Joe Gibbs Racing steerer Ty Gibbs steered his No. 54 Monster Energy Camry XSE to third place in a NASCAR Cup Series race on the streets of downtown Chicago, and the wild atmosphere of the event hasn’t dampened his excitement even days later.
“Man, it was crazy,” Gibbs, of Joe Gibbs Racing Shop, said Wednesday afternoon. “Chicago was a lot of fun. I loved that track. It was special, I loved it. My car was really fast. Everything was going well. It was changing throughout the race. It was wet, then it rained, then it dried. There was all sorts of stuff. And then one groove would dry out and dry out. There were changes all over the place, and it was fun to keep up with the track and experience the changes in the track. It was really fun. You don’t get that much of that on asphalt racing.”
The rough and rugged nature of Chicago’s street course made it even more fun for Gibbs. John Harrelson/Motorsport Images
Gibbs pulled double duty in Chicago, competing in Saturday’s Xfinity Series race and finishing third, and this strong run has Gibbs excited about the performance of both the Cup car and the Xfinity Series car his team has built for him.
“They’ve been great,” Gibbs said, “They’ve worked really hard to make sure I’m prepared right, which is really important and the team really worked at that and got me right in everything.”
Gibbs has enjoyed competing in both Cup and Xfinity events, emphasizing that the time he raced and the overall experience he gained were important to his development trajectory as a racer.
“I really like it because I can adapt very quickly and I get to spend a lot of time on the race track,” the 21-year-old explained. “Chicago was especially good because I was able to work at my own pace with everything. The track was very hard and difficult, dangerous and tricky. Racing both cars is fun and it helps a lot. I love it. It’s a lot of fun and you learn so much. So, I love Cup. That’s my main focus. Xfinity is fun to get back in the car and tinker with it.”
Currently sitting ninth in Cup regular season points and 14th in the playoff standings, Gibbs has been extremely competitive all year.
“I feel like a 21-year-old kid who managed to make it into the Cup Series because I’m racing against some of the best drivers in the world, so it’s cool to be able to race against these guys and it’s really fun to be competing for wins,” he said. “I’m really blessed and I’m just trying to stay humble and just do my best and keep working hard.”
Gibbs has also worked on taking advantage of what he’s given on race day.
“I think it’s about taking what you get each weekend and not focusing too much on bad weekends. I just want to relax, have fun and be grateful for what I can do,” he said. “I mean, we’re really blessed. I get to make a living doing what I love. It’s a great career. And the team is great. Of course, there’s a lot that goes into what we do. For us to go out and win games, there’s a lot of factors that go into it. We’ve come really close to winning, but once we win, we don’t have to worry about any of that stuff. That’s the biggest thing. We’re really strong. We’re just going to keep working hard and see what it brings. We’re just going to finish it.”
“I think experience is the most important thing in all of this,” Gibbs continued, “and I think it would be selfish to pick just one thing that I’m working on. Experience is so important, especially in the Cup Series. Spending time on the track and experiencing the changes in the course is so important. That’s what it’s all about. Getting more experience, getting older and getting wiser is what’s most important to me.”
In an incredibly competitive era of Cup racing, where gaining an advantage over the other 35 cars on the grid is a tougher task than ever, Gibbs is well aware of the challenge he faces.
“You just have to do the best you can,” he said. “Get the best sleep, eat right, train, stay in shape, mentally. It’s a tough situation, so that’s what it comes down to. I feel happy right now, and if I keep working hard and putting in the hours, eventually it will work out. That’s what I’ve learned and seen in my career. I just want to keep having fun and keep doing the right things.”
Before packing up for this weekend’s Pocono Raceway Cup race, Gibbs spoke about his recent experience climbing into an early 1970s McLaren M19A Formula 1 car. A huge fan of all things motorsport, Gibbs was excited about the opportunity.
“That was awesome,” Gibbs enthused. “It was fun to drive. I haven’t driven one in 40 years. It felt good. It felt a lot better than I thought it would. It felt pretty racy, to be honest. For a car that’s 40 years old to feel that good? That’s amazing.”
Ty Gibbs got the chance to get behind the wheel of a vintage F1 car today! pic.twitter.com/iV8t1VSgsL
— Joe Gibbs Racing (@JoeGibbsRacing) July 3, 2024
