Ahead of the Darlington race, Ty Gibbs had been going through a tough season, eagerly awaiting a sign of better days ahead. After a series of underwhelming finishes, Gibbs showed a hint of promise with a P13 finish at Martinsville. And now his performance at Darlington further fueled his optimism, cracking the top 10 for the first time this season. At the same juncture last year, Gibbs had already notched three top-5s and two top-10s, but this season has been a slower start.
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Starting from P11 at the Goodyear 400, Gibbs initially fell back, ending Stage 1 in P33. However, a series of cautions helped him climb to P7 by the end of Stage 2.
The dynamics shifted again during the Green Flag pit stops during Stage 3, ultimately allowing Gibbs to cross the finish line in P9, boosting his confidence for the remainder of the season.
Ty Gibbs, after his ninth finish at the Track too tough to tame, shared his renewed optimism in his post-race interview, stating, “It was nice for sure. I know we’ll get a lot more of them, but it’s really a good improvement. I am not too worried.”
Reflecting on the resilience his team displayed, Gibbs added, “My confidence is fine… We had a great run today, (we) struggled in the first half and came back. So, our team showed perseverance, and we’ll be up there soon.”
.@TyGibbs earns his first top 10 of the 2025 #NASCAR Cup Series season, and @ZaneSmith recaps his day after batting back from bad pit cycle to finish 13th.
: @PitLaneCPT & @soundlink_trent pic.twitter.com/BEbYxzeskz
— Frontstretch (@Frontstretch) April 7, 2025
Following the Goodyear 400 race at Darlington, Gibbs climbed to P26 in the standings. Looking ahead, he’s getting ready for Bristol Motor Speedway, a track where he finished P9 in last year’s spring race and P15 in the fall, aiming to build on his current momentum.
Denny Hamlin’s advice worked for Ty Gibbs?
Ty Gibbs, worried due to disappointing finishes, sought advice from his seasoned teammate, Denny Hamlin, before the Martinsville race.
The #11 JGR driver shared his wisdom, urging Gibbs to take incremental steps and steer clear of unnecessary risks, advising him not to get tangled in a three-wide middle unless absolutely necessary.
Hamlin further told him that around 30% of his competitors will eliminate themselves each week. So, for instance, if he is driving a 12th-place car, he could very well end up eighth just by keeping his nose clean and avoiding mistakes, as others ahead will likely falter. By heeding the guidance of the most experienced driver on his team, Gibbs showed progress, improving his performance in two successive races.
