Kyle Petty has cast doubt on Ty Gibbs‘ future in the Ty Gibbs NASCAR Cup Series, raising questions following Denny Hamlin’s frustration during the latest race at New Hampshire. Petty suggested that Gibbs’ position with Joe Gibbs Racing could be in jeopardy if not for the family connection he shares with team owner Joe Gibbs.
Petty Criticizes Performance and Cites Family Ties
Ty Gibbs, the 22-year-old grandson of Joe Gibbs, advanced rapidly to the NASCAR Cup Series after making waves in the Xfinity Series, where he secured the 2022 championship with seven wins and 23 top ten finishes in his debut year. Following this success, he joined the Cup Series the next season, but so far has seen limited victories, managing more than 15 top five finishes, four of which have come in the current season. Despite these achievements, Gibbs has yet to secure a win after making over 100 starts in the Cup level.
On Monday, during a live broadcast of Fast Talk, Kyle Petty, himself the son of legendary Richard Petty, compared Gibbs’ current performance with his own earlier experience and criticized Joe Gibbs Racing’s leadership. Petty openly addressed concerns about the team’s decision-making regarding Gibbs:
“Someone of a higher authority should have said, ‘Just let him go, Ty,’”
Petty said (Timestamp: 25:40).
“You’re holding him up, because he was holding him up at that time. The frustration that Ty feels by dominating the Xfinity series and being an also-ran in the Cup series, because he’s just taking up space. He’s taking up a ride that people used to win in that car, and he’s not winning it.”
— Kyle Petty
Petty echoed the sentiment that Ty Gibbs’ continued Cup Series presence might be due to his relationship with Joe Gibbs, rather than on-track performance, adding:
“This is his last year. If he’s run three years, he hadn’t done any more.”
— Kyle Petty
Denny Hamlin Voices Frustration Over Team Dynamics
The situation became more tense during the first race of the NASCAR Cup Series Round of 12 at New Hampshire, where Denny Hamlin found himself repeatedly blocked by Ty Gibbs, the only Joe Gibbs Racing driver not to secure a playoff spot. Hamlin’s patience wore thin, and his feelings were broadcast over the team radio:
“This is some teammate b******t,” Hamlin said over the radio (via Jeff Gluck).
— Denny Hamlin
The frustration culminated when Hamlin made contact with Gibbs’ car, causing Gibbs to spin and collide with the wall, further illustrating the tensions within the Joe Gibbs Racing garage. Hamlin finished the race in 12th place and retained a 28-point advantage above the playoff elimination threshold, while Gibbs dropped to 35th.
Kyle Petty Sees a Learning Curve for Ty Gibbs Amid Cup Struggles
Reflecting further on Gibbs’ performance and team interactions, Kyle Petty maintained that Ty Gibbs is still adapting to the demands of Cup Series racing, drawing a line between his Xfinity Series dominance and current challenges:
“Ty, I believe, in a lot of ways, is still learning how to race, and Denny gave him a lesson yesterday,”
Petty said (Timestamp: 28:00).
“I’m not saying it was the right lesson, but Denny taught him a lesson yesterday.”
— Kyle Petty
Petty’s remarks underline the difficulties young drivers face when transitioning from the Xfinity Series to the much more competitive Cup level, even for someone with a championship pedigree and access to top-tier equipment.
Impact on Joe Gibbs Racing and the Cup Series
The current spotlight on Ty Gibbs raises questions for Joe Gibbs Racing and broader Cup Series dynamics. With heavyweights like Denny Hamlin openly venting frustration, and with Petty questioning leadership decisions, internal team relationships and developmental priorities are under the microscope. The fact that Gibbs is connected by family to Joe Gibbs, and still holds a coveted Cup Series seat, is fueling wider debates about merit, opportunity, and pressure within NASCAR’s highest ranks.
As the Ty Gibbs NASCAR Cup Series narrative unfolds, focus will remain on whether Gibbs can convert his early Xfinity success into wins at the elite level, or if team leadership changes and competitive tensions will shape Joe Gibbs Racing’s future lineup. With the playoffs intensifying and team dynamics straining under the pressure, the coming races could be decisive for both individual careers and the organization as a whole.
Fast Talk presented by Toyota | September 22, 2025 https://t.co/8A6e2X1raf
— PRN (@PRNlive) September 22, 2025
Denny Hamlin, still unable to get past Ty Gibbs: "This is some teammate bullshit."
"Copy that. (Chris) Gayle and I were talking about it on (Channel) 2."
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) September 21, 2025
