The grandson of Joe Gibbs, Ty Gibbs, returns from the 2025 season with the weight of unmet expectations on his shoulders, especially after being the lone JGR driver to miss the NASCAR Cup Series playoff. Thus, he is refusing to waste a single day of his offseason.

His season never truly stabilized, marked by inconsistency, a shaky opening stretch, and a frustrating finale at Phoenix Raceway when he faded to 21st while his teammates showed a far stronger pace. For a drive expected to be the next franchise cornerstone, the results were hard to ignore. But Gibbs is ready to fire his jets for more winter racing on dirt tracks.

Ty Gibbs gears up for quite a busy schedule

Speaking to FlorRacing, the 23-year-old driver has been up and about. And while he continues his Midget run this weekend, Gibbs added more tracks to his plan. He unveiled his busy schedule.

“After tonight and tomorrow, obviously, I’m running Kern and then Ventura, Prax, and Rakes. I’ve got four races out here, so I’m super excited. I’m pumped to be out here and hopefully learn a lot and get better in the golf lane and just get more experience, really,” he said.

Currently, the JGR driver is ripping laps in the USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship at Merced Speedway in California, as part of the Golden State Invasion, driving car No. 84. He posted a 12.362-second lap in qualifying, placing 25th overall. Despite a solid effort in the first heat, where he finisheded sixth, Gibbs fell short of advancing to the feature race.

And a later run in the semi-feature also didn’t secure him a spot in the main event. The appearance, however, highlighted his billing in this to take on challenging dirt midget competition as part of his off-season development. But Ty Gibbs isn’t quite done racing in California just yet.

Right after the 2025 NASCAR Cup season wrapped up, the Charlotte, North Carolina, native jumped straight into dirt racing, making his debut in the World of Outlaws. In his first hot lap session, he posted a time of 12.865 seconds, topping the round and immediately showing his adaptability on the 4/10-mile clay oval.

This transition from a high-downforce NASCAR Cup car to a lightweight sprint car is no small feat.

Gibbs’ foray into sprint cars is part of a broader off-season strategy aimed at sharpening his skills and expanding his racing repertoire. By competing in different vehicles on dirt, he is enhancing his car control, learning to react to tighter racing conditions, and gaining experience with machines that demand a very different driving approach than Cup cars.

Moreover, he will be participating in the USAC National Midget competitions, including the Turkey Night Grand Prix, and plans to venture into marquee events like the Chili Bowl. This move underscores that his off-season is far from downtime.

Joe Gibbs‘ grandson is treating it as an opportunity to build long-term competitiveness after a disappointing 2025 cup season. Gibbs’ final stat line tells the story clearly enough. Only recording five top fives, 10 top tens, and a 17.9 average finish placed him 19th in the standings and far below the standard set in the No. 54 camp.

However, he doesn’t seem to be the only driver having a packed off-season; the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series champion, Kyle Larson, is quite busy, too. But as the young driver attempts to sharpen his skills on the track, JGR has had quite the win this offseason.

JGR bags a big sponsor for 2026

Joe Gibbs Racing is kicking off the 2026 season with an exciting new partnership. Uber will serve as the primary sponsor on Chase Briscoe’s No. 19 Toyota Camry for three high-profile NASCAR Cup Series races while also becoming JR’s official banking partner.

This multiyear agreement promises to boost Columbia Bank’s brand visibility at Marquee events and provide the team with comprehensive financial support behind the scenes. Briscoe’s car will sport Columbia Bank’s signature blue and white at three thrilling stops next season: Circuit of the Americas on March 1, Sonoma Raceway on June 28, and Phoenix Raceway on October 18.

Fans can expect the striking live at some of NASCAR’s most talked about tracks, including the venue that hosts the Cup Series championship race. Beyond the exposure, Columbia Bank will also bring its relationship-focused banking services to Joe Gibbs Racing, supporting the team’s day-to-day operations and long-term growth.

“We’re excited to partner with Columbia Bank starting in 2026. Their commitment to relationship-based banking aligns perfectly to our approach with our partners,” said Eric Schaffer, executive vice president and chief commercial officer at JGR. “We look forward to showcasing the Columbia brand, while enjoying the benefits of their support in handling JGR’s everyday banking needs.”

For Briscoe, coming off the most successful season of his career, the partnership adds another layer of excitement. He notched three victories, 15 top-five finishes, 19 top-10 results, and seven poles and finished third in the Championship 4 race at Phoenix.

The Columbia Bank partnership marks a major step for JGR as the team heads into 2026. Combining Briscos’ on-track momentum with strong financial backing and opening the door for an exciting season of racing and banking excellence.