Ty Gibbs holds off Blaney at Bristol for first NASCAR Cup Series victory

BRISTOL, Tenn. — It took 131 starts to get it done, but Ty Gibbs is a NASCAR Cup Series race winner.

Gibbs had to hold off two of the best in the business to win Sunday’s race at Bristol.  Ryan Blaney and Kyle Larson led a combined 474 of the race’s 500 laps but opted to hit pit road for tires during a late caution, leaving them behind Gibbs. The two ran down Gibbs on the final restart, but Gibbs prevailed and beat Blaney side-by-side coming to the line.

“It was a great day for us… Our pit crew was amazing,” Gibbs said after the win. “I thought the race was awesome.”

Joe Gibbs, Ty’s grandfather and the owner of Joe Gibbs Racing, said the win is one of his best experiences. Both paid tribute to Coy Gibbs, Ty’s father, who died in 2022.

Blaney started on the pole, but Larson took the lead and won the first two stages. Blaney earned the lead in the final 50 laps and was in position to win until the pit call with just over 20 laps to go. Blaney and Larson were the only front-runners to hit pit road, sending them outside the top 10 on the ensuing restart.

Gibbs held off a challenge from Tyler Reddick on the restart. Blaney and Larson pushed to second and third, respectively, before a caution flag waved with four laps remaining. That caution sent the race into overtime and allowed Blaney and Larson to challenge for the win with tires that were nearly 100 laps fresher. But Gibbs prevailed for his first career win.

Reddick and Chase Briscoe rounded out the top five.

Nine caution flags waved, most for minor spins. The largest crash involved Alex Bowman, Shane van Gisbergen, John Hunter Nemechek, and Todd Gilliland. Bowman made his first start since being diagnosed with vertigo in early March and suffered a last-place finish in 37th. Gilliland rebounded to finish sixth.

Christopher Bell went several laps down after a spin and finished 27th.

The race’s final caution was caused by Kyle Busch spinning out Riley Herbst, who had made contact with Busch earlier in the race.

Reddick continues to lead the points standings. He has a 62-point lead over Blaney. Denny Hamlin, Gibbs, and Chase Elliott make up the top five. Larson, William Byron, Bubba Wallace, Bell, Chris Buescher, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano,  Carson Hocevar, Ryan Preece, Daniel Suárez, and van Gisbergen are the remaining drivers in Chase spots. Briscoe is one point behind the final spot.

The NASCAR Cup Series is next in action at Kansas Speedway on Sunday, April 19.