Ty Gibbs perhaps faces the most animosity among the quartet of Joe Gibbs Racing Cup drivers. The perception stems not just from nepotism (him being the grandson of Joe Gibbs) but also because, despite being in the Cup series for over two seasons, Gibbs has yet to secure a victory. Such underperformance, coupled with his privileged entry into the series, has placed him in the crosshairs of fan criticism. Despite this, Gibbs believes he is misunderstood and remains largely unfazed by public scrutiny.
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In a candid discussion with Racer, the #54 JGR driver expressed, “I think if they got to know me on a different level than what I seem like on the outside, I think they’d all think I’m pretty cool. But I don’t really care about how I make them feel.”
“It’s just their perspective and their perception of me. That’s their deal because they can think however they want to think because they’re Americans, and we all have freedom of speech and thought.”
Despite occasional impressions to the contrary, Gibbs maintains that he is genuinely a cool person.
Meanwhile, regarding his on-track performance, according to recent statistics, he has only been able to bag two top-30 finishes in his last eight races and just seven top-10 finishes in his previous 33 outings.
This season has continued the trend, beginning with a P16 place finish at the Daytona 500, followed by P32 at Atlanta, and a disappointing P34 after an accident in the first road course race of the season at COTA.
Gibbs expects to win his first Cup Series race
Last year, Ty Gibbs came close to victory on several occasions, securing second place at Darlington and third at Phoenix, COTA, Chicago, and Michigan. These performances had fans speculating that his maiden win was coming. However, despite a series of discouraging recent results, he remains optimistic about the capabilities of his #54 team.
He expressed confidence, stating, “I think we are very capable of breaking through. We were last year, and we just missed it. We’re going to go at it full force. I’ve got so much good stuff going on for me, and I always have.”
“I hope I can just do the best that I can and win, and be a good example for people and just make the sport better. I think anytime I get in the Cup car, I have a shot to win.”
The #54 team has welcomed a new crew chief, Tyler Allen, and implemented several strategic adjustments that Gibbs believes will prove advantageous. Amid his recent struggles, Gibbs is ready for his 91st start this weekend at Phoenix, and history suggests a breakthrough might be near.
Since the 2011 Southern 500, 26% of all first-time Cup Series winners (7 out of 27) have achieved their first victory between their 92nd and 105th starts, with Harrison Burton being the most recent example, winning his first race at Daytona in his 98th start last year.
