NASCAR: 3 potenial landing spots for Ty Gibbs in 2023

3 potential landing spots for Ty Gibbs: No. 1 – #54 Toyota (Xfinity, full-time)

When Joe Gibbs Racing made clear that their plan for Ty Gibbs was to run two full seasons in the NASCAR Xfinity Series first before a full-time promotion to the Cup Series, they were likely under the impression that Kyle Busch was going to be back for at least one more season behind the wheel of the #18 Toyota.

Even with the impending departure of longtime primary sponsor M&M’s, it looked as though Busch was going to be back for a 16th season with the organization in 2023, though a once promising sponsorship development ultimately fell through.

That being said, there was uncertainty at the time about Martin Truex Jr.’s future, as he had hinted that retirement was a possibility following the 2022 season.

So there was always a chance that there was going to be at least one open seat at Joe Gibbs Racing in 2023, and yet the plan still seemed to be to keep Ty in the Xfinity Series for another full season to avoid rushing him to the sport’s top level.

Truex is set to return in 2023, but his future remains uncertain beyond that. Could Joe Gibbs Racing allow Ty to develop in the Xfinity Series for another full season before potentially replacing Truex with him in 2024?