Joe Gibbs Grandson’s Greed Cost Him His Maiden Cup Series Win as Veterans Show Him How It’s Done

Joe Gibbs Racing’s Cup squad is a dynamite mix of greenhorns, vets, and drivers in their prime. The young guns sure know how to keep things exciting on the track, but old hands like Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr keep schooling everyone on how it’s really done. Bristol’s showdown was a classic example. Even though all four JGR wheelmen, including Christopher Bell and Ty Gibbs, had rockets for cars, it turned out to be the seasoned pros who really shined when things got tricky. And, according to savvy analysts, it was Ty Gibbs and Christopher Bell‘s overeagerness in the final laps that saw them lose their grip on the top spots.

Joe Gibbs drivers, Ty Gibbs, and Christopher Bell were right on the cusp of cracking the top 5

Ty Gibbs has been on an upward trajectory, improving with every race. Crowned the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year, he’s on the verge of clinching his first big win. This time last year, he was basking in a hot streak of four consecutive top-10 finishes. As 2023 wound down, he started snagging spots in the top 5. Now, Gibbs has hit the ground running in 2024, logging finishes of 17th, 10th, 5th, and 3rd in the first month alone. He’s been showcasing his skills across different tracks, not to mention his blazing qualifying speed.

Christopher Bell, on the flip side, has already made his mark by taking the checkered flag in Phoenix with the short track package on an intermediate track. Both Bell and Gibbs could’ve easily been nipping at the heels of Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr, who bagged the top two spots at Bristol. But, despite starting strong in 8th and 12th place, the pair let their ambition get the best of them. Opting for pit stops in the crunch time when they really didn’t need to, ended up costing them dearly.

Larry McReynolds chimed in on the situation, saying, “I think they got a little greedy at the end. They had to make their green flag pit stop a little earlier than Denny and Martin. And I think they just used their stuff up. Still finished in the top 10, 9th and 10th.”

As the second stage was winding down, Gibbs was hot on Joey Logano’s tail, duking it out with Christopher Bell and Martin Truex Jr for the top spots. Right then, Gibbs pushed Kyle Larson’s Camry ahead to take the lead, just in time to bag the second-stage win. Not only did this mark his first Cup stage victory, but he also added another feather to his cap before the stage was over.

Throughout the race, Gibbs was right up there with Denny Hamlin, the eventual winner, vying for the lead, but ultimately, it came down to who had the better handle on their tires. Gibbs, along with teammates Bell and Truex Jr, found themselves in a tight race, with Truex Jr giving Hamlin a run for his money when it counted. In the end, Gibbs, in his Toyota, crossed the finish line in 9th place, a result that left him wanting more.

And Gibbs didn’t hold back in expressing how he felt about it all.

#54 shared his disappointment with the press

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After making it through the first couple of races at superspeedways, Gibbs has really stepped up his game. He started P8 in Las Vegas and nabbed a top-five finish. Then, he shone in Phoenix, leading over 50 laps and securing a spot on the front row, which led to his best finish of P3.

Despite some hiccups in practice at Bristol, Ty charged through the pack during the race. He dominated both stages, led for 137 laps, and was on the fast track to his first Cup victory. But then, a weird tire issue threw a wrench in his plans. The former Xfinity champ was visibly upset, opening up to Bob Pockrass about it. “We were just two laps late coming in. When we had that tire come apart, I think I was like four laps down at one point. Just frustrating but you have to work for it here.”

Read More: Despite Recent Domination, Joe Gibbs Had His Heart in the Mouth After JGR’s Wonky Start to the Season

Gibbs is fairly on the brink of breaking through for that first win, and if he manages to win it at COTA this weekend, it would notch a third straight win for his granddad. Considering four of Gibbs’s 12 Xfinity Series victories were on road courses, he’s got a good shot.