NASCAR: The new ‘elephant in the room’ has become pretty obvious
By Randy Smith
With multiple seats open at Joe Gibbs Racing heading into the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series season, does Ty Gibbs even need an announcement?
The 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series season will see multiple drivers leave the series to start their careers in the Cup Series. 2020 Xfinity Series champion Austin Cindric and Justin Haley are set to leave their Team Penske and Kaulig Racing Xfinity Series teams, respectively, and join the Cup Series with the same organizations.
On the other hand, some Xfinity Series drivers have left their current rides for new opportunities at other teams, both in the Xfinity Series and in the Cup Series.
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Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Daniel Hemric and Harrison Burton will leave the team, with Hemric staying in the Xfinity Series to replace Haley at Kaulig Racing and Burton moving to the Cup Series to replace Matt DiBenedetto at Wood Brothers Racing.
So with all of the movement at Joe Gibbs Racing, does it really need to be announced that Ty Gibbs will join the Xfinity Series program?
On paper, there really isn’t anywhere else for Gibbs to go but his grandfather’s team, and Joe Gibbs does not run a Truck Series program.
Even if they did, it wouldn’t necessarily be where the 19-year-old would go. This season, in a part-time schedule behind the wheel of the #54 Toyota, Gibbs has lit the Xfinity Series season on fire.
After winning on debut at the Daytona International Speedway road course, the Charlotte, North Carolina native went on to win at his hometown race track of Charlotte Motor Speedway. From there, he grabbed another road course win, this time at Watkins Glen International.
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In a sport where some drivers can’t grab a single victory, Gibbs already has three competing part-time. With Hemric leaving, the #18 Toyota should be the considered the favorite seat for Gibbs to land his full-time ride for next season. The flagship number for Joe Gibbs Racing is the perfect number for him as he attempts to competes for his first Xfinity Series championship.