This year, Young Life showed up in a surprising place: NASCAR. Through a partnership with Joe Gibbs Racing, the No. 19 Toyota GR Supra driven by Aric Almirola was a Young Life car.
What began as an idea from a few generous and creative fans of the mission became one of the most visible ministry moments we’ve ever had.
The partnership was made possible by a gift from donors outside the organization who wanted to introduce new people to Young Life in a creative and meaningful way. Our role was to steward it well, representing Christ, our mission, and the Young Life name with excellence.
What Happened On the Track
Across 17 races, the No. 19 Young Life car competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, a national stage that reaches millions of fans in person and online every weekend. Here’s what happened in 2025:
· Joe Gibbs Racing secured the 2025 Owner’s Championship, the highest title a race team can earn.
· Three victories this season at Phoenix, Bristol, and Las Vegas helped secure the title.
· This marked the seventh owner’s championship in JGR history.
· And the first time Young Life appeared on a championship-winning car.
“Coach Gibbs talks all the time about winning with people. This is about a lot of people at Joe Gibbs Racing, and I’m thankful for Coach, for JD, for the Gibbs family, for Toyota, and for Young Life,” said Aric after the final race.
What Happened Off the Track
This partnership, though, was never just about racing. It was about people, legacy, and the ways God continues to use Young Life to reach others through relationships.
Young Life’s connection to Joe Gibbs Racing runs deep and spans more than 40 years. In high school, JD Gibbs and his brother Coy were introduced to Young Life at Oakton High in Virginia. Their father, legendary football coach Joe Gibbs, and his wife, Pat, even opened their home for Young Life club. Those early experiences shaped JD’s faith and his lifelong love for the mission. As he built Joe Gibbs Racing alongside his dad, JD carried that same heart for ministry with him. He later served on Young Life’s Board of Trustees, helping kids across the world experience the same kind of faith and friendship that shaped his own life.
JD passed away in 2019, but his impact is still deeply felt at JGR. His leadership helped define the team’s values of faith, humility, and care for people, and it’s one of the main reasons this partnership with Young Life exists today.
This spring, that legacy came full circle at Windy Gap, Young Life’s camp in North Carolina. The camp’s historic barn, known as “JD’s Supplies,” was originally dedicated to JD after his passing, but was severely damaged during Hurricane Helene. In May, JD’s closest friends, who met through Young Life as teenagers, came together with his sons and the Gibbs family to rebuild and rededicate the space.
That weekend captured what this partnership represents. The same man whose name was written above the driver’s window on the No. 19 Young Life Toyota GR Supra is the one whose friendships and faith continue to bring people together.
Windy Gap’s barn was rebuilt, but more importantly, so was the reminder that God is still using JD’s life to impact others.
Throughout the NASCAR season, Joe Gibbs Racing staff and families carried that same spirit at the track, telling stories about Young Life, connecting with kids and leaders, and living out what it means to “win with people.” As Aric shared, “Going into this year and the opportunity to represent Young Life, it just made so much sense. We all know JD’s involvement with Young Life, along with Dave, Coach, and everyone in the Gibbs family.”
From Windy Gap to Phoenix Raceway, this partnership carried a message that will outlast the race itself: that God can use one life to reach thousands more.
Read more about JD Gibbs and the2019 Young Life Posthumous Alumni Award given in honor of his legacy inside and outside the mission.
Why It Matters
This was not about racing cars. It was about showing up in a space that values teamwork, commitment, and excellence, and revealing that the heart of Young Life belongs there too. The visibility of the No. 19 car helped start new conversations about Young Life across the country, introducing the mission to audiences who might not have encountered it otherwise and reflecting the creativity, faith, and relationships that have always defined who we are.
What’s Next and What’s New?
The story isn’t just continuing; it’s multiplying.
We’re excited to build on what this season began: new relationships, new audiences, and new opportunities to tell the story of Jesus in unexpected places. We’ll do this by participating in 12 NASCAR Xfinity Series races throughout the 2026 season. The Young Life car will also continue to carry JD Gibbs’ name above the driver’s window.
What’s new this year is the driver of the Young Life car. At just 17 years old, Brent Crews is driving the Young Life car in the 2026 NASCAR XfinitySeries. He’s no stranger to Young Life. In fact, he’s been discipled by his Young Life leader, Miller Gibbs, JD’s son, and Joe’s grandson.
A teenager discipled by JD’s son, driving a car with JD’s name, to reach kids JD never met.
Miller has invested in Brent in so many ways, including taking Brent on a weekend at Windy Gap. Like father, like son — a living picture of generational faith passed hand to hand.
To everyone who supported, prayed, or simply cheered along in 2025, thank you for helping make this moment in Young Life history one to remember. Here’s to an even greater 2026!
Here are more ways to join in this unprecedented approach:
Learn Even More About this Shared Legacy of Faith and Impact
Young Life and Joe Gibbs Racing share a deep and meaningful history, rooted in faith and a commitment to making a difference. Read more about JD Gibbs, Dave Alpern, and Aric Almirola, and the roots of their love for Christ and kids, and how they’re connecting both through racing.
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