JOLIET, Sick. — Ty Gibbs believes he can win the NASCAR Cup Collection championship. And midway by the 2026 marketing campaign, he’s giving others a cause to imagine, too.
The fourth-year, second-generation driver enters Chicagoland Speedway fourth within the factors standings after 18 of 26 regular-season races, with the 10-race Chase looming in September. Gibbs drove the No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota to his first profession win at Bristol Motor Speedway in March and has largely been a top-five mainstay within the factors standings since.
Commercial
MORE: |
With simply eight races left earlier than the postseason combat begins, the 23-year-old racer is assured this success is sustainable.
“I feel we’re simply a championship contender, actually,” Gibbs stated Friday at Chicagoland. “I’m very completely happy about that and simply received to stay to it and received to maintain working exhausting. We’ve not likely had any unhealthy weekends; we simply received wrecked out a bunch by some guys and myself, after which we nonetheless are within the place we’re in.”
Gibbs’ efficiency has significantly improved from previous seasons, already amassing seven high fives and 11 high 10s by 18 races. His 9.3 common begin is on monitor for a profession greatest, as is his 13.2 common end, a notable uptick from final 12 months’s 17.9 common.
Commercial
He factors to the make-up of his No. 54 group because the catalyst for this 12 months’s enchancment, notably as second-year crew chief Tyler Allen has settled into the position.
“It’s been nice working with nice folks the entire time, and the appropriate folks make a giant distinction, clearly,” Gibbs stated. “We examine final 12 months to this 12 months, we see a lot of a distinction. And getting extra expertise is de facto useful as properly. I like the folks round me. It’s been a lot enjoyable this 12 months. It’s been such a pleasure to drive the automotive and simply working with nice folks.”
RELATED:
Ty Gibbs drives at Chicagoland in NASCAR Cup Collection follow.
Gibbs was left with combined feelings after final weekend’s race at Sonoma Raceway, the place he completed third after main 31 of 110 laps and sweeping each levels on the Californian street course. He was admittedly dissatisfied the group’s technique didn’t permit him to chase the race win, however Gibbs left the day with a becoming and spectacular 54 factors earned, his most since incomes 59 factors in his and bumping him one spot increased within the factors standings.
Commercial
“I imply it’s a terrific factors day, proper?” Gibbs stated. “And being within the high 5 is tremendous vital going into the playoffs, and so I feel it simply is what it’s, and typically that’s how it’s. … I’d quite win a championship than a road-course race. I’ll depart it to the group to make that call.”
Gibbs was fifth-fastest in , marking his inaugural laps across the 1.5-mile tri-oval. The Cup Collection makes its return to competitors at Chicagoland for the primary time since 2019 on Sunday at 6 p.m. ET (TNT Sports activities, truTV, HBO Max, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
