The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season opener at Bowman Gray Stadium was a chaotic, crash-filled showdown, but one of the wildest moments of the night came in the Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ)—when Ty Gibbs’ No. 54 Toyota went airborne after retaliating against Justin Haley.
While fans were left shocked by the dramatic wreck, Gibbs’ own Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, Denny Hamlin, was far from impressed.
Hamlin’s Take: “You Gotta Be Smarter”
Denny Hamlin, a veteran of the sport and a three-time Daytona 500 winner, didn’t hold back when analyzing Gibbs’ ill-advised retaliation.
“It’s so hard to be mentally tough in the moments you get bounced around and you feel like, ‘Well, I gotta show I’m not gonna take it, so do something back.’”
Comparing the situation to an NFL personal foul, Hamlin explained how young drivers like Gibbs need to be more strategic instead of letting their emotions take control.
“It’s almost like the NFL where a personal foul — someone shoves you, next thing you know you push them in the face, and you get the flag.”
In short—Gibbs took the bait and paid the price.
The Incident: How Ty Gibbs Went Airborne
The LCQ at Bowman Gray was a brutal survival test, and Gibbs’ frustration with Justin Haley boiled over after previous on-track clashes.
🔥 Gibbs tagged Haley’s No. 51 Ford in retaliation.
💥 The two cars made wheel-to-wheel contact.
🚀 Gibbs’ Toyota lifted off the ground, going airborne momentarily.
While the crash looked spectacular, Hamlin pointed out that the physics of the contact made it worse than it actually was.
“It just happened to be weird how the tires rolled over each other, which made his car launch there, but it looked worse than it actually was.”
Regardless of how it happened, Gibbs’ decision-making was the real issue—and Hamlin wants him to learn from it.
Hamlin’s Warning: “NASCAR Won’t Love That”
Beyond the on-track consequences, Hamlin made it clear that NASCAR officials won’t take kindly to Gibbs’ actions.
“But still, it’s something that NASCAR isn’t gonna love or anything like that.”
More importantly, Gibbs has a bigger challenge in 2025—he’s expected to win races and make the playoffs.
“He’s expected to take that next step and be a race winner and a playoff guy. These moments, it’s really hard to not let things get to you and he’s still a really young guy trying to find his way. He’ll figure it out.”
Translation? The clock is ticking for Gibbs to mature as a driver, because reckless decisions won’t cut it at the Cup level.
Can Ty Gibbs Handle the Pressure in 2025?
With another season under his belt, Ty Gibbs is no longer just a promising young talent—he’s expected to deliver.
🚨 The expectations are clear:
✔️ Win races.
✔️ Make the playoffs.
✔️ Earn the respect of the garage.
But after a frustrating first race, it’s clear that Gibbs still has work to do in controlling his emotions and making smarter racing decisions.
The talent is undeniable—but can he put it all together in 2025?
The pressure is officially on.