NASCAR: 5 playoff drivers who have no need to panic
By Asher Fair
NASCAR drivers who don’t need to panic: No. 3 – Ty Gibbs
Let’s shift over to NASCAR Xfinity Series playoff drivers from a year ago who are now competing in the Cup Series full-time, and we’ll start with Ty Gibbs.
Gibbs replaced Kyle Busch at Joe Gibbs Racing, albeit behind the wheel of the No. 54 Toyota and not the No. 18 Toyota.
After making big waves in the Xfinity Series, both good and bad, he has been relatively quiet in the Cup Series to start his rookie season, just as he was in 2022 as the replacement for the injured Kurt Busch at 23XI Racing.
Gibbs is currently the first driver below the playoff cut line, having recorded finishes of 25th and 16th place to open up the year. He should only get better as the year goes on.
His 15-race stint with 23XI Racing was nothing to write home about last year, but it was an unexpected stint in a car he had never driven, all while his main focus remained on winning the Xfinity Series championship.
Now he is more experienced and is competing in the Cup Series on a weekly basis, and he can focus solely on that. Sooner rather than later, he should be a factor at the front. Will it be enough to get him into the playoffs as a rookie?