Joe Gibbs Racing Pauses ARCA Program to Focus on O’Reilly Series

Joe Gibbs Racing will shut down its ARCA Menards Series program after the 2026 season and channel resources to improve its four-car NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series operation. The decision ends nearly a decade of ARCA competition for the organization. The team has developed several prominent NASCAR drivers and continued winning championships. JGR executive vice president of O’Reilly Series and Development Steve DeSouza confirmed the decision during a September 30 interview. DeSouza acknowledged that the organization needs considerable improvements in its second-tier national series program, where only two of its four full-time drivers qualified for the 2026 Chase. The team…