In terms of battles, Joe Gibbs’ grandson just won one. Ty Gibbs was paired up with Ty Dillon for the last round of NASCAR’s In-Season Tournament. Although Dillon hogged most of the limelight due to his ‘Cinderella run’, Cup Series veterans knew it would be Gibbs with the million-dollar prize in the end. That is because of the youngster’s meticulous approach – something that a rival tasted first-hand three years ago.
Before Ty Gibbs began competing in the Cup Series, he was a rising phenom in Xfinity. In 2022, he clinched 7 victories en route to the championship. Yet his seemingly indomitable pace that season was impeded by a well-matched rival. And the latter cherished a specific race where they faced off.
When Joe Gibbs’ kin slipped up
Noah Gragson is presently in the doldrums under Front Row Motorsports. He is riding a 4-race streak of 30th or worse finishes, and boasts only 3 top tens and 1 top five this season. As if his racetrack woes were not enough, FRM is also in the middle of the NASCAR lawsuit and is currently racing as an open team. Although things look bleak right now, Gragson takes comfort in his past glory. A chunk of that was attained in a 2022 Xfinity Series race at Pocono Raceway. Gragson rolled off in 7th place and went on to win stage 2. But what stood out was his JR Motorsports team’s pit strategy, as a four-tire and gas stop with 38 laps to go helped Gragson immensely. It set him on par with Ty Gibbs. Joe Gibbs’ driver admittedly had a faster car and was on the lookout for his season’s 4th win.
In a recent interview with Clear 28 Agency, Noah Gragson labeled the 2022 Explore the Pocono Mountains 225 race. The FRM driver declared, “That was probably the best battle I’ve ever had. Pocono in 2022 was cool, holding off Ty Gibbs. That was a really special one just because I felt like he was probably the better car. But we battled, man, that was a battle.” Joe Gibbs’ kin caught the No. 9 Chevrolet numerous times that day at Pocono Raceway, including on the final lap entering the ‘Tunnel Turn’. However, Gragson was determined to make Ty Gibbs’ championship run difficult.
Until Noah Gragson crossed the finish line by a mere .281-seconds ahead of Ty Gibbs, he thought he would lose. Gragson reflected on Joe Gibbs’ grandson’s fierce charges: “We raced hard and we raced clean. We had some run-ins before that point, but that was kind of a big step, I think, for the both of us. I’m like, hey, we raced like pros today. And we put on a show. With 15 laps to go, he got to my back bumper, I was like, he’s gonna win this race…I’m gonna try and hold him off as long as I can…And I just air-blocked him and put him in bad positions. Didn’t wreck him, but we’d get on his door and loosen him up and be able to hold him off for another lap. One lap turns into two, into three.”
Noah Gragson is gleaning from this terrific battle to harness some luck for the present. Meanwhile, the FRM driver is also welcoming a unique NASCAR initiative.
Looking forward to a crossover
Remember when NASCAR headed to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for the first time? People scratched their heads at the anomaly, as a football field turned into a racetrack. Similarly, the sport is in reverse action in the upcoming weekend. Bristol Motor Speedway will host an MLB showdown, the 2025 MLB Speedway Classic. The 64-year-old track will watch an epic battle between the Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds. The Reds will serve as the home team, following a pair of games against the Braves in Cincinnati on July 31 and August 1. The first pitch is at 7:15 p.m. ET on FOX. And Noah Gragson has already picked out his favorite player, a shortstop for the Cincinnati Reds. “I like Elly De La Cruz, so I’ll be cheering him on. It’ll be cool.”
Overall, Noah Gragson is also excited about the NASCAR-MLB crossover. Such an event will help draw more eyes to both sports. He said, “I think it’s really cool that they’re doing that. It’s out of the ordinary. I remember when, who was it? Virginia Tech and Tennessee played. That was super cool how they’re able to transform the track.” Gragson added, “It’s just a different atmosphere, and I think it’s really cool, and I think people want to be a part of it… It’s definitely gonna be cool just being able to race there. Being a driver that’s raced there and won there, knowing what that place means to me.”
Evidently, Joe Gibbs’ kin’s old foe is gearing up for an active weekend. While he is thinking about Bristol, efforts for Darlington are underway as well. Let us wait and see if Noah Gragson can break his slumber soon.
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