In the 2022 Xfinity Series season finale at Phoenix, Ty Gibbs not only secured a win, but also the series championship. This impressive feat helped him earn a promotion to a full-time seat at the Cup level for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR). However, as Gibbs enters his fifth season in the Cup Series, Phoenix remains his most recent win in NASCAR. Despite this four-year-long winless streak, veteran driver Kevin Harvick refuses to give up on Gibbs’ potential and talent.
Gibbs, the grandson of legendary team owner Joe Gibbs, burst onto the scene in 2021 with JGR in the ARCA Menards Series. He quickly made a name for himself by winning six out of the 14 races he competed in and finishing second in the overall standings. This caught the attention of the NASCAR world and JGR, who wasted no time in promoting him to the Xfinity Series for the 2022 season.
In his rookie Xfinity season, Gibbs faced tough competition from experienced drivers such as Austin Cindric and Justin Allgaier, but he proved to be a quick learner. He earned his first series win at the Charlotte Motor Speedway, and followed it up with another win at Texas Motor Speedway. However, it was his dominant performance at Phoenix in the season finale that truly showcased his potential, as he not only won the race but also clinched the series championship.
Gibbs’ impressive performances in the Xfinity Series caught the eye of JGR, who decided to promote him to a full-time Cup Series ride for the 2023 season, making him the youngest driver in the team’s history to do so. This move was met with mixed reactions from the NASCAR community, with some questioning if Gibbs was ready for the top level of stock car racing. However, Harvick, who has been competing in the Cup Series for over 20 years, saw something special in Gibbs.
Harvick, who has a long-standing rivalry with JGR and its drivers, has never shied away from speaking his mind. But when it comes to Gibbs, he has always been nothing but supportive. Despite being a fierce competitor on the track, Harvick has always been a mentor to young drivers, and Gibbs is no exception. He has taken Gibbs under his wing and has been a guiding force for the young driver, providing him with valuable advice and support.
Gibbs’ Cup Series debut at the Daytona 500 in 2023 was met with high expectations, but the young driver failed to live up to them. He finished 38th after being involved in a multi-car crash, and it was a tough start to his Cup Series career. However, Harvick was quick to offer words of encouragement and reminded Gibbs that every driver goes through a learning curve in their rookie season.
Over the next four seasons, Gibbs showed flashes of brilliance but failed to secure a win. Despite this, Harvick remained a strong supporter of the young driver, believing that his time would come. In the 2022 season, Gibbs showed improvement, earning his first Cup Series pole at the Talladega Superspeedway and leading 11 laps before ultimately finishing 14th. However, it was Phoenix that proved to be the highlight of his season, where he finished third, his best Cup Series finish to date.
As Gibbs enters his fifth season in the Cup Series, all eyes are on him to see if he can finally break his winless streak. Harvick, who will be competing in his final season before retirement, believes that Gibbs has what it takes to become a Cup Series race winner. He has seen the young driver’s growth and potential and continues to mentor and support him, even though they are fierce competitors on the track.
In a recent interview, Harvick said, “I have no doubt that Ty Gibbs will win races and championships in the Cup Series. He has the talent, the drive, and the support of a top team like JGR. It’s only a matter of time before he breaks through and adds his name to the list of Cup Series winners.”
Gibbs, who has often been compared to fellow JGR driver Kyle Busch, has a bright future ahead of him. With the support and guidance of experienced drivers like Harvick, he is well on his way to becoming a successful Cup Series driver. And when he does finally secure that elusive first win, it will be
