
via Getty
TALLADEGA, ALABAMA – OCTOBER 01: Ty Gibbs, driver of the #23 Monster Energy Toyota, walks the grid during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on October 01, 2022 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

via Getty
TALLADEGA, ALABAMA – OCTOBER 01: Ty Gibbs, driver of the #23 Monster Energy Toyota, walks the grid during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on October 01, 2022 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
In September 2022, in Texas, things got heated between Ty Gibbs and Ty Dillon. Why? The former was hit by Dillon as he exited his pit box and so, Gibbs retaliated by crashing into Dillon’s car and compelling him to hit the brakes in order to avoid hitting nearby NASCAR officials and pit crew members who were busy working on Chris Buescher’s broken car. Cars were traveling at about 55 mph on the pit road, and considering the potential disaster it could have been, NASCAR fined Gibbs $75,000 and also docked 25 points. Fast forward to Sonoma, and it seems the driver hasn’t learned his lesson.
Things got really messy at the end of stage 2. It all kicked off when Ty Gibbs threw a late block on RFK Racing’s Chris Buescher heading into Turn 11. Buescher? He didn’t back off; he rolled right through it. The result? Gibbs got shoved up the track. No spin, but he dropped a handful of spots like loose lug nuts on the pit lane. Then came pit stops and a more dangerous incident. As Ty Gibbs dove into his stall, he cut it way too close to RFK’s No. 6 team. So close, in fact, that his car clipped a tire still in the hands of RFK’s tire carrier, Telvin McClurkin.
McClurkin of the No. 6 Brad Keselowski team wasn’t having it. The second the stop was over, he marched over to Gibbs’ pit box like a man on a mission. Shouts were exchanged. Hands were raised as two RFK members fought three Joe Gibbs Racing crew members. Before anyone could blink, crews were tangled up, and NASCAR officials had to jump in to break it apart. RFK didn’t hold back from posting a video clip of it on social media, captioning it, “You be the judge.”
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Additionally, spokespersons for both teams described the incident to NASCAR and PRN Radio as a ‘disagreement’. However, Gibbs, who finished seventh, four spots ahead of Keselowski, explained his point of view and said, “By NASCAR’s rules, you know, I’m the lead car because I’m in the pit box past where the 6 is and I’m in front of them as well… We have these orange lines right there — as you can see, I’m sure they’ll show you after — where if I’m behind him, I have to go around those orange lines for it to be the rule.
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“Going in, I have the right-of-way. So you know, they’re on the wall for a reason, they jump for a reason, and they kind of get out of the way. And those guys like to push it, and that’s kind of the consequence you pay. So it’s unfortunate for them that they had a penalty. Nothing malicious. It’s my right-of-way.”
In the end, a NASCAR spokesperson revealed that the incident was reviewed, and it was decided that the No. 6 team crew should have given more room for the No. 54 car. The incident was ruled as unintentional and hence, no penalty was given. But it doesn’t end there. Officials will review footage of the altercation and decide if anyone needs to be penalized. And while NASCAR’s on the incident is now clear, fans are unhappy with Gibbs’ action.
NASCAR fans drag Ty Gibbs online
Ty Gibbs, who started today’s race from P10, hasn’t been exactly shy on aggression this year, but his stunt? Fans are not holding back. One posted, “They should fine him, find him, charge him, send him to NASCAR jail for a day, and a rehabilitation program of making him learn the value of human life, this is just unacceptable, human life ain’t cheap.”
So did Ty Gibbs think it was Keselowski who booted him, not Buescher? Saw the paint scheme and thought it was the 6? Either way, can’t be doing that on pit road to send a message. NASCAR won’t like that.
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) July 13, 2025
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Is Ty Gibbs' aggressive style a breath of fresh air or a dangerous precedent in NASCAR?
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Reporter Joseph Srigley wrote, “Y’know… from this view, it kinda looks like Gibbs may have taken a bit of a swipe at the pit crew of the No. 6. If that is indeed the case #NASCAR 100% needs to step in and do something because this is unacceptable… and not the first time, either.”
Ty Gibbs wasn’t done ruffling feathers at Sonoma. After the stage two bit, he found himself back in the middle of more drama, this time with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. In the tight Esses late in the race, Gibbs put on the No. 47 that sent Ricky off-course, hard into the tire barrier. It was a rough hit, and Stenhouse’s car took the brunt of it. Despite his best efforts to keep it back in shape, the damage was done. He had to settle for a frustrating P33, his shot at the top 16 completely wiped out by a move from the No. 54.
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Gibbs, on the other hand, kept his foot in it. After finishing P9 in stage one and surviving multiple run ends, including his pit lane incident with RFK, he managed to bring home a P7 finish. This result marks another solid top 10 for the young driver, but the route he took to get there was anything but clean. Once again, he showed that he has the speed, but was on the edge against his rivals. Sonoma gave him another top 10, but it also left another driver’s race in ruins. Hence, fans wrote online:
- “Silver spoon kids gonna do silver spook things.”
- “Should be the first suspension that doesn’t get a waiver.”
Several similar comments were written on social media. For instance, another fan mentioned: “Stupid on his part. Those guys on the wall weren’t driving the six or 17. Nor are they buckled in behind a roll cage for protection.”
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Do you think NASCAR should have awarded Gibbs a penalty? Let us know in the comments below.
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Is Ty Gibbs' aggressive style a breath of fresh air or a dangerous precedent in NASCAR?