Drivers face plenty of criticism every week, but sometimes the toughest moment comes after the race, sitting in front of a camera. When Ty Gibbs gave short, flat answers to reporters following a brutally hot race, it didn’t take long for people online to weigh in. Some called the Joe Gibbs Racing driver rude or difficult. Others pushed back, pointing out that spending three-plus hours in a stock car in extreme heat is reason enough not to feel like smiling right after. The disagreement played out across social media for most of the following days.

Gibbs, however, didn’t let the criticism slide. The driver of the No. 54 Toyota Camry addressed it directly, explaining his side and pushing back on the idea that he owes reporters a performance.

Gibbs, in an interview with Sirius XM NASCAR Radio, opined that fans and the media have a bit too much access to the sport, and sometimes, they take advantage of that. However, they don’t understand what a driver feels like after driving in excruciating conditions.

“I don’t really blame them for it as well. You know, and especially after a lot of hot races, like it’s pretty gnarly too, so like they didn’t have to answer questions and put on this happy face,” Gibbs said in the interview.

“Like sometimes it’s just not how you feel, and I’m very true to myself, and you know, I just act like myself,” he added. “I don’t have to be like anybody too, so yeah, it can be definitely difficult. I think like a lot of the media members don’t understand that.”

For NASCAR drivers, the weekend isn’t really over when the checkered flag falls. Before even getting a chance to catch their breath, they’re pulled straight into post-race conferences with TV crews, reporters, and pit-lane microphones all looking for a quick reaction.

Joe Gibbs’ grandson said the expectation to seem upbeat right after a race doesn’t always match how he’s actually feeling, especially when the car isn’t handling well, and the heat has worn him down.

Gibbs used the Iowa Speedway as an example of just how demanding a Cup race can be physically, and suggested most people criticizing him wouldn’t be able to handle it themselves. Even JGR veteran Denny Hamlin, after the Iowa Corn 350 last weekend, was visibly struggling to catch his breath before answering questions on pit road.

Gibbs continued, “I think that if they wouldn’t even be able to finish a Cup race at Iowa, a hundred percent they couldn’t physically do it. No way.”

Iowa is known as one of the tougher short tracks on the schedule. Drivers deal with constant G-forces, nonstop gear changes, and cockpit temperatures that can climb well past 130 degrees. Add to that Toyota’s brake issues and Gibbs’ point becomes all the more valid.

The Toyota driver doesn’t seem interested in changing how he handles those moments just to satisfy reporters. His fans, including plenty who followed his grandfather, legendary NFL coach Joe Gibbs, seem to respect that he’s not trying to put on an act for the cameras. To them, it comes across as honest rather than difficult.

Whether or not the media’s expectations shift, Ty Gibbs has made it clear this is just how he plans to handle it going forward.