Ty Gibbs is Here

Since winning in his debut in the Xfinity Series, the lights have been shining on Ty Gibbs. Under those lights he has done nothing but perform amazingly. In that same Xfinity season he won four more races on a part time schedule. A few years later Ty is driving for his grandfather in the Cup Series and we’re all questioning when his first win will come, not if he will win. 

After winning the Xfinity Series championship and subbing for an injured Kurt Busch in 2022, Gibbs was brought into the Cup Series to drive for Joe Gibbs Racing, replacing Kyle Busch. Replacing Busch leaves big shoes to fill, especially for a rookie. Although adjusting to the Next Gen car seems like a struggle for most rookies with standouts like Austin Cindric, Harrison Burton, and Noah Gragson not being as good as expected based on their performance in the Xfinity Series, Gibbs was able to create some success, especially at the end of the season. He finished the 2023 season with four top-5’s and 10 top-10’s. Despite not being on par with his seasoned teammates, it’s a very good foundation to build on.

In 2024, Gibbs has done nothing but build on that foundation. Excluding the Daytona 500 because of its randomness, Ty has scored a top-10 in five of the six races, three of which were top-5’s. For a couple of races this season, he looked like a legitimate threat to win, at Austin and Phoenix where he finished 3rd in both. Last Sunday’s race at Richmond was his first where he was clearly off the pace, but every driver has those nights. The more important thing is to see how he bounces back from a bad weekend.

Ty Gibbs has shown why he’s been able to progress through NASCAR’s national series with his success so far. Heading into each race weekend there’s a thought in the back of my mind saying, “This could be the week”. Any week could be the week that Ty Gibbs gets his first win and once that happens, a talented driver will be unlocked.