our path to trying to get our pit crews,” Hamlin said after winning the pole for the Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway. “I think we‘re on a good path to start that next year. We‘re in the recruiting process.”

Gibbs leases out the pit crews who make up Bubba Wallace‘s No. 23 team and Kurt Busch‘s No. 45 team through its technical alliance with 23XI Racing. Those pit crew members are developed and trained in the Gibbs system. It means the Gibbs organization makes all pit crew decisions, such as the recent switch of some members between Christopher Bell‘s and Wallace‘s team.

Hamlin sees it as a benefit all-around by hiring pit crew members for their two teams. It is also the next step as 23XI continues to grow.

Racer