“I just feel like I work hard every week, and I love racing, and I try to go after it every weekend. If I can’t, I try to finish the best I can.” Ty Gibbs said this last year, capturing the relentless mindset that’s quickly become his trademark in NASCAR. As the grandson of legendary team owner Joe Gibbs, Ty has embraced both the spotlight and the pressure that come with his name, proving himself to be a rising star with each passing race.

And as we move into the last nine races of the 2025 season, Gibbs finds himself not just chasing wins, but sharpening the edges of his racecraft. After a rough outing two weeks back in Mexico City, he’s regrouped, learned, and is gearing up for one of the toughest challenges on the calendar. The Chicago Street Race. Only this time, he’s bringing wisdom, not just horsepower.

Ty Gibbs learns from Mexico as the Chicago Street Race looms

Ty Gibbs may have walked away from Mexico with an 11th-place finish, but the stats tell a deeper story. He was the top driver on restarts, ranked second in overall speed, and matched that with elite defensive driving. The only driver faster than him that day? Shane van Gisbergen. And yet, despite the speed, strategy proved tricky. Gibbs couldn’t cut through the field as cleanly as some because of inopportune cautions.

At the Mexico City road course, Ty Gibbs was pulling double duty running the Xfinity and Cup Series, and it looked like he had a real shot at winning both races. A late wreck after contact with Connor Zilisch for the lead on Saturday ended his strong run. However, it was an ill-timed pit stop and caution that cycled him back to the field on Sunday. When asked by reporter Bob Pockrass if the experience in Mexico shook his confidence heading into Chicago and Sonoma, Ty Gibbs was measured and pragmatic. “Yeah, I mean, it’s part of life and racing. Sometimes it just doesn’t work out,” Gibbs said, acknowledging the disappointment with maturity.

The Joe Gibbs Racing #54 also issued a simple but telling warning for Chicago. “There’s no runoff. So, you’re just gonna hit the wall. Yeah, so that yeah, can’t be as aggressive,” he cautioned. Unlike traditional road courses or even the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico, the Chicago Street Race features tight, concrete-lined corridors with minimal room for error. One wrong move can send a car careening into the barriers, ending a driver’s day in an instant. This unforgiving layout demands precision and patience. Just take a look at the inaugural Chicago Street Race in 2023.

Well, the inaugural street race saw multiple drivers caught out by the unforgiving concrete barriers. Drivers like Kyle Busch, Noah Gragson, Daniel Suárez, Tyler Reddick, and others hit the wall in different stages of the race. The 2024 event also featured heavy attrition. Again, several contenders had wall contact in the tight urban circuit. These incidents underscore the small room for error on Chicago’s unique street circuit. And when it comes to room for error, Ty Gibbs is definitely running thin on that.

Gibbs did not have the best start to this season. After ending 2024 with a dismal run, featuring five finishes of 30th or worse, Gibbs started 2025 with just two top-20 finishes in the first seven races. However, his season had a noticeable turnaround at Martinsville, where he started and finished 13th, and then followed that with consecutive top-10 finishes! Gibbs led his first laps of the season at Talladega and now has picked up steam on road courses, looking to overcome his third-year blues.

Despite this uptick in form, a win is the only thing that could get Gibbs in the playoffs, but that’s not the only result that would boost his momentum. NASCAR’s In-Season Challenge could be a lifeline for Gibbs’s inconsistent season.

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Ty Gibbs faces Justin Haley in the In-Season Challenge’s first round

Ty Gibbs enters the inaugural NASCAR In-Season Challenge with a prime opportunity to spark his 2025 campaign. Well, his first round opponent at EchoPark Speedway? Justin Haley. The No. 6 seed versus No. 27 matchup is one of the most intriguing of the weekend, with both drivers looking to build momentum and make a statement in the $1 million tournament.

Gibbs, despite a season that has largely underwhelmed expectations, holds a favorable track record against Haley in recent races. Over the last six events, Gibbs has consistently finished ahead of Haley (12 vs 5). This gives him a clear psychological edge as they prepare for their head-to-head showdown. Haley, meanwhile, has struggled to find consistency in 2025.

Paired with a new crew chief early in the season, Haley has managed only one top-10 finish and currently ranks 29th in the standings. Analysts note that winnable matchups like this could very well propel Gibbs into the Round of 8. Now, this is a result that would be both expected (given his seed) and surprising (given his 2025 performance).

The In-Season Challenge, inspired by similar formats in other sports, features a 32-driver bracket seeded based on recent performance. For Gibbs, advancing past Haley is not just about tournament points. Instead, it’s a chance to turn around a season that has so far failed to meet expectations. With two road courses in the first three rounds and a strong recent record at Chicago, Gibbs could find himself on a deep run if he can capitalize on this early matchup.