At 22, Ty Gibbs has already seen things he shouldn’t have had to. It was a memorable Saturday in November three years ago, when the young driver had picked up his first Xfinity Series Championship. He had stood on the podium with his mom and dad to click a picture with the trophy. The father-son duo had then made their way to the press conference where Coy Gibbs had proudly said, “I’ve always got his back as a father”—a bittersweet sentence coming from a man who never wanted his child to become a racer, and had vowed to never pay for it. Just a few hours later, a strange silence took over.

Joe Gibbs Racing announced on Sunday morning, “It is with great sorrow that Joe Gibbs Racing confirms that Coy Gibbs went to be with the Lord in his sleep last night.” Coy Gibbs’ unfulfilled promise echoed in the air every time Ty recalled the last day he spent with his father. All that remained were the memories, a mourning community, and an eye-catching yellow pit crew helmet with ‘UNCLE COY’ written on the back over black tape—a quiet tribute with the loudest statement mirroring the JGR co-owner’s personality. What also remained was a quietly grieving Ty who put on a brave face for the sake of the world.

It’s heartbreaking that the young boy, now having to battle at the sports’ biggest stage, has never publicly talked about his father. Not once. With a tightly knit family and two loving pet dogs helping the youngster navigate the loss, perhaps he never needed to. But life has a cruel way of throwing a wringer. And on May 6, we got to see why when Ty Gibbs posted two emotional Instagram Stories about his four-legged friend. “Lost a great friend today,” he wrote, before following up with a simple, “love u Lulu.” There was no long caption, no deep explanation—just a few short words filled with pain. That’s often all it takes when the loss is personal. Heartbreakingly, this will be the third loss the racer will be going through in the span of just three years.

In 2023, his first furry friend, Bronson left the family. Ty remembered walks, playtimes, and the emotional presence the Doberman always had. On social media, the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series RoTY had reminisced, “My baby boy Bronson. You were so loved. You were there for us and loved us when we needed it most. You were so kind and caring. I will always miss our walks, playing with you out back, car rides, listening to music, and always having someone to spend time with. I will miss coming home and seeing you so excited to see me. You were the best friend that God could give me.”

“You were with me in my hardest and in my most fun times. I will miss every one of your licks and barks, baby boy. Thank you for loving my family so much. It’s so hard to imagine that you’re not here anymore. Thank you God, for the time we spent with him. I will always love you, my Bronson boy.” On the track, 2025 hasn’t been easy for Ty Gibbs either. Eleven races into the season, he’s recorded just one top-five and two top-ten finishes. While he had a strong third-place showing at Bristol, inconsistency has plagued his campaign. He’s finished 25th or worse in four races, with accidents derailing his runs at Atlanta and Phoenix.

This dip in form follows his upward trend in 2024, where he had 12 top-ten finishes and ended the year 15th in points. This season has been frustrating, especially after the promise he showed as Sunoco Rookie of the Year in 2023. The emotional weight off the track may be compounding the pressure on it. It’s a difficult balance, racing with a heavy heart. As Ty continues to grind through the season, it’s clear he’s fighting battles both visible and invisible. And for now, the silence of Lulu’s absence is another weight he carries.

Joe Gibbs’ grandson hits back at critics!

Racing is fast. So are tempers. But Ty Gibbs thinks fans need to slow down before passing judgment. At Texas Motor Speedway, Gibbs had a clear message for critics who slammed drivers for their radio chatter. The controversy started after Joey Logano unleashed a fiery rant at Talladega aimed at teammate Austin Cindric. That led to a wave of backlash from fans who felt the comments crossed the line.

Ty stepped in with a defense, not of the words, but of the system. “That radio is for your team, and the only reason why anybody else has access to it is for entertainment. We are an entertainment business, but also, I think we get made out to look like bad people at times for what we say on the radio or what happens,” he told Frontstretch.com. Gibbs pointed out that in the heat of racing, emotions are high and words fly fast. But fans, he argued, treat those private moments like public scandals.

“If any of us drivers put radios inside of somebody’s car going down the highway, I think that a lot of people would probably be in way worse trouble than we would,” he said. “And I think that’s something everybody should understand.” His message was simple: drivers are human. They get emotional. They say things in the moment. And that doesn’t make them villains. Gibbs believes many fans lack the understanding of what it’s like to be in the thick of a NASCAR race, the speed, the danger, the emotion. Mistakes happen. Words slip.

“This is the way we communicate with our team… everybody’s listening to everything, and I don’t think that’s fair,” he added. “I’m sure everybody else would be a lot worse off than we would… getting cut off down the highway.” Gibbs’ comments didn’t just defend himself. They reflected a growing frustration among drivers who feel public perception can sometimes twist moments of private strategy or raw emotion into controversy. In a sport where access is everything, Ty is asking fans for a little grace.