NASCAR: The big announcement we are all still waiting for

Last Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race left us all wondering when the inevitable announcement for which we are all waiting will finally arrive.

We have seen plenty of news come out lately regarding Joe Gibbs Racing and their plans for the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series season, but there is one announcement, which has become more of an “elephant in the room”, for which we are all still waiting.

It has been confirmed that Daniel Hemric, who pilots the #18 Toyota, is set to move to Kaulig Racing to replace the Cup Series-bound Justin Haley behind the wheel of the #11 Chevrolet.

It has been confirmed that Harrison Burton, who drives the #20 Toyota, is set to move to the Cup Series and replace Matt DiBenedetto behind the wheel of the #21 Ford at Wood Brothers Racing,

And it has been confirmed that Brandon Jones, who drives the #19 Toyota, is set to return to his seat next year.

Other confirmations include the fact that Kyle Busch, who generally runs as many races as he is allowed to in the “star car” (#54 Toyota), will not be back, as he has retired from Xfinity Series competition after reaching a triple-digit career win total earlier this year.

While not confirmed, it is heavily speculated that the team will run just three cars, including the “star car” (whatever number that ends up being), as opposed to four next year. But even this anticipated downsize for 2022 leaves them in need of a second full-time driver.

And we all know who is going to be announced as that second full-time driver — at some point.

So when will Ty Gibbs be confirmed as the driver of the #18 Toyota or #20 Toyota (or even the #54 Toyota) for 2022?

It’s obvious that this is the direction in which the team are headed for 2022. Gibbs made his Xfinity Series debut at the Daytona International Speedway road course back in February and won. Since then, he has added three more victories, including one in this past Saturday’s playoff race at Kansas Speedway.

Gibbs has still never made a Truck Series start in his career, but if the plan were for him to compete in the Truck Series with Toyota and Kyle Busch Motorsports before landing a full-time Xfinity Series gig with his grandfather’s team, that probably would have happened by now.

Despite competing in only 17 of the season’s 31 races as a part-time driver of the #54 Toyota this year so far, he has launched himself up to 13th place in the standings, the highest possible position for a non-playoff driver. He has been there since the regular season ended, despite the fact that he has competed in only three of the first five playoff races.

The only two drivers with more wins than Gibbs (aside from Busch, who went five for five) are the two drivers tied for the points lead with one race remaining in the round of 8: Team Penske’s Austin Cindric and Kaulig Racing’s A.J. Allmendinger. Cindric’s average finish of 8.6 is the only average finish, among full-time drivers, which is better than Gibbs’s (9.0).

Also at Kansas Speedway on Saturday, Gibbs clinched the 2021 ARCA Menards Series championship with a runner-up finish. He ended the season with 10 wins in 20 races and just one finish outside of the top four. Aside from that lone poor result (27th place due to a crash at Talladega Superspeedway), his average finish was 1.74. Even with it, it was 3.00.

Gibbs already has Interstate Batteries confirmed as a primary sponsor for three Xfinity Series races next year. So it really is only a matter of time before official word comes from Joe Gibbs Racing regarding his commitment to the team.