Ty Gibbs and Team Aim for Success: Eyeing a Turnaround in Las Vegas
As far back as October 2024, Gibbs has concluded in 25th place or lower in eight out of the last nine competitions, with seven of these finishes being even further down at 30th position or below.
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Chris Gabehart, who recently took up his role as the competition director at Joe Gibbs Racing, understands that everyone focuses solely on outcomes—be it now or far into the future. However, heading into this Sunday's race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (3:30 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN Radio, SiriusXM newsRadio), he notes a stark difference when comparing how things ended in late 2024 for the then-No. 54 squad (finishing positions were 35th, 30th, 36th, 32nd, and 40th) against what they have achieved so far with their updated lineup in early 2025 (completing races at 16th, 32nd, 34th, and 25th place).
It appears quite similar to last year, yet it has notable differences," Gabehart said during Friday’s technical inspection as reported by kor.news. "I only need to look back one week to Phoenix when they overlooked it. Ty faced difficulties; things weren't working well for them. But with just 15 laps remaining, he managed to be in 10th place. This wasn't something they would achieve half a year ago. Back then, they didn't possess the same level of determination. There was no chance they'd suddenly seize an opening and get into contention for a top-10 spot.
Ultimately, 'misfortune' struck once more. Their brake rotor gave out, and as a result, they couldn't complete the race. However, the crucial point is that they managed to reach the end of the day still having a chance to turn things around. This ability to recover is truly fundamental for any successful team.
In 2025, crew chief Tyler Allen assumed control of the No. 54 JGR Toyota following multiple organizational shifts within JGR during the off-season. The previous No. 54 crew chief, Chris Gayle, was reassigned to take over for Gabehart as the crew chief of Denny Hamlin’s No. 11 vehicle. Prior to his promotion, Allen had worked as an engineer under Adam Stevens from 2017 through 2023 before transitioning into the crew chief position in 2024 for the Xfinity Series. During this period, he secured victories in eight out of 33 races using four distinct drivers—two wins apiece were achieved with Aric Almirola, Christopher Bell, John Hunter Nemechek, and Ryan Truex.
Adjusting to the Cup Series has proven educational for him, particularly with the introduction of a new lead mechanic, a fresh rear mechanic, along with two engineers whom Allen characterized as "inexperienced." Moreover, Ryan Towles, who previously served as a front mechanic in 2024, took on the role of car chief starting from 2025.
A significant amount of change," Allen said during a phone conversation with Kor.Newsa on Wednesday. "We're really noticing this particularly over our initial four races. However, once we find our groove and everybody adapts to their responsibilities and establishes the team structure properly, I foresee things running quite seamlessly. Of course, like expected for such a fresh ensemble, there will be some bumps along the road. That's precisely why I'm eager to progress further into the season and develop more synergy among us.
Both Allred and Gabelhart have observed—and praised—Gibbs' attitude when facing constant challenges. During the Daytona 500, Gibbs was running tenth on the last lap but sustained some damage. last-lap melee However, he still managed to cross the line sixteenth, which was his best result since finishing thirteenth at Talladega Superspeedway on October 6. The race in Atlanta led to a different outcome. crash As he lunged for a three-car gap along the frontstretch, he ended up crashing out. The Circuit of The Americas hosted this event. first-lap damage As his vehicle ascended Hamlin’s turn one, and his attempt in Phoenix ended due to a faulty brake rotor. Despite this setback, Gibbs has adequately addressed the challenges presented, as noted by the leaders within his team.
Frankly, it has been excellent," Allen stated. "It feels as though we're collaborating effectively and our communication is strong. Following races, we hold Monday meetings, and although we are both understandably let down by the outcomes, I believe we've both managed to focus on the bright sides of the weekend along with the aspects within our power and what went smoothly compared to those beyond our control. His mindset has remained positive.
He's a tough rival who aims to triumph as much as I do. However, you understand that competing in the Cup Series can be challenging, requiring intense attention to every detail. If either one of us were questioned about this, we'd express our belief that better times lie ahead. We avoid negative thoughts despite being let down by recent outcomes; instead, we're eager to secure impressive victories.
