It’s been a quiet rookie season for Ty Gibbs in the NASCAR Cup Series.
With 23 races in the books, the 20-year-old driver has an average finish of 18.2 in his No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota and leads the rookie-of-the-year standings.
While his results haven’t been all that flashy, Gibbs has been turning up the consistency since recording his first top-five finish in NASCAR’s premier series three weeks ago at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway.
Following his fifth-place result at the HighPoint.com 400 — which was his sixth top-10 effort of the season — Gibbs has finished 15th and 11th in the last two races, pushing him above the playoff cutline.
As he hovers above the cut, Gibbs is a mere three points ahead of 16-year Cup Series veteran Michael McDowell, who is anxious to clinch his first playoff berth since 2021. In order to maintain his position (16th) in the standings, Gibbs is focused on tempering his mistakes over the next three races, before the playoff field is officially set.
“I think for me and team, we just have to execute every week. We didn’t really good last week, or I didn’t really do good last week, and we gained a bunch of points still. I’ve just got to do better than that, and I think we will have a better shot,” Gibbs noted.
While it would obviously be ideal for Gibbs to follow his veteran teammates — Martin Truex Jr. and Denny Hamlin — into the playoffs, the young gun has been hyper-focused on the learning process at each and every race.
“First of all, it’s a rookie season. That’s what everybody has been telling me. It’s alright — just do the best you can,” Gibbs said.
“For me, I feel like I go into each race the same — just try to complete the mission and do the best I can and do the best I can with my car,” Gibbs said.
Considering the fact that his average finish was 22.9 when he raced part-time in the Cup Series as a replacement for the injured Kurt Busch last year, Gibbs’ growth is difficult to deny.
But for the reigning Xfinity Series champion, the transition to the Cup Series has had its challenges.
“It’s a mental game. Racing is really, really hard. Cup is really, really hard, and I think the Xfinity to Cup jump is three times as hard as it has ever been. You have a whole different car and track position means more than anything,” Gibbs said.
His rookie season has been one full of lessons, which have impacted more than his on-track results.
With his Xfinity Series title coming on the heels of several controversial moments — including when he bumped teammate Brandon Jones out of the way and out of a playoff position at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway last October — a mostly-quiet Cup Series campaign is a sign of progress.
TRD President David Wilson praised Gibbs for his maturity, both on and off the track.
“Ty (Gibbs) has learned a lot and I hope that’s appreciated,” Wilson said. “The on-track stuff, we always knew he was going to be just fine. I think his level of progression this year has been terrific. It’s certainly met our expectation and it would not surprise me if he has a win in him before we’re done this season.”
Gibbs will join his Cup Series peers for practice and qualifying at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course on Saturday morning.