NEWTON, Iowa — Fourth within the 2026 NASCAR Cup Sequence standings and having formally earned his spot within the Chase, it has been a wonderful season for 23-year-old Ty Gibbs and the No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.
With 9 top-five finishes, 14 top-10 scores and his first Cup race win amassed so far in 2026, Gibbs will now look to the ultimate 4 common season races remaining on the schedule – Iowa, Richmond, New Hampshire and Daytona —– to make a run at one other Cup victory and to ensure every thing is so as earlier than the 10-race Chase fires off with the Prepare dinner Out Southern 500 at legendary Darlington Raceway on September 6.
“I simply need to beat all people and win all of them, truthfully,” answered Gibbs whereas explaining simply what he accomplish and obtain through the four-race run as much as the Chase opener set for The Girl in Black. “That’s what I need to do. It’s like we’ve got been doing the final couple of weeks. We simply haven’t gained. Simply in search of that, truthfully. We’ve been so shut at so many various locations. I’m simply trying ahead to the remainder of the yr and I’m actually trying ahead to the playoffs.”
Gibbs talked about how he has been getting ready and preparing for this ultimate part of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Sequence season.
“Dude, I’m racing and driving my bike,” defined Gibbs of being out of his 3,450 pound, 750 horsepower Cup automobile and upon a pedal powered mountain bike. “I’ve acquired my gravel, street and mountain bike happening. I’ve been coaching on that rather a lot with Justin Bryaton and Johnny O’Mara. Johnny O’ has me on a great program with him. I’ve been coaching rather a lot. I simply acquired again from Colorado for every week. I used to be simply on the market driving Leadville.
“I climbed the Columbine climb, and it was so sick! It was like a dream come true to me. I’ve simply been driving, truthfully. I’ve simply been stepping into all that and getting myself higher bodily and mentally and simply preserve preparing for the remainder of the season.”
Gibbs additionally defined his relationship with former world class supercross racers Justin Brayton and Johnny O’Mara.
“Yeah, they’re moto guys,” identified Gibbs. “I grew up round Justin Brayton and Johnny, as nicely. Justin rode for my dad for a very long time in supercross. I simply grew up round them. I needed to take my program to the subsequent degree and acquired Justin serving to me out and Johnny guiding our path on this system. Johnny has an enormous mountain bike background. He’s one of many core guys and top-of-the-line American guys to ever do it on the world tour. These guys have actually been serving to me out. They preserve me locked in to my program. It’s been a lot enjoyable.”
Does any of his coaching program and the bodily health work carried out through the week discover its means over to the Cup automobile on any give race weekend?
“Yeah, I feel it does,” nodded Gibbs. “I feel it actually helps. I feel that mountain biking is an endurance sport and I imagine our sport is an endurance sport, so I feel it helps. Primarily, I simply do it for enjoyable as a result of I simply actually have a ardour for bikes. Bikes have taught me rather a lot in my life. I wouldn’t be the place I’m at with out the bikes.”
Up subsequent for Gibbs is Sunday’s Iowa Corn 350 at Iowa Speedway.
“I’m actually trying ahead to it,” enthused Gibbs. “The final two years we form of struggled there, so I’m actually seeking to flip it round and switch our entire deal round this yr right here. I’m in search of the second win, for certain. I’m actually making an attempt to knock that off, however truthfully, we’ve had such good factors that we’re simply going to maintain that up and preserve grinding it out. I’m actually trying ahead to it. I feel Iowa is a enjoyable observe. I’m undoubtedly feeling good from being so robust this yr and simply form of seeking to preserve capitalizing. We’ve acquired sixteen extra races to go, so simply seeking to preserve capitalizing on that and simply preserve getting higher. I’ve had quite a lot of enjoyable, for certain. Every part has been nice this yr.
“My group has been so nice. Tyler Allen, my crew chief, and all of the boys which were helpibg me out, have been so good they usually all work collectively so nicely. I wouldn’t be the place I’m now with out them. The group has been doing an incredible job. All of us look ahead to serving to one another get higher and making the automobiles higher. Everyone is simply full effort proper now and I feel it’s actually exhibiting. All of us actually need to win rather a lot.”
Are Gibbs and group looking forward to the Chase?
“I imply probably not, truthfully,” answered Gibbs. “We’ll simply take it week by week and simply deal with it like we do now. We’ll simply attempt to get good factors and win races and that takes care of all of that stuff. I really feel like I’m proper there. The competitors is tremendous stout, however we’re operating actually good. I’ve been doing a great job and my group has been doing a great job. I don’t see why we are able to’t win.
“I really feel like we’re top-of-the-line within the sport proper now. We’ll simply preserve working and preserve getting higher and we’re going to be there, for certain. It’s at all times been there, it’s simply taken a second to get the group proper and get the precise folks round me to make that higher. Now we have. I’ve at all times recognized it, nevertheless it was simply child of a very bumpy path till now, however that’s the way it goes. I’ve undoubtedly skilled rather a lot. I’ve form of grown up studying the laborious means. It’s been quite a lot of enjoyable. I actually recognize it and actually respect my sport and I’ll simply preserve working laborious.”
After scoring 43 factors on the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Gibbs turned the fourth Cup racer to earn a spot within the Chase.
“I feel we are able to win it, man,” declared Gibbs. “I feel we are able to get the title this yr, in order that’s our plan. We’re going to maintain working laborious and go attempt to get the title and produce one other championship trophy again to Monster Power. For certain. I feel we undoubtedly assume we’ve got a shot that.”
And simply what does Gibbs imagine it’ll take to snag the Cup title?
“I feel it’s going to take consistency, which we’ve got,” he stated. “We’re additionally going to win a few races, which I do know we are able to, too. Now we have it. We’ve simply acquired to place it collectively and make it occur. I feel we are able to win this title, for certain. Win a pair extra races this yr and be in rivalry for the title on the finish of the yr. I feel we are able to do it.”
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