Tensions ran high for Joe Gibbs’ grandson at Watkins Glen. During a hot day at Watkins Glen International, a frustrated Gibbs vented over the radio about his car’s lack of rear grip, parking or shop exchange with his crew chief, and Joe Gibbs Racing competition director Chris Gabehart in the final stage. Things were looking great for Ty that afternoon as he bolstered his No. 54 car to 14th place during qualifying.
What followed was a mix of on-track battles, tire wear struggles, and a late pit gamble that didn’t pan out, culminating in Gibbs’ worst finish in months. The day at the Glen became yet another chapter in the 22-year-old’s season of high and lows and hard-earned lessons. And now, Chris Gabehart picks up the pieces after a troublesome day for the No. 54 team.
Chris Gabeheart swallows a bitter pill after Ty Gibbs’ failed pit strategy idea
A sweltering afternoon at Watkins Glen International turned even more heated over the radio of the No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing team during the final stage of Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race. With 34 laps remaining, Ty Gibbs was battling a lack of rear grip and didn’t hide his frustration. Gibbs radioed to his team, “We’re f—— right now, so we’ve got to do something different.” Chris Gabehart, Joe Gibbs Racing’s competition director and race strategist for the No. 54, wasn’t impressed with the tone of his driver’s comment.
He replied, saying, “Well, I’m sure you’ve got a real good understanding of that from inside the car. So you can call the strategy if you want, or we can keep rolling. But I’d do the best I could to go as fast as I can.” Gibbs responded with, “10-4!” The No. 54 team’s rollercoaster afternoon ended with a 33rd-place result, Gibbs’ worst finish since Circuit of the Americas in March and his third straight run outside the top 20. Gabehart, a veteran crew chief who guided Denny Hamlin to 22 wins between 2019 and 2024, the first year after shifting into his current role, called it another learning experience for the 22-year-old driver.
Chris Gabeheart didn’t mince words while delivering his analysis of Gibbs’ race. He said, “Yeah, I mean. Of course, it’s heated. It’s a hot day, and the driver’s working his b— off in there and doesn’t know the details of who’s on what for strategy. There was a caution that fell there early in Stage 2 that really split the field a lot of different ways. So for drivers, that’s always the most confusing time because they don’t know how to measure their car against whom and what’s the next play in the playbook. And on the pit box, you’re working to figure all that out as those cautions fall. There’s only so much prep work that you can do prior to when it happens.”
#NASCAR … JGR’s Chris Gabehart discusses the radio chatter with Ty Gibbs during Sunday’s race at Watkins Glen pic.twitter.com/NqMbOp3rWI
— Dustin Long (@dustinlong) August 10, 2025
Gibbs’ afternoon grew even more challenging when he had to battle back past Ryan Preece’s No. 60 car, only to almost immediately be forced to check up behind Alex Bowman due to a pass from Christopher Bell. That hesitation trapped him behind Bowman for multiple laps, hammering his rear tires just when grip was already fading. Gibbs found himself in a tough spot during this chaotic sequence. The pass and check-up combination wore Gibbs’ tires quicker and further compromised his handling on an already difficult road course.
The Joe Gibbs Racing competition director explained, “So he had to get checked up really bad and spent a lot of time trying to get around the 48. Finally cooked his stuff, was frustrated, and so yeah, I get that. This is a very difficult race to follow, even for the most experienced drivers. The strategy just changes so much, and Ty is still trying to work through some of these nuances. So that’s racing.”
The final pitstop came on lap 81 after Gibbs proposed his own plan. He said, “How about we just pit, then stay out when the caution comes out? If not, then we’re already back here, anyway.” Gabehart agreed, bringing the No. 54 in for four fresh tires, a gamble that failed to pay off without a caution. Gibbs’ 2025 season has been a mix of highs and lows. After the podium at Michigan, he logged three straight top 15s: 11th at Mexico City, 14th at Pocono, and 14th at EchoPark Speedway, followed by a strong top 10 streak with second in Chicago, seventh at Sonoma, and fifth at Dover. But the past three races have been a struggle, with two 21st-place finishes at Indianapolis and Iowa and Sunday’s 33rd at Watkins Glen.
For Gabehart, part of the job is keeping his driver grounded, especially in chaotic situations where the pit box has a clearer picture than the cockpit. And now, Gibbs will have to fight tooth and nail for the final playoff spot that Ryan Preece has his eye on heading to Richmond. The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series race heads to Richmond next, with its race event taking place on Saturday night instead of Sunday, and Ty Gibbs cannot hide his excitement for it.
Ty Gibbs is excited to head to Richmond
Ty Gibbs hails from Charlotte, North Carolina, just a few hours away from Richmond, Virginia, making the Cook Out 400 attachment raceway something of a homecoming. That regional proximity gives the 22-year-old driver and his team a boost of familiarity and motivation, with the short track oval feeling more like a neighboring battleground than a distant venue.
In an interview a few days ago, he said, “Yeah, I’ve been to Richmond a lot. I worked for up in kind of the Virginia area as well. So, my home state is Virginia, and I spent a lot of time there, so yeah. It’s kind of like on track for me a little bit. I spent a lot of time there as well. So yeah, pretty excited. Richmond’s pretty hard track so, but it’s really fun as well. So it’s always fun going there. It’s just a big weekend-long race, very important race that we’ll be a part of.”
Gibbs has shown promise at Richmond in his young career. In the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series race, he started eighth and finished 16th. He returned in August, improving his finish with a top 10 result, placing ninth. His outings have been so consistent, and his performance has improved compared to 2022, but he is still searching for that breakout moment, and hopefully, it comes in Virginia, a place where hometown pride and results align.
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