Ty Gibbs cruises to strategic win at Michigan

BROOKLYN, MICHIGAN - AUGUST 06: Ty Gibbs, driver of the #54 Monster Energy Toyota, celebrates with a burnout after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series New Holland 250 at Michigan International Speedway on August 06, 2022 in Brooklyn, Michigan. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

Ty Gibbs got the lead in the closing half at Michigan and made the most of it. Crew chief Chris Gayle’s decision to pit before the end of the second stage gave Gibbs the lead as the faster Chevrolet of Noah Gragson stayed out for stage points. A caution-free third stage meant green flag pitstops and no chance to shake up the lead, allowing Gibbs to win the New Holland 250 ahead of Justin Allgaier by 1.160.

“I think this type of racing shows the strategy in the pit stops,” said Gibbs, who led twice for a race-high 54 laps, matching the number of his No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. “My guys did such a great job. I work out with them during the week, so I see how hard they work. They do a great job—every one of them.”

“So I’m very thankful and glad to be part of the organization that motivates me like that week in and week out—not motivates, because that’s temporary—but being relentless, and I feel like that’s what they showed me,” he added.

BROOKLYN, MICHIGAN – AUGUST 06: Ty Gibbs, driver of the #54 Monster Energy Toyota, and Sammy Smith, driver of the #18 Pilot Flying J Toyota, race during the NASCAR Xfinity Series New Holland 250 at Michigan International Speedway on August 06, 2022 in Brooklyn, Michigan. (Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images)

Justin Allgaier used the same strategy as Gibbs, but a slow pit stop cost him the lead and unfortunate timing with lapped cars during the second round of green flag stops kept him from getting it back.

“I pitted to try and get clear of some lapped cars, and, unfortunately, we merged back on the race track right behind those same lapped cars, right before they made their pit stops,” Allgaier said. “So not only did we have to contend with getting by them, as soon as we got by them, they all pitted.”

BROOKLYN, MICHIGAN – AUGUST 06: Noah Gragson, driver of the #9 Bass Pro Shops/TrueTimber/BRCC Chevrolet, drives during qualifying for the NASCAR Xfinity Series New Holland 250 at Michigan International Speedway on August 06, 2022 in Brooklyn, Michigan. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

Allgaier’s JR Motorsports teammate Noah Gragson consistently had the fastest car on track throughout the day, but couldn’t quite get back to the lead after staying out for stage points.

“We won the first stage and then had a caution with about five to go in the second stage and opted to stay out, won the second stage. Then just flipped,” said Gragson. But he added of Gibbs: “We were running him down—just needed more laps there at the end.”

The Xfinity Series heads to New York for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Race at Watkins Glen on the road course on August 20th.

Photos: NASCAR at Michigan Saturday Aug. 6, 2022

NASCAR Xfinity Series Race Results New Holland 250
Michigan International Speedway
Brooklyn, Michigan
Saturday, August 6, 2022

1. (9) Ty Gibbs, Toyota, 125.
2. (3) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 125.
3. (1) Noah Gragson, Chevrolet, 125.
4. (7) Brandon Jones, Toyota, 125.
5. (16) Austin Hill #, Chevrolet, 125.
6. (6) Josh Berry, Chevrolet, 125.
7. (2) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 125.
8. (4) Daniel Hemric, Chevrolet, 125.
9. (13) Riley Herbst, Ford, 125.
10. (12) Landon Cassill, Chevrolet, 125.
11. (11) Sheldon Creed #, Chevrolet, 125.
12. (5) Sammy Smith, Toyota, 125.
13. (10) Brandon Brown, Chevrolet, 124.
14. (20) Anthony Alfredo, Chevrolet, 124.
15. (15) Ryan Sieg, Ford, 124.
16. (8) Kyle Weatherman, Chevrolet, 124.
17. (17) Myatt Snider, Chevrolet, 124.
18. (23) Kaz Grala(i), Chevrolet, 124.
19. (31) John Hunter Nemechek(i), Toyota, 124.
20. (22) JJ Yeley, Ford, 124.
21. (18) Kyle Sieg #, Ford, 124.
22. (19) Jeb Burton, Chevrolet, 124.
23. (24) Joe Graf Jr, Ford, 124.
24. (29) Mason Massey, Chevrolet, 124.
25. (32) Patrick Emerling, Toyota, 124.
26. (30) Alex Labbe, Chevrolet, 124.
27. (33) Ryan Ellis, Chevrolet, 124.
28. (25) Josh Bilicki(i), Chevrolet, 124.
29. (27) Ryan Vargas, Chevrolet, 123.
30. (35) Bayley Currey, Chevrolet, 123.
31. (21) Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 123.
32. (36) Blaine Perkins(i), Chevrolet, 123.
33. (26) Sam Mayer, Chevrolet, 123.
34. (14) Dillon Bassett, Chevrolet, 122.
35. (37) David Starr, Ford, Hub, 100.
36. (28) Josh Williams, Chevrolet, Electrical, 87.
37. (34) CJ McLaughlin, Ford, Accident, 40.
38. (38) Matt Mills(i), Chevrolet, Accident, 39.

Average Speed of Race Winner: 141.621 mph.
Time of Race: 1 Hrs, 45 Mins, 55 Secs. Margin of Victory: 1.160 Seconds.
Caution Flags: 4 for 19 laps.
Lead Changes: 12 among 9 drivers.
Lap Leaders: N. Gragson 1-36; A. Allmendinger 37; J. Allgaier 38-54; A. Allmendinger 55-59; N. Gragson 60-62; T. Gibbs 63-100; S. Smith 101; A. Hill # 102; A. Allmendinger 103; J. Berry 104-106; A. Alfredo 107; R. Sieg 108-109; T. Gibbs 110-125.
Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Ty Gibbs 2 times for 54 laps; Noah Gragson 2 times for 39 laps; Justin Allgaier 1 time for 17 laps; AJ Allmendinger 3 times for 7 laps; Josh Berry 1 time for 3 laps; Ryan Sieg 1 time for 2 laps; Sammy Smith 1 time for 1 lap; Austin Hill # 1 time for 1 lap; Anthony Alfredo 1 time for 1 lap.
Stage #1 Top Ten: 9,7,18,16,54,19,11,21,10,8
Stage #2 Top Ten: 9,16,8,10,39,23,48,31,54,21

Owen Johnson