NASCAR: 23XI Racing reveal original replacement driver
By Randy Smith
Kurt Busch’s recent injury led Ty Gibbs to make his NASCAR Cup Series debut for 23XI Racing. But he wasn’t the original replacement driver the team had in mind.
The NASCAR career of Ty Gibbs has been relatively short thus far, but it has produced one of the most successful starts in recent history.
The 19-year-old Charlotte, North Carolina native is in his second season in the Xfinity Series, and it is just his first full-time campaign. Still, with limited starts, the grandson of Joe Gibbs has become a name to watch every race.
The driver of the #54 Toyota has already grabbed five Xfinity Series wins in 2022, eclipsing his win total of four from last year. He currently sits third in the point standings and appears to be on his way to being a threat to win the championship at Phoenix Raceway this November.
Recently, Gibbs made his Cup Series debut behind the wheel of the #45 Toyota for 23XI Racing. Filling in for the injured Kurt Busch at Pocono Raceway, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, and Michigan International Speedway, Gibbs has finished each of his first three races inside the top 17, with his best finish being a 10th place finish at Michigan.
With a new car and new drivers to compete against, Gibbs has shown his versatility in both the Cup Series and the Xfinity Series.
But 23XI Racing co-owner Denny Hamlin admitted that Gibbs wasn’t the first driver the team had in mind to replace Busch.
When recently asked about this scenario on the Door Bumper Clear podcast, Hamlin explained that Kyle Busch Motorsports Truck Series driver John Hunter Nemechek was originally atop the list of drivers for 23XI Racing in the event that they needed to call upon a replacement.
Hamlin had the following to say:
"“We had planned for John Hunter in January. We had him fit in the car. We had his insert, how much he needs to be raised up, the pedals. We had all of our presets. Then, as this happens, I talked to Joe [Gibbs], tell him what’s going on. Then, obviously, the ‘should we put Ty in the car’ question comes up.”"
Nemechek competed in the Cup Series full-time during the 2020 season, driving the #38 Ford for Front Row Motorsports. He finished 27th in points and opted to return to the Truck Series, where he aligned himself with the Toyota Racing Development pipeline. With six Truck Series wins and one Xfinity Series win since re-joining TRD last year, the move has paid off.
For 23XI Racing, the team ended up with another young driver competing in their equipment, allowing them to receive more feedback. With Tyler Reddick set to join the organization in 2024, they’ll need as much input as possible to serve as a weekly competitor.
For Gibbs, he has gained valuable Cup Series experience, and with Kyle Busch’s contract situation still an unknown, this recent three-race stint may have served as his audition. Though stemming from misfortune, it has resulted in a win-win situation for 23XI Racing and Gibbs — and given the revelation from Hamlin, it almost never happened.