Ty Gibbs, a family affair

We left Ty Gibbs the day after his Xfinity Series title marked by the painful disappearance of his father Coy the night following his coronation. The young Champion, barely 20 years old, then preferred to give up participating in the Cup Series final in Phoenix.

Ty Gibbs surrounded by his grandfather Joe and his father Coy who tragically passed away the night after his son's coronation © Meg Oliphant/Getty Images

Sacré en seconde division, il ne faisait aucun doute que Ty serait promu en division reine, mais il restait encore à en connaitre les conditions. Chez Toyota, c’était une certitude au regard des liens noués par la famille Gibbs avec le constructeur japonais. Chez Joe Gibbs Racing, c’était devenu une évidence, les deux baquets disponibles dans l’écurie satellite 23XI Racing étant attribués à Tyler Reddick et Bubba Wallace. 

In 2023, Ty Gibbs will drive a Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry bearing the number... 54! And that’s the only surprise since the team is giving up the number 18 previously worn by Kyle Busch. The man and his crest were certainly too inseparable, and the 54 used by Ty this season in Xfinity was available. He will be accompanied by his team leader Chris Gayle who is also promoted to the Cup Series in recognition of his loyal service.

Ty Gibbs keeps his number 54 © Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

In the end, it is a fair reward for a gifted and hard-working driver who talentedly replaced Kurt Busch at 23XI Racing this season, scoring his first Top 10 at Michigan. His aggressiveness on the track which earned him a few whistles during the last rounds should allow him to integrate without complexes into the rich Joe Gibbs squad which already has some strong characters with Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr. and Christopher Bell.

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