Tempers ran high at Watkins Glen during the NASCAR Cup Series as a heated exchange broke out over the Joe Gibbs Racing team radio controversy, with Ty Gibbs expressing frustration toward competition director Chris Gabehart during a challenging outing for the No. 54 Toyota. The incident underscored deep tensions within the team as Gibbs finished a disappointing 33rd, his third straight finish outside the top 20.
Intense Team Radio Dispute Highlights On-Track Challenges
Ty Gibbs battled with his car’s handling 34 laps from the finish, struggling notably with rear grip, a critical issue that seriously affected his race performance. On the radio, Chris Gabehart, who manages strategy for Joe Gibbs Racing, tried to reassure Gibbs, explaining they would address the problem at the next scheduled pit stop and urging him to complete the ongoing stint. Gibbs, however, remained unsatisfied and voiced his agitation over the radio.
“We’re f****d right now, so we’ve got to do something different,”
he yelled on his team’s radio. —Ty Gibbs, Driver
Gabehart, visibly frustrated by the driver’s outburst, answered with a pointed response, highlighting the disconnect between the car’s cockpit and pit wall perspectives.
“Well, I’m sure you’ve got a real good understanding of that from inside the car…so you can call the strategy if you want or we can keep rolling. But I (would) do the best I could to go as fast as I can.”
—Chris Gabehart, Race Strategist
Later, Gabehart provided further explanation for the escalation, pointing to the complex strategic environment created by an early caution in Stage 2, which left the field split on differing pit sequences and race tactics.
“Of course, it’s heated. It’s a hot day, and the driver’s working his butt off in there and doesn’t know the details of who’s on what for strategy,”
Gabehart said.
“There was a caution that fell there early in Stage 2 that really split the field a lot of different ways. So for drivers, that’s always the most confusing time because they don’t know how to measure their car against whom and what’s the next play in the playbook.”
—Chris Gabehart, Race Strategist
The result at Watkins Glen marked Gibbs’s poorest finish since the Circuit of the Americas event in March. He is now 17th in the Cup Series standings, holding 493 points, four top-five finishes, and six top-10 performances across the season. Notably, Gibbs remains the only Joe Gibbs Racing driver with a chance to qualify for the coming playoffs, adding further pressure to his campaign.
Ty Gibbs Set to Take Ownership Role with No. 54 in Xfinity Series
Changes are on the horizon for Ty Gibbs beyond his current responsibilities as a driver. In October 2024, it was revealed that Gibbs, the grandson of both NASCAR Hall of Famer and team owner Joe Gibbs, would assume ownership of the No. 54 Toyota GR Supra in the Xfinity Series starting in 2025. This development followed the hiring of Taylor Gray as the full-time driver of the car by Joe Gibbs Racing.
According to reporting by Joseph Srigley, the news was foreshadowed by Gibbs on social media. Taylor Gray, now working closely with seasoned crew chief Tyler Allen, shared his enthusiasm for the opportunity and the chemistry already developing within the team.
“I am very thankful for this opportunity,”
Gray said in a statement.
“I feel like I have learned a lot in the races I have ran this year, and we can build on that next season. Being able to work with Tyler and these guys for a few races has been a great head start on next season and getting that chemistry going, so I’m really excited about what we can do running together full-time.”
—Taylor Gray, Driver
As the 2025 Xfinity Series progresses through its 23rd race, Taylor Gray and the No. 54 team stand ninth in the driver standings, collecting 624 points, with six top-five finishes and eleven top-ten results, though a race win has eluded them. Their next test will be the Wawa 250 at Daytona International Speedway—a key event set for August 22, which will be broadcast on CW and covered live by MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Potential Playoff Scenarios and Team Dynamics Going Forward
The recent Joe Gibbs Racing team radio controversy exposes the intense and sometimes strained communication behind NASCAR’s competitive action. As the season heads into its closing stretch, Ty Gibbs’s position as the team’s only remaining playoff hopeful keeps all eyes on both his driving and leadership. With Gibbs poised to take on further responsibilities next year as a team owner in the Xfinity Series, the evolving dynamics at Joe Gibbs Racing, involving key figures like Chris Gabehart, Taylor Gray, and Tyler Allen, are set for greater scrutiny. The next several races will be crucial in determining whether these tensions lead to improvement or further setbacks for the organization.
