“Just evil,” remarked Ty Gibbs as the Straight Talk Wireless 400. Let’s be real. Things have not turned out as Coach Gibbs and the rest of the team imagined when they brought the 2022 Xfinity Series Champion on. After finishing 15th in the Cup Series in his second season, expectations for 2025. After all,  Joe Gibbs is a name that echoes through motorsports and football alike. In 33 years, he’s driven Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) to five NASCAR Cup Series championships—2002 and 2005 with Tony Stewart, 2015 and 2019 with Kyle Busch, and 2000 with Bobby Labonte—amassing over 200 wins since 1992 with stars like Christopher Bell and Denny Hamlin.

The heat’s on, and it’s relentless. Pressure is mounting for Joe Gibbs as grandson Ty Gibbs struggles to maintain the NASCAR legacy. The Gibbs name carries weight, and Ty’s not lifting it. Joe’s empire, once unstoppable, feels the strain and the stats aren’t backing Ty’s case further.

Critics and fans are piling on. Joe Gibbs has opened the floodgates despite his grandson failing on his debut attempt. Ty’s been seen as the weakest link in the JGR and is now being considered as a racer only with a pedigree for Xfinity. Then there’s the tweet that paints the ugly picture: “This is becoming a problem for @TyGibbs. Homestead: 25, Las Vegas: 22, Phoenix: 25, COTA: 34, Atlanta: 32, Daytona: 16, Phoenix: 40, Martinsville: 32, Homestead: 36, Las Vegas: 30, Roval: 35. Avg finish L11 races: 29.7.” That 29.7 average over 11 races is a slap in the face to Joe’s winning history.” 

If we go back to 2024, the driver has finished has finished 25th or worse in eight of his last nine races going all the way back to October. His best finish came at Daytona earlier this year at 16th place, but is it all Ty Gibbs’ fault? His 2025 season came with a few different problems for Joe Gibbs Racing. Most notably, Chris Gabehart’s promotion meant Chris Gayle, Gibbs’ old crew chief was moved to Denny Hamlin’s team. And it’s not just him. Gibbs has a new front mechanic, a new rear mechanic and two engineers, that his new crew chief, Tyler Allen described as relatively inexperienced.

Is Gibbs ready to give up? Apparently not. As Tyler Allen explained, “He’s a fierce competitor and wants to win just like me. But you know, the Cup Series is hard, and you’ve got to focus on all the details. So I think if you asked both of us, we feel like things are going to turn around. No negativity. Disappointed in the results, but we’re both ready to go have some good results.” 

Even Ty Gibbs’ mother joined the conversation. She explained, “You know, in this sport, you’re losing more than you’re winning. And it’s about being mentally tough. And being able to get back up every single time you get back down. And I think we have that. We made a bunch of changes in the offseason. So they’ve got some growing pains to learn, you know, what each other can do and support and lean on. We put Gabe Hart in the competition role to lead that group. And we believe, even without the results, you know, behind the scenes, there’s a lot of traction. And just a matter of, you know, let’s just get a couple good finishes under our belt. And let their confidence continue to build.” 

“I don’t want to say it’s easier to do, but it’s just — you’ve got a lot of resources there, and you’ve got a lot of teammates to lean on to do this. This is just part of it. I’m concerned, but I’m not mashing the panic button, screaming, ‘Oh my God, we’ve got to do something.’” advised Jordan Bianchi.

This isn’t just racing it’s a fight for the pride of his blood now. Joe’s not just the guy with five NASCAR titles and three Super Bowls; he’s a grandpa seeing Ty falter under his own banner. Every 25th-place finish dents 33 years of dominance. Will Ty step up, or will Joe face the crushing truth that his grandson can’t carry the torch? That’s the pain haunting a legend now.

Joe Gibbs’ Legacy Gets a New Spark With Teen Prodigy Max Reaves

Now, at 84, Gibbs is betting on a kid born in 2010—Max Reaves—to carry that legacy forward. It’s a move that’s got a new energy within the JGR shop, and we can’t help but wonder: could this 14-year-old be the future Joe’s been dreaming of?M ax isn’t just any teenager. He’s the grandson of Cook Out CEO Morris Reaves, a big NASCAR sponsor, and he’s already a champ, winning the Carolina Pro Late Model Series in 2024.

JGR signed him to a development deal, and he’ll drive the No. 18 Cook Out Toyota in the ARCA Menards Series East this year.“I’m speechless right now,” Reaves said following his debut win “I felt like Superman when I passed [Kole Raz for the lead] and passed lapped cars.” Max’s first win was at Five Flags Speedway on March 22, 2025. At 15 years, 2 months, and 15 days old, he’s the youngest winner in the series’ history, beating Cole Custer’s record.

Joe’s team isn’t taking chances. They’ve paired Max with 2000 Cup champ Bobby Labonte as a mentor. It’s a full-circle moment as Labonte won JGR’s first title, and now he’s guiding this kid who can’t even drive on the highway yet. Max will run nine more ARCA starts in 2025, a part-time gig to hone his skills. He’s years from the Cup Series, where JGR’s big guns like Denny Hamlin, Ty Gibbs, Chase Briscoe, and Christopher Bell battle it out. Bell finished fifth in 2024, while Hamlin faded to eighth.

This feels personal for Joe. After years of hard-won glory, he’s trusting a teenager to keep the fire alive. Will Max deliver? Gibbs is keeping track of every lap of the way.