NASCAR: 3 possible landing spots for Ty Gibbs in 2022
By Asher Fair
While not confirmed by Joe Gibbs Racing, Ty Gibbs appears slated to compete full-time in the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series season. Assuming this does get confirmed, which car will he drive?
Ty Gibbs earned Rookie of the Year honors for the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2021, despite the fact that he competed in only 18 of the 33 races on the schedule.
With four wins behind the wheel of the #54 Toyota, he finished the season as the highest non-playoff driver in the standings, and had he been playoff eligible, he would have easily qualified for the postseason and been a championship contender.
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It hasn’t been confirmed, but it seems inevitable that Gibbs will compete full-time for his grandfather’s Xfinity Series team in 2022.
If and when that does get confirmed, what car number will Gibbs run next year?
Possible landing spots for Ty Gibbs: No. 1 – #18 Toyota
The most obvious option for Ty Gibbs as far as his car number is concerned is number 18. Daniel Hemric piloted the #18 Toyota this past season in his one and only season for the team, but he is set to move to Kaulig Racing to replace the Cup Series-bound Justin Haley behind the wheel of the #11 Toyota.
Despite not winning a race until the season finale, Hemric earned Joe Gibbs Racing their first Xfinity Series championship since Daniel Suarez won it in 2016. There is no doubt that Gibbs could put the #18 Toyota right back in championship contention.
Additionally, the number 18 is the first number that Joe Gibbs used back in 1992 for Dale Jarrett when he first entered his team in NASCAR. The opportunity to put his grandson behind the wheel of a car with that iconic number would seem to be a hard one to pass up.