Did Ty Gibbs just prove his doubters wrong with his best performance in months?

For much of his brief NASCAR Cup Series career, Ty Gibbs has been judged more by his last name than his results. On Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway, though, the 23-year-old showed exactly why he belongs.

Running third in the closing laps of the YellaWood 500, Gibbs pushed his teammate Chase Briscoe to victory instead of going for the win himself. The move helped Joe Gibbs Racing secure its second consecutive Round of 8 victory and another guaranteed Championship 4 spot.

On the final restart, Briscoe was battling Todd Gilliland and Bubba Wallace in a frantic overtime dash. Instead of going for his first-ever Cup win, Gibbs stayed glued to Briscoe’s rear bumper, pushing him clear of the chaos on the backstretch and to the finish line.

Briscoe went past the checkered flag 0.145 seconds ahead of Gilliland as Gibbs came home third, his best finish since July. After the race, Briscoe was quick to credit his teammate for the assist.

“Ty Gibbs, just an incredible teammate there,” Briscoe told NASCAR while climbing out of his car. “I honestly would not have won that race without Ty. It was an amazing team effort. I can’t believe I won a superspeedway race. I’ve never done it at any level.”

For Ty Gibbs, it was a defining afternoon in a season filled with growing pains. Now, 121 Cup Series starts into his career, the 2022 Xfinity Series champion is still searching for his first victory.

His only major highlight of 2025 came earlier this year, when he clinched the In-Season Tournament title. However, until Sunday, critics and fans alike had been louder about his perceived advantages than his results, often labeling him a “nepotism driver” because of his family ties to team owner Joe Gibbs.

That criticism grew stronger after a tense postseason clash at New Hampshire. Battling for position, Gibbs made contact with teammate Denny Hamlin while running just outside the top 10. The incident ended the #54 driver's race and briefly disrupted Hamlin’s race. The veteran later questioned the run-in, which added fuel to questions about team discipline and Gibbs’ maturity.

But Talladega offered a different look. Ty Gibbs’ move paid off for Joe Gibbs Racing, who now have two cars already locked into the Championship 4. For Gibbs, it was his first top-five finish in 13 races and fifth overall this season.

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Joe Gibbs praises grandson Ty Gibbs after strong Talladega finish: "Proud of Ty"

Ty Gibbs (54) talks with his grandfather, Joe Gibbs, at the Brickyard 400. Source: Imagn

Joe Gibbs Racing’s momentum couldn’t look much stronger heading into the season finale. They have won five of the eight playoff races, sweeping the Round of 16, and are now on the verge of sweeping the Round of 8.

Denny Hamlin opened the round with a win at Las Vegas. Chase Briscoe followed at Talladega. Christopher Bell has seven straight top-10 finishes and sits 37 points above the elimination line.

For Ty Gibbs, that dominance has been challenging. While Hamlin has six wins, Briscoe three, and Bell four, the No. 54 car has struggled to match that form. That’s why Sunday’s race mattered more than just a top-three finish. Speaking after the race in the press conference, team owner Joe Gibbs reflected on what the day meant:

“It’s such a competitive world. I’m kind of used to it in football, but over here we got four teams, and the challenge is always trying to get them to work together... Each driver’s got their own career, their own sponsor, and it becomes extremely competitive. So, sometimes you wind up with issues like that and the bottom line is we're pretty good here… Certainly was proud of Ty today pushing Chase. That was great.” (8:05 onwards)

With two races left - Martinsville and Phoenix - Ty Gibbs will likely finish his third full-time Cup season still chasing that first win. Yet for the first time in a while, it doesn’t feel like a step backward. With two JGR cars already in the Championship 4 and Bell positioned to join them, Gibbs’ effort at Talladega showed that even without the trophy, he’s contributing to the bigger picture.

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Edited by Riddhiman Sarkar