With Rookie of the Yr contenders in Josh Berry, Zane Smith and Carson Hocevar dotting the 2024 NASCAR Cup Sequence grid, the breakout star of the season could also be stunning to some.
Ty Gibbs appears to have forgotten to abide by the compulsory sophomore stoop requirements. The 21-year-old driver at present sits third within the Cup Sequence factors standings, simply seven factors behind Kyle Larson and Martin Truex Jr, who’re at present tied for the factors lead. Gibbs at present sits 68 factors above the playoff cutline after Sunday’s Meals Metropolis 500 at Bristol.
Whereas Bristol finally wasn’t the location of Gibbs’ first profession win, he led 137 laps and swept the phases en path to a ninth-place end, his fourth top-10 end in 5 races to start out the 2024 season. After main 57 laps final weekend at Phoenix, Gibbs sits third within the laps-led class for the Cup Sequence, spending 194 circuits out entrance up to now this yr.
It is to not say {that a} breakout yr for Gibbs was wholly surprising, however it’s spectacular that the younger driver is exhibiting excessive pace and consistency early within the season. Gathering as many factors as attainable is essential for younger drivers similar to Gibbs, who could not have expertise battling on the playoff bubble come August and September.
After narrowly lacking the postseason a yr in the past, Gibbs has been essentially the most constant driver to start out the 2024 season and is even being referred to as a championship contender by some. Whereas that notion could or could not turn into fact come the playoffs, it definitely appears possible after the primary 5 weeks of the season, the place no driver has proven the consistency of Gibbs on the number of tracks the circuit has traveled to.
With the collection touring to Circuit of The Americas on Sunday, Gibbs is on the lookout for an analogous effort to 2023, the place he completed ninth. He was additionally ninth at Richmond final spring, proving that there’s a optimistic outlook for the following two weeks for the No. 54 workforce.
Whereas Gibbs is proud of the constant effort his workforce is displaying, he’s little question centered on attempting to get his first profession win. The Bristol night time race in September looks like a worthy candidate for that distinction, particularly since Gibbs may have expertise on a Bristol observe that raced fully completely different from the way it raced final fall. Dover, an analogous observe to Bristol and residential of a Thirteenth-place end for Gibbs in 2023 can also be a worthy candidate, as is Kansas, the place Gibbs ran within the high 5 final spring earlier than being caught up in a wreck.
No matter what occurs subsequent Sunday in Austin, the highway definitely appears to be paved for Gibbs to not simply be a playoff driver, however a severe risk to upset the hopes of perennial contenders in his breakout sophomore season.
