Ty Gibbs wins In-Season Challenge, emerging as the inaugural champion and earning a $1 million prize along with a custom championship belt after five weeks of intense racing, culminating in a dramatic finish this weekend. The event, held under the direction of NASCAR and TNT Sports, marked a new competitive chapter for the sport, as Gibbs and his team displayed resilience and adaptability throughout the multi-week tournament.
Gibbs Secures Victory in Debut NASCAR In-Season Challenge
After a series of highly competitive races, Ty Gibbs established himself as the overall winner of the first-ever NASCAR In-Season Challenge, securing the impressive financial reward and unique memorabilia for his achievements. The challenge, spread across multiple consecutive race weekends, tested drivers on consistency, speed, and strategy, creating elevated stakes each week.
Reflecting on the accomplishment, Gibbs expressed appreciation for the opportunity, stating his excitement about both the monetary reward and the significance of winning the very first edition. The event was made possible by support from TNT Sports and NASCAR, with additional contributions from sponsors such as Saia.
“Super cool. Very honored to be in this position. Thankful to all of NASCAR and TNT Sports to allow us to be able to do this. It’s awesome to win this. Super cool to be in this position,”
Gibbs remarked. —Ty Gibbs, Driver
Part of the festivities included a charitable challenge, with Saia and Ty Dillon’s sponsor agreeing that the losing side would donate $10,000 to Toys for Tots. Gibbs vowed to personally add another $10,000, reinforcing the philanthropic aspect of the closely watched event:
“I told the broadcast on the other show, but our sponsor Saia challenged Ty Dillon’s sponsor whoever loses gets $10,000 for Toys for Tots. I want to put another 10 on top of that. Wherever Ty wants it to go will be his choice. Super cool to be in this position and very blessed.”
—Ty Gibbs, Driver
The Five-Week Gauntlet: Race Challenges and Turning Points
The newly launched in-season tournament introduced an additional layer of competition within the regular NASCAR schedule. Drivers found themselves vying not only for weekly results but also for cumulative points and bragging rights over the course of five consecutive events. Initially, Gibbs did not focus on the challenge, but as the series progressed, the stakes became clear.
“It’s super cool. I didn’t really focus on it for the first three weeks, I would say. Our goal, of course, is to go in and do the best we can. The last week and this week is kind of where I started to pick it up, okay, well, if we beat these guys, we can go win a million dollars,”
Gibbs explained. —Ty Gibbs, Driver
The innovative approach kept teams guessing and strategizing week to week. Some weekends proved particularly difficult—this final race saw Gibbs finish in 21st place, far from his target, but strategic thinking allowed him to emerge victorious overall as the math unfolded in his favor.
“From racing on our side, we kind of lost a little bit of track position with a tragedy in the beginning. Then I didn’t have a couple of great restarts, and we just got buried. It’s so hard to pass here. It’s almost like a roulette wheel kind of where you end up and how it works out for you. Then the cautions before they fell. It’s just one of those days, but you’ve just got to keep digging.”
—Ty Gibbs, Driver
Strategy, Teamwork, and Focus Amid a Shifting Tournament Landscape
As the challenge advanced, Gibbs and the team remained committed to their overarching mission: pursue each race on its own terms while adapting to the tournament format as it demanded. The driver acknowledged that for much of the series, the priority was always racing for wins above all else.
“Yeah, like I said, for the first three weeks we didn’t really focus on it. Last week we picked it up, and then this week we picked it up,”
Gibbs commented. —Ty Gibbs, Driver
Rather than overtly changing usual race-weekend preparation, the team continued to focus on its foundational strengths.
“No, not really. Like I said, it’s important for us to go for wins and to do that, so that was our main focus. We had a good restart and beat Reddick last week. Then just beat Dillon today. So we got it.”
—Ty Gibbs, Driver
In the closing laps, strategizing became more explicit: with a lead over rivals, the team shifted its thinking from individual finishing positions to the bigger picture of challenge points.
“Towards the end, when we kind of were out of the shot, we were like, hey, let’s look at the bigger picture. We can win this or go for 12th place or 13th place and get right rear-ended on the backstretch. That’s kind of what it was.”
—Ty Gibbs, Driver
A Celebration with Fans: Generosity and Good Spirits
The victory celebration brought a lighthearted and engaging twist, as Gibbs tossed dollar bills to fans using special money guns, turning the winner’s circle into a moment of interactive excitement. Images and video quickly circulated of fans playfully scrambling for the airborne cash, creating memorable scenes from the post-race festivities.
“It was super cool. They brought me money guns, so I decided to take all the money and throw it on the fans. I think they were all wrestling and fighting over it. I was kind of like, all right, let’s not get anybody hurt here.”
—Ty Gibbs, Driver
He reflected on the honor of being the first to win, embracing both the spirit of the event and its broader impact.
“It was super cool. It’s a cool opportunity. To be able to win it is awesome, the first one.”
—Ty Gibbs, Driver
There were playful setbacks as well, including a jammed money gun that led Gibbs to improvise:
“It jammed. It was not American made, so it jammed.”
—Ty Gibbs, Driver. Not missing a beat, Gibbs explained how he simply kept the fun going.
“I said screw it. This not American made piece of machinery wasn’t working, so I’ll take it and throw it, and I did.”
—Ty Gibbs, Driver
Looking Ahead: Tournament’s Future and Lasting Memories
With the challenge now complete, attention shifts to how this novel event could evolve. Many in the community anticipate its return given its popularity and the competitive flair it brought this year. When asked about possible refinements—such as different track choices or tweaks to the format—Gibbs deferred to the organizers, expressing continued enthusiasm for the concept.
“I don’t know, to be honest with you, on how that would work. We’ll see what they do. I think it’s a cool position, cool to be able to win it in the first one.”
—Ty Gibbs, Driver
Reflecting on the intensity of the past weeks, Gibbs spoke about maintaining focus and using the momentum to build for the future:
“We just stay after it the whole time in every race. That doesn’t really change. Today we just weren’t running good. We’re not finishing great. We’re not going to finish great with the way it was. They told me let’s look at the bigger picture, and that’s kind of what we did. All the other races, and even this one for three-quarters of it, were just all in to try to win it. Every weekend is the same way.”
—Ty Gibbs, Driver
A Million Dollars, a Championship Belt, and the Next Chapter
One of the surprises of the day was the addition of a wrestling-style championship belt and a custom ring, adding further excitement to Gibbs’s haul. Describing these mementos, Gibbs displayed clear appreciation for their quality and meaning:
“It’s super cool. Super nice pieces of stuff. The belt is nice too. Super cool to have it. I really like it. I’ll wear it around for the rest of the day. It’s kind of heavy. It’s legit. It’s a legit one.”
—Ty Gibbs, Driver
When asked about plans for his substantial winnings, as well as where he might place the belt, Gibbs offered a glimpse into his personal side:
“I have no clue. We’ll see.”
—Ty Gibbs, Driver, and later,
“I have a little room in my house where I have all my racing stuff. I’ll probably put it in there. Unless I get a shop, then I’ll put it in the shop.”
—Ty Gibbs, Driver
With this victory, Ty Gibbs not only claimed the financial rewards and unique memorabilia but also etched his name as the first winner of NASCAR’s experimental In-Season Challenge. For teams, fans, and the event organizers including NASCAR, TNT Sports, and partner sponsors such as Saia, the tournament’s success built excitement for what may become a long-standing tradition in motorsports.