As the competition director and fresh off the No. 11 team’s pit box, Gabehert offers "general guidelines" to assist Allen during his first year as a crew chief, all while aiding the progress of Bell, Hamlin, and new addition Chase Briscoe. Specifically for the No. 54 team, he aims to supply strategic insights and speed up development processes. At Gibbs, he has observed what seems like a notable change in perspective.
“I didn’t hold this position last year, so I couldn’t observe his behavior then, but it became clear Gibbs isn’t reacting as he did just last week,” Gabehart stated. “However, the truth is that since day one, he has consistently shown this kind of response. There shouldn’t be an expectation for everyone to approve of these outcomes; certainly not him either. Yet, despite everything, he maintains a professional attitude saying, ‘This comes with the territory. We simply have to dig deeper.’ It truly took considerable effort from many individuals to assist him through this transition, yet ultimately, his own development and comprehension of the demands associated with the Cup series’ calendar played the most significant roles.”
Bell — the scorching hot driver for kor.news following three consecutive Cup wins on the brink of four straight , and his teammate — can vouch for both Gibbs' growth and the challenges involved in adjusting to competition at the Cup level.
It has been intriguing to watch his NASCAR Cup Series journey," Bell remarked. "Last season, he had an impressive start, ranking among the top five in points after only a few events and competing for victories, leading several laps. However, once spring concluded and summer rolled around, things seemed to fall apart for him. It can be quite disheartening when those tough weeks begin affecting your outlook for upcoming races.
And it appears that he has managed to flip this situation so that even when things don't go as planned, be it last week or earlier in the competition, he can bounce back and place himself in a favorable spot for a strong conclusion and an overall successful week. I believe this ability develops over time. I had similar difficulties during the beginning stages of my Cup career.
The primary concern for Gabehart right now is Gibbs' performance on the lengthy straightaway. Despite having an impressive 2024 campaign with eight top-five finishes and twelve top-ten placements, this was only his second season as a full-time driver. The upcoming race in Las Vegas will be the 92nd start of Gibbs’ Cup career — certainly a significant number, though he remains at the beginning stage of what looks like a promising journey.
The truth is, with a 22-year-old Ty Gibbs, even though your immediate aim might be winning now and leading the points standings right away, that isn’t his focus or the objective for this team," Gabehart stated. "Ty Gibbs, along with Tyler Allen and their squad, could achieve over ten years of consistent success very naturally. Just consider how last year’s champion, Joey Logano, illustrates the bigger picture – which revolves around establishing the groundwork for a title-winning team. Both Tyler and Ty possess all the potential needed to contribute significantly towards such an endeavor.
So I genuinely prefer not to view those 54 in that manner. While some individuals might—even among us—I believe that perspective is overly narrow-minded. In my opinion, we must understand that for a 22-year-old driver, this should be seen as part of a long-term plan rather than just a short-term endeavor.
MORE: Notable 1-2 performances for Joe Gibbs Racing
Maybe Las Vegas is where Gibbs can reignite some well-known spring triumphs. A year back, Gibbs secured fifth place at the 1.5-mile track, marking his initial one out of those eight top fives in 2024.
Allen stated, "He performed exceptionally well in both events in Vegas last year and demonstrated significant speed. JGR overall had a strong showing too, which makes me very confident about racing in Las Vegas."
Gabehart echoes that excitement and thinks this could be the course where Gibbs might reverse his downward trend tied to outcomes.
That team has the potential to rank within the top 1 ten every week. This upcoming week should serve as an opportunity for them to kick things off and shed some of those burdens, metaphorically speaking," Gabehart stated. "At that stage, I genuinely believe victory is just around the corner. It’s crucial for them to regain their sense of assurance and conviction in their abilities. Finishing among the top ten a couple of times would help with that. However, considering how capable they are, it won’t shock me if—once they recover that self-belief—they manage to secure a win.
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