Kevin Harvick Backs Ty Gibbs Amid Scrutiny Over Winless Cup Streak

Ty Gibbs is proving he’s got the speed, even if the wins haven’t come yet. The young Joe Gibbs Racing driver isn’t in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, but he’s been turning heads with flashes of brilliance. At the Enjoy Illinois 300 at Gateway, Gibbs battled from a mid-pack start to a top-10 finish, showing he can hang with the big dogs. Then, at the Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol, he dominated, leading a race-high 201 of 500 laps, snagging a Stage 2 win, and finishing second in Stage 1.

Despite the strong runs, Gibbs settled for 10th at Bristol, a result that didn’t match his No. 54 Toyota’s pace, thanks to a late tire issue and a pit road miscue. The Bristol chaos, driven by Goodyear’s softer right-side tire that shredded under cool temps, exposed the tight margins in playoff racing. Gibbs’ 201 laps led dwarfed race-winner Christopher Bell’s 12, but a flat right-front and an overshot pit stop cost him a shot at Victory Lane. Kevin Harvick, though, isn’t sweating it. Recently, he doubled down on Gibbs’ potential, brushing off the scrutiny and pointing to the 22-year-old’s raw speed as proof he’s close to breaking through.

Harvick’s defense of Gibbs’ big moment

On the latest Happy Hour podcast, Kevin Harvick had Ty Gibbs’ back, highlighting the kid’s speed despite Bristol’s heartbreak. “The good news is they put together a whole day… It’s these races are one and these types of moments and you see just the amount of speed that Ty had compared to the 19 car right there and in the right front tire went flat. Had to make a whole another lap with that right front tire to get back to Pit Road… it’s really hard to get much braking,” he said.

Gibbs outran JGR teammate Martin Truex Jr.’s No. 19 for much of Bristol, leading 201 laps with a commanding pace. But the softer tire’s brutal wear, described by drivers as “down to the cords,” made braking a nightmare. Gibbs’ flat right-front, forcing an extra lap, was a gut-punch, with skid marks showing his struggle to slow down.

Harvick dug deeper, “You see the tire mark started right there up on the racetrack but trying to get everything that he could and that braking expectation that he thought was there just wasn’t there because the tires are bald at that point down to the cords… the downside is that one moment where… he had that mistake right there and ultimately finishes 10th.”

That “mistake” was Gibbs overshooting his pit stall late, a costly error in a race with 14 cautions and relentless tire issues. Still, Harvick saw the bigger picture: Gibbs’ 10th-place finish, after leading nearly half the race, showed race-winning potential undone by one slip. The No. 54’s pace matched or beat playoff contenders, a sign Gibbs is knocking on the door.

He wrapped with optimism, “But when you finish 10th, you finish 10th the week before… it’s those small victories of getting into the second group and that helps your qualifying and that puts you in a position to qualify better, start up front, get a better pit stall, all those things. When you have the ability and speed like that 54 does… it really is those moments. That one moment… came down to the difference between winning the race and finishing 10th, right? But leading the most laps and doing all the things that they did… proves to the team and yourself that you can go out and do what you need to do to win.”

Gibbs’ back-to-back top-10s, Stage 2 win, and improved 14.1 average start in 2025 show progress. Harvick’s point: those “small victories” like stage points and pit stall gains set Gibbs up for future success, even if the win column’s still empty. But while Harvick cheers the small steps, Joe Gibbs, Ty’s grandfather and JGR owner, is preaching a different approach.

Joe Gibbs urges patience for Ty

After Bristol, where Ty led 201 laps but settled for 10th, the 84-year-old veteran offered one word: “patience.” Speaking to reporters, he said, “Yeah, this sport is really hard… I keep telling him [Ty], honestly, I use the word ‘patience,’ and two races ago we were talking after the race, and he said, ‘Coach, will you quit using the word patience; I don’t want you to use it ever again.’ So patience is out the window. We’re trying to win here.”

Ty, at 22, is done waiting, he’s chasing his first Cup win with a hunger that’s clear in his aggressive driving. Joe admires the No. 54 team’s fight, noting their youth and grit, but his advice reflects a veteran’s perspective on a sport that punishes impatience.

Joe added context, “I just think he knows this is what he’s wanted to do his entire life, and so he’s after it. I admire… our entire 54 team. To be truthful, they’re young, but the pit crew, everybody, they just keep fighting, so it’s really great.” With JGR’s other drivers, Denny Hamlin, Chase Briscoe, and Christopher Bell, in the playoffs, Ty’s the odd man out, but his Bristol dominance showed he’s not far off.

Joe noted that competition director Chris Gabehart shifted focus to the No. 54 earlier in 2025 to push for wins, with crew chief Tyler Allen now back making calls. Recent weeks, like Gateway’s top-10 and Bristol’s stage win, prove the team’s building momentum. As Loudon looms, where JGR’s strong, Harvick and Joe see Ty’s win coming, it’s just a matter of when, not if.