The NASCAR world has a new stat that’s both impressive and painful: Ty Gibbs is now 0-116 in Cup Series starts. Saturday night at Bristol Motor Speedway looked like the night that streak would finally end—until one costly mistake changed everything and left the young driver still searching for that elusive first win.
Bristol Dominance Turned to Disappointment
Ty Gibbs had the best performance of his NASCAR Cup Series career at Bristol, leading a career-high 201 laps out of 500. For most of the night, the #54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota was the car to beat, showing the speed and consistency that everyone expected from the grandson of team owner Joe Gibbs.
According to Yahoo Sports, “Yeah, this sport is really hard,” said Joe Gibbs in the winner press conference. “I keep telling him [Ty], honestly, I use the word ‘patience,’ and two races ago we were talking after the race, and he said, Coach, will you quit using the word patience; I don’t want you to use it ever again. So patience is out the window. We’re trying to win here.
“I just think he knows this is what he’s wanted to do his entire life, and so he’s after it. I admire, like I said, our entire 54 team. To be truthful, they’re young, but the pit crew, everybody, they just keep fighting, so it’s really great.”
But with less than 50 laps to go, during a crucial round of green-flag pit stops, Gibbs made an unforced error that cost him everything. He locked up his brakes and completely missed the pit road entrance, forcing him to go all the way around the track with a flat right-front tire.
The Mistake That Crushed a Breakthrough
Bristol’s pit road entrance is notoriously tricky—there are two different ways to enter, and drivers have to nail their approach perfectly. Gibbs simply tried too hard and blew it at the worst possible moment.
Instead of celebrating in Victory Lane, Gibbs had to settle for a tenth-place finish and another night of “what if” questions.
The Growing Pressure of 116 Starts
Gibbs’ 0-116 record is starting to draw serious attention. Most successful Cup Series drivers break through within their first 100 starts, but Gibbs has now passed that milestone and is still hunting for breakthrough number one.
Here’s what makes it even more frustrating:
- 16 total top-five finishes in his Cup career
- 32 top-ten finishes showing consistent speed
- Over 800 laps led proving he can run up front
- 2022 Xfinity Series champion so he knows how to win at NASCAR’s top levels
Expert Predictions: When Will the Drought End?
Steve Letarte, the former Cup Series crew chief turned TV analyst, thinks Gibbs is right on the edge of his breakthrough moment.
According to The SportsRush, Letarte said, “This was all the right type of mistake. It was a driver trying too hard. It’s hard to fault a guy for trying too hard.”
“I don’t know if it’ll happen this year, but I would be shocked if we get to the [Coca-Cola] 600 next year in May and Ty Gibbs doesn’t have one or two wins.”
The prediction makes sense. Gibbs has shown improvement recently with three top-tens in his last four races, including back-to-back tenth-place finishes at Gateway and Bristol.
Bristol’s Crazy Night Shows NASCAR’s Unpredictability
Saturday’s Bristol race featured:
- 14 cautions keeping the field bunched up
- 36 lead changes among different drivers
- Goodyear providing extra tires mid-race due to extreme wear
- Multiple first-time win candidates including Carson Hocevar and Zane Smith
Christopher Bell ultimately won the race, giving Joe Gibbs Racing another victory, but it was Ty Gibbs who had everyone talking about what could have been.
The 116-Start Streak in Context
While 116 starts without a win sounds terrible, it’s not unheard of in modern NASCAR:
- Several current winners took over 100 starts to break through
- Equipment and timing matter as much as talent
- The Cup Series is incredibly competitive with only 36 races per year
What makes Gibbs’ situation unique is that he’s driving for one of NASCAR’s most successful teams with top equipment, making the wait even more painful.
What’s Next for the #54 Team?
The Bristol performance proved Gibbs has the speed to win—he just needs to execute when it matters most. His team and analysts believe the breakthrough is coming soon, possibly as early as the remaining seven races this season.
The pressure is mounting, but so is the confidence. When Gibbs finally does reach Victory Lane, it’ll make the 116-race wait seem worth it. The question isn’t if—it’s when and where.
