On a visit to the Charlotte/Kannapolis/Concord area to visit all of the NASCAR Team…read moreGarages/Headquarters, Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) was our second stop of day two, and our fifth team overall.
We visited JGR this past summer, on a Friday morning in July. It was not crowded, but there were a few other groups looking around the place when we were there. The building is located in a quiet area in Huntersville, and there is plenty of private parking just steps away from the front doors. The entrance is clearly marked where you will not miss it.
Everything to see here is located on the floor in which you enter the building. This includes the trophies, historical items, viewing window into the garage, and the team store.
The review is further broken down into categories below:
Displays/Museums/Historical Items - 5/5 Rating
There is a ton to see here in terms of the museum aspect of the racing team. They have a TON of race win trophies all over the space, and they are not behind glass. It is cool to be able to see them up close. There are two cars on display in the museum area as well. Accompanying the cars and the trophies are several cases of various racing memorabilia and items any fan would love to see. Joe Gibbs even has personal items on display, such as keepsakes from the Redskins, YoungLife items, and stories of the family. There is a ton to see here overall in terms of displays and historical items. You could spend a while here just looking through everything.
Team Store - 5/5 Rating
The store at JGR is one of the larger ones of all of the racing teams. There was a vast variety of items, both older and newer. The entire back wall had pieces of sheet metal available to look through and purchase. The shop had both sizes of die casts, with there being more options in the 1:64 size. In the back, there were a few racks of sale items as well! Most of the items were organized by driver, which made it easy to shop. There is something for everyone here, as they had smaller, less expensive items and more high-end, collectible items.
Garage Access - 2/5 Rating
In the rear of the museum area is a large viewing window to look into the garage. Though there is no direct access into this part of the facility, there is full visibility through the window. The race win flags are also visible when you are in this area. We visited on a Friday going into a race weekend, so there was not much activity going on in the garage that day. However, on a normal visit you would have full sight into the workings of the mechanical staff.
Overall Access - 3/5 Rating
JGR is interesting in its access. There is a lot on display that you could touch and get up close to, if you choose. They also have two cars displayed in the museum area. The garage has full visibility, though it is completely behind glass/a viewing window. Comparing this to other team's facilities, it is pretty standard access.
Extras - 5/5 Rating
We especially enjoyed the extras that corresponded with their driver sponsorships. For example, when you visit the team store, you can take a free Monster Energy Drink because Ty Gibbs is sponsored by them. They were in a fridge, and the selection was vast. This was very unique and a fun takeaway! There were also Hero Cards available in the gift shop, you just had to ask the ladies working for them. I will add in this section that all of the staff at JGR were exceptionally nice and friendly, which is an "extra" that enhanced the visit!
Of all of the racing teams we visited on this trip, JGR was a highlight and in our top favorites. Given the up-close access to all of the trophies and memorabilia, the garage access, and the fun extras in the gift shop, it is unique in the best way. The fan experience here is a positive one, and you can make your own adventure here - spend just a couple minutes or take time to look at everything and spend a hour or so. This team garage is a must stop if you are in the area or are completing tours of all of the garages.