If there’s one thing Joe Gibbs can always count on, it’s getting backed by his all-time friend and rival, Rick Hendrick. Few people in NASCAR understand the weight of losing a son quite like the two. Both men built racing dynasties while carrying unmanageable personal grief, losses that forever changed how they viewed the sport, success, and the young driver growing up under the spotlight. So when criticism continues to pile on Ty Gibbs, an insider from HMS steps up to urge fans to pause and remember the painful reality behind the headlines.

“He’s a 23-year-old kid who’s grown up in the spotlight. He tragically lost his father just a couple of years ago,” said Ryan Flores on the Stacking Pennies podcast. “Think about that for anybody and how hard it’s got to be to go back to the racetrack to start your cup career without your father, who was a prominent figure that ran the team. Think about Joe Gibbs. He lost both of his sons. And it’s no longer about your win. It’s about your dad.”

That was a blunt reminder delivered by HMS insider Ryan Flores while discussing this scrutiny surrounding Ty Gibbs. Flores’ comments came at a time when the young driver had become one of the most polarizing figures in the NASCAR Cup Series garage, with criticism ranging from aggressive driving to persistent accusations of nepotism.

Much of that backlash stems from the belief that Gibbs’ rise in NASCAR came largely because he is the grandson of Joe Gibbs, the founder of Joe Gibbs Racing.

The debate has resurfaced recently when comments tied to the ongoing JGR legal saga suggested the young driver was not always held to the same standard as others in the organization. Critics, including fans still frustrated about the departure of two-time champion Kyle Busch from the team, often argued that Gibbs inherited a Cup seat that might otherwise have gone to a more proven driver.

The narrative has stuck with him ever since he replaced Rowdy in the No. 54 car, fueling a perception that his opportunities were earned through family ties rather than results.

This has only intensified because Gibbs has struggled to translate his early promise into consistent results. After dominating the NASCAR Xfinity Series and winning the 2022 championship, expectations were sky high when he moved to the NASCAR top level.

Yet several seasons into this career, the breakthrough victory fans expected still hasn’t arrived, and the lack of wins has left the young Driver facing constant questions about whether he truly belongs at the championship-caliber team.

But Flores believes much of their criticism ignores the deeply personal tragedy that reshaped Gibbs’ life just as his career was taking off. In November 2022, only hours after Gibbs celebrated winning the Xfinity Championship at Phoenix Raceway, his father, Coy Gibbs, unexpectedly passed away in his sleep.

The shocking loss occurred the very night that should have marked the happiest moment of the young driver’s career, a moment that instantly turned into unimaginable grief for the entire Gibbs family.

Behind the controversy, criticism, and social media debates is still a 23-year-old trying to navigate grief, enormous expectations, and the pressure of representing one of NASCAR’s most powerful families.

For Gibbs, every race weekend is no longer about just chasing trophies; it’s about honoring the father who stood beside him in Victory Lane, carrying forward the JGR legacy that now rests largely on his shoulders.

But as Gibbs continues to navigate criticism, Rick Hendrick‘s star driver, Kyle Larson, has already sounded off in support of HMS’s young driver amid the controversy.

Larson backs Corey Day amid growing criticism

Kyle Larson will be part of Saturday’s NASCAR Auto Parts race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, sharing the track with his protégé Corey Day. The 20-year-old is in his first full-time season in the series with support from HMS, marking a major step in his transition from dirt racing to stock cars.

From a results standpoint, Day’s 2026 campaign has started strongly, but his relationships on the track have already been debated. Several on-track incidents, particularly with drivers from JR Motorsports, have raised questions across the garage about whether the young driver is fully ready for the spotlight that comes with a Hendrick-backed seat.

For Larson, however, the situation is familiar territory. Having followed a similar path from dirt racing to the NASCAR top ranks, he understands the steep learning curve Day is facing. The two-time NASCAR Cup champion believes the early clashes are simply part of the growing process and remains confident that Day’s raw talent will ultimately shine through.

“We’ve all had to go through moments like this in our careers, so it’s nothing new. He’s going to be fine. He’ll get through this rough stretch and learn the sport more, learn the cars more, learn how to handle you more, and be good. It’s a lot to take in as a 20-year-old coming from dirt racing. I trust him, the team trusts him, and I look forward to seeing his continued progression,” Larson said.

Despite the early controversies at Atlanta Motor Speedway, a contact involving Justin Allgaier and Carson Kvapil ended the race prematurely. A week later at COTA, another clash wiped out Connor Zilisch, who publicly blasted the 20-year-old as an absolute hack and demanded an apology. The tension is particularly notable, given the close relation between Hendrick’s No. 17 entry and JRM.

Despite the early controversies, Day showed signs of settling in at Phoenix raceway, delivering a clean race and finishing ninth through all the noise. He sits eighth in the standings with three consecutive top 10 finishes, running the young driver himself has described simply as “growing pains.”