NASCAR: 5 drivers who could earn their first playoff spot
By Asher Fair
Drivers who could steal their first playoff spots: No. 2 – Ty Gibbs
Ty Gibbs wasn’t all that impressive in his 15 starts at 23XI Racing as the replacement for Kurt Busch, who did not make another start in 2022 after suffering a head injury during a qualifying crash at Pocono Raceway.
In those 15 races, he recorded a top finish of 10th place, and his average finish was 22.9. He didn’t get to compete in the season finale at Phoenix Raceway following the unexpected passing of his father, Coy, the night before — the same night he won the Xfinity Series title.
To compare, Gibbs and teammate Bubba Wallace competed in 14 races together, and Wallace, who himself has faced criticism for underperforming since joining 23XI Racing, still managed to post seven top nine finishes, including four top five efforts and a win, during that span.
But now Gibbs is a full-fledged Cup Series driver with a powerhouse team in Joe Gibbs Racing, and it is evident that the team plan to build their future around him after naming him Kyle Busch’s replacement.
There is little doubt that he will have far more success in his Cup Series starts this year. The question is whether or not he will win and/or do enough to solidify himself a spot in the playoffs as a rookie.