NASCAR is slightly more difficult for Ty Gibbs compared to other drivers. Driving in the Cup Series, he has to face constant scrutiny owing to his familial connections. And while he may be an O’Reilly Series champion, he is yet to win his first Cup race in his fourth year. But as the pressure builds, something unexpected is happening: the very fans who once criticized him are now coming to his defense.

The past month also brought forth a lot of negative attention towards him. Gabehart openly declared that Ty Gibbs’ No. 54 was directly controlled by Joe Gibbs. The nepotism allegations against Ty Gibbs have only increased then. However, Gibbs has been working hard to stay out of such controversies with his performance.

His stats in the 2026 Cup Series season prove that he indeed has the pace of a Cup Series driver. Gibbs has been posting top-5 finishes in the last three races consecutively. With 140 points to his name this season, Ty Gibbs is currently P10 in the driver standings.

It looks like his efforts are paying off, as fans have started to recognize his mettle. In a recent social media post, a user argues that Ty Gibbs does not have a lot of time left in the NASCAR Cup Series. Quoting his performance for the past three seasons, they believe, “I am not sure the industry, sponsors, or any Gibbs investors will tolerate a long and clearly subpar performance in one of the top rides in NASCAR.”

However, the fans are surprisingly against this idea. They believe that the JGR driver has a lot left to prove, and he is not going away anytime soon.

Ty Gibbs earns the backing of NASCAR community

The debate about his career took a surprising turn when fans started to support his efforts instead of dismissing them. Considering the controversy surrounding him and his ride, you would expect to want him gone. Instead, they realize that he is actually racing well at his level and age.

“He’s only 23 years old, and he has twenty top 5s, thirty-six top 10s, and two poles at NASCAR’s highest level. He’s going to be fine. You all are wild.”

Not only that, considering his recent performances, a fan believes that Gibbs might end up claiming his first victory very soon. “Funny you post this now because he’s winning this Sunday.”

Some also believe that it would be unwise to drop him from the team for no reason.

“I think it also depends on standings and other finishes. It would be weird to fire a guy top 10 in standings even without a win.” Their feelings were echoed by another user. “A win will come, and it needs to come rather soon given his equipment. But talking about dropping a driver 10th in points with 3 Top 5s across 5 races is a bit much.”

Indeed, it is a bit too much. After all, the current NASCAR regulations favor consistency and not one-off victories. And the level at which Gibbs has been performing this year definitely looks like a positive step towards earning his first victory.

However, some fans are still trying to give Gibbs a reality check about his current situation. “The leash has to be short. I know he’s the nepo baby grandson of the owner, but this is a top-tier ride, and if it were anyone else, he’d be gone already. Look how they massacred my boy Eric Jones, and he won!!”

Their words do make sense, as Gibbs’ team comprises the likes of Denny Hamlin and Christopher Bell. They may not have a championship yet, but both drivers are among the best on the grid currently. So it does seem that Ty Gibbs has an invisible advantage of the team not dropping him and giving him enough time to adjust.