Ty Gibbs has proven no indicators of a “sophomore hunch” in his NASCAR Cup profession and actually appears to be like nearer than ever to incomes his first win, even perhaps this weekend at Charlotte.
Gibbs, the 21-year-old grandson of Joe Gibbs Racing proprietor Joe Gibbs, burst onto the NASCAR scene with nice fanfare – successful in his Xfinity Sequence debut race in 2021 and following that up with seven wins and a championship in 2022.
His first full-time Cup season final 12 months wasn’t fairly as flashy, however nonetheless stable for a rookie. He completed 18th within the sequence standings behind 4 top-five and 10 top-10 finishes.
Heading into this weekend’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Gibbs and his No. 54 Toyota staff are far forward of the place he was a 12 months go and inching ever near that inaugural sequence win.
Ty Gibbs, Joe Gibbs Racing, Monster Power Toyota Camry.
Photograph by: Danny Hansen / NKP / Motorsport Pictures
“I feel it’s nearly extra expertise,” Gibbs stated of his enchancment from final season. “My staff has extra expertise with this (new Toyota) and with me and the way I like my automotive set-ups for this Subsequent Gen automotive. I feel they’ve finished a terrific job and it’s slowly getting higher.
“I feel we undoubtedly have been extra in competition this 12 months after which I really feel like I’m undoubtedly near successful, for certain. That’s the most important factor, is the expertise.”
Gibbs’ crew chief, Chris Gayle, agrees.
“I feel possibly Ty is a bit more relaxed simply because he simply is aware of the routine and has acquired a full 12 months with us underneath his belt, so there’s a familiarity,” he stated. “There’s somewhat bit extra confidence in understanding he can do it, and I feel that builds on itself from this 12 months, proper?
“Like we each time we go run second or third or knock on the door proper there. He’s like, ‘OK, I belong right here. I do know I can do that.’ We simply acquired to execute, you recognize?”
Via 13 races, Gibbs has already matched his top-five finishes from all final season and has seven top-10 finishes. He’s additionally led 235 laps to this point – greater than twice as many from final season (112).
Heading to Sunday night time’s race, Gibbs is seventh within the sequence standings, 96 behind chief Kyle Larson. That places him in prime place for a playoff berth no matter a win, however the victory remains to be the principle goal.
Previous to final weekend’s All-Star Race weekend, Gayle stated he and the No. 54 staff did somewhat “self-evaluation” of the primary a part of their season and got here away very glad.
“We have been we have been proper on tempo to some requirements we set initially of the season,” Gayle stated. “We seemed on the different three JGR vehicles (Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr. and Christopher Bell) and in contrast the place are these guys actually working.
“These are guys with extra expertise, however they’re the place we all know we wish to be. You understand, we have to get to 75 or 80-percent of the place they’re in Yr 2.”
Closing in on first Cup win
Gayle stated Gibbs and the No. 54 have been on tempo to match or exceed practically all of the requirements they set for themselves outdoors of a few exceptions.
“We haven’t acquired the win but, proper? And there’s nonetheless 12 extra races to try this (within the common season),” Gayle stated. “We haven’t acquired a pole regardless that now we have began second twice.
“Then there have been some markers with just a few driver stuff that he’s doing, like on pit street, like rolling instances and issues like that have been just a bit off. In any other case, I’d say it’s going to plan, so we’ll see.”
Requested if he felt Charlotte was an excellent alternative to choose up his first win, Gibbs stated, “I feel our staff is doing a terrific job. We’re slowly getting higher and I’m getting higher, as effectively.
“We’re going to give it our greatest shot.
