Ty Gibbs is the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series Champion and he drove an inspired race in Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway, but it’s going to take more time than a week for the NASCAR fanbase to move past the thought that Gibbs is a dirty driver.
Following Saturday’s race, where Gibbs drove ultra clean and where he held off Noah Gragson in the closing laps for the championship, the fans let Gibbs have it when he exited his No. 54 Toyota Supra to celebrate.
As Gibbs wound up his burnouts and stopped to get out to raise his arms into the sky, the crowd went berserk.
Here is a video from Gibbs’ post-race frontstretch celebration, which was shortened due to a constant shower of boos:
Retweet to congratulate Ty Gibbs and Joe Gibbs Racing on their 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship! pic.twitter.com/zAOLlgpaCe
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) November 6, 2022
The talk should be about how a 20-year-old driver, who has already recorded 11 NASCAR Xfinity Series wins, has now gone on to upset the Xfinity Series’ strongest driver during the 2022 season head-to-head for the championship.
But, unfortunately, Gibbs really wanted a Martinsville clock last week, no matter the cost. Now, he begins paying off that debt with boos even during his biggest on-track achievements. However, if Gibbs continues to drive as clean as he did on Saturday, there could come a time and place when he wins the fans back over.