NASCAR’s a tough proving ground where talent’s only half the battle, and for drivers with famous last names, the spotlight burns hotter. Nepotism’s a dirty word in the garage, and drivers riding family connections often face a brutal court of public opinion.

Take Harrison Burton, son of Cup Series veteran Jeff Burton. Handed a full-time gig with Wood Brothers Racing in 2022, Harrison’s arrival screamed privilege to fans already skeptical of his resume. His 27th-place finish in the 2022 standings, marred by seven DNFs, six from crashes, didn’t help. Social media lit up with gripes, branding his seat a “waste” and chalking it up to “money and nepotism” over merit. Despite his dad’s legacy, Harrison’s yet to silence the doubters or live up to the Burton name at NASCAR’s top tier, and he ultimately lost his seat to Josh Berry last year despite the win at Daytona.

Bobby Hamilton Jr. faced a similar grind. Son of the gritty Bobby Hamilton Sr., he got a shot in the Cup Series in 2005, but he missed his chance. The following year, he couldn’t even make it to the races. Failing to qualify for three races and never cracking better than 11th, he was cut loose by season’s end and demoted to the Truck Series, where consistency eluded him. The Hamilton name carried weight, but Junior couldn’t translate it into staying power, fading from top-tier rides for good.

These tales of nepotism gone sour set a rough backdrop for drivers like Ty Gibbs, Joe Gibbs’ grandson and heir to the Joe Gibbs Racing empire. The 22-year-old’s got the pedigree, the equipment, and the hype, but his 2025 Cup Series season’s been a wild ride of promise and pitfalls. Sitting 23rd in points, winless and outside the playoff cutline, Gibbs is feeling the heat.

Gibbs’ 2025 kicked off with a thud. Missing the Busch Light Clash, crashing to 32nd at EchoPark, and DNF at Circuit of The Americas (34th) painted a grim early picture. His first eight races were a mess—mechanical gremlins, on-track scraps, and lousy starting spots like 34th at Phoenix and 36th at EchoPark tanked his momentum. Only a 16th at Daytona cracked the top 20. But glimpses of his talent shone through mid-season. A 13th at Martinsville sparked a hot streak, with a ninth at Darlington and a podium third at Bristol, banking a season-high 40 points. Those runs showed Gibbs can dice with the best, especially on short tracks where drivers’ skills are on full display.

Yet consistency’s been his Achilles’ heel. A 28th at Kansas, 24th at Charlotte, and 31st at Nashville derailed his progress, often after strong starts with a sixth at Texas but 23rd by the checkered, sixth at Kansas but 28th at the end. Lately, he’s steadied the ship with a third at Michigan, 11th in Mexico City, and 14th at Pocono, proving he’s got fight left.

Still, with zero playoff points and no wins, Gibbs needs a miracle to make the postseason. His season’s a tug-of-war between flashes of brilliance and frustrating stumbles, leaving fans torn between hope and doubt. A Reddit thread trying to prop up Ty Gibbs turned into a battleground, with fans unloading their frustrations and reigniting the nepotism debate.

Fans turn on Ty Gibbs as nepotism talk flares

Here’s what they said, and why their takes hit hard. “Ty’s last name is Gibbs still, right? He’s not going anywhere. Is it brought up? Yes. Does it really matter? No. He’s still a Gibbs.” This fan’s biting sarcasm nails the elephant in the room: Ty’s tied to Joe Gibbs Racing, a powerhouse with championships and resources galore. His surname’s a golden ticket, keeping him in top equipment despite a 23rd-place points rank and no wins. We saw the likes of Corey LaJoie and Daniel Hemric ejected from their seats, but third year in a row, without a win, Ty still is competing at the top level.

“Hopefully Trackhouse sees this as a sign to not rush up Zilisch, dominate in other series doesn’t translate to Cup dominance right away.” This fan’s throwing shade while looking out for rookie Connor Zilisch, who dazzled in Xfinity but crashed in his Cup debut. Trackhouse Racing is reportedly looking to promote Zilisch to the Cup level in place of Daniel Suarez or SVG. But even championship success doesn’t mean that the driver will thrive at the top level, and Ty Gibbs is the best example of that.

“The thing with Gibbs is that it is surprising he has struggled. First half of last year was looking really good and that he’d break through. Never happened.” Fans bought the hype after Gibbs’ 2024 rookie flashes, expecting a 2025 breakout. His Bristol podium and Michigan third showed he’s got the chops, but DNFs (Circuit of The Americas) and clunkers (31st at Nashville) have stalled his rise. The gap between potential and results is why fans’ patience is wearing thin.

“He can’t handle any adversity thrown his way. He got thrown in the absolute best equipment money could buy his whole career and now that he actually has to work and it’s not just handed to him he’s folded under the pressure. I genuinely wouldn’t be surprised to see him have a career trajectory similar to Austin Dillon.” Austin Dillon has a few wins to his name, but largely, he’s not the star driver for his organization. If the current trend continues, Gibbs might just be another driver who’s racing because of the family privileges.

With a stretch a regular season races up ahead, Ty Gibbs has the opportunity to hit back at his critics. He’s shown flashes of brilliance, but that isn’t enough to stay afloat in the Cup Series.