The Indianapolis weekend was certainly a triumphant one for the #54 Toyota Camry driver, marked by his splendid victory in the Xfinity Series on the road course. It also marked his inaugural triumph in the 2023 Xfinity Series season on this distinguished 2.439-mile stretch.
Even though this wasn’t the first win of his career, his actions after the race, meant to be a celebration, made it look like one. This caused a lot of anger in the NASCAR community. The outrage of NASCAR followers was evident, as they publicly shamed him for his “self-centered” antics.
Ty Gibbs’s dramatic victory lap raises concerns
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Joe Gibbs’s grandson seized the vanguard after a pivotal restart, leading the majority of the concluding 16 laps of the 62-lap contest. With AJ Allmendinger flanking him, he clinched his maiden triumph on the Indianapolis road course, finishing a substantial 8 seconds ahead of Sam Mayer.
As per thecheckeredflag.co.uk, during his post-race interview, an exhilarated Gibbs reminisced, “It’s really cool. I raced go-karts right down the street with a bunch of kids; some of them are in IndyCar now. We’re all adjusting to this level, so really special.”
Yet, it wasn’t merely the race’s outcome that captivated the audience, but the post-victory jubilation of Gibbs—a dramatic and smoky victory circle using his car. While visually arresting, the smoke-laden spectacle was laced with peril. Given the incoming vehicles, this could have easily spelled disaster and eventually did not sit well with the long-time followers of the sport.
Fans usually bask in the glory of their cherished drivers’ victories. However, when Ty Gibbs clinched his twelfth Xfinity Series win at Indianapolis, his jubilation became a foggy barrier for his peers who were just looking to get to their respective garages. It didn’t come as a surprise that several voices tinged with concern and criticism were raised.
A smoke show from @TyGibbs. 😤 pic.twitter.com/Tm1Ua3Bl8T
— NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) August 13, 2023
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NASCAR followers call out “ridiculous” celebration by the Joe Gibbs Racing driver
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Many deemed his post-victory display dangerous, while others labeled him as “self-centered.” It’s unequivocal—the enthusiastic fans weren’t taken by his post-win celebration. Here are some of the reactions of NASCAR fans:
“He should be penalized for doing a burnout when cars are still on the track! Ridiculous”
“It doesn’t matter who it is. It’s still dangerous lmfao”
“It’s as if he’d never won before.”
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“On a live race track, so self centered.”
— ChocolateMilkNNerdyツ (@TerryC_6) August 13, 2023
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An observer put it quite well when they said that neither his first win nor his eventual triumph justified such a risky move. What’s your take on Gibbs’ victory revelry? Is such a celebration justified at the risk of fellow racers on the track?
Read More: NASCAR World Shockingly Elated Over SVG Fearlessly Declaring War Against Joe Gibbs & Co.