NASCAR CUP SERIES: GRANT PARK 165

July 7, 2024

Ty Gibbs

Press Conference

An Interview with:

THE MODERATOR: We're going to get started with our post-race press conferences. We've been joined by our third-place finisher, Ty Gibbs.

Q. Just wondering, third-place finishes in both races this weekend. You looked really fast yesterday and today. What does it do when you have a weekend like this where you finish really well in two races? Does it leave you disappointed feeling like you could have won both of them, or is it just, hey, we had a really solid weekend?

TY GIBBS: Yeah, we had a really good weekend. I was thankful to have two great race cars to drive that my team brought me. It's kind of rare when you have two good cars that you can make good speed happen, too. I feel like we were really fast in both races. Just we were so close, super close both days. All I can ask for is a win, but we're right there.

It's been really fun running the Cup Series, and I've had a great time, and just appreciative for what I get to do and thankful for what I get to do. It's fun.

Q. How would you describe simply what it's like to race in those conditions, as it rains and then maybe as the course dries out towards the end?

TY GIBBS: Yeah, it's really fun. I feel like it's kind of like a dirt track honestly. You pick and choose your lines and see what lane is drying up and is faster, and you have to look around, which makes it fun, because we don't get to do that a whole lot. I really, really like that. I feel like it takes a lot of racing awareness to do that, and it's fun just like looking, be like, okay, that line is drying up, and you hit that line and you're like, oh, I just gained two car lengths on the guy in front of me. It's really fun to have that.

Q. With the timed race and knowing that you needed as many green flag laps as possible, how frustrating is that situation where you're like, man, the clock is ticking and I just need this to be green?

TY GIBBS: Yeah, you're telling me. It's definitely frustrating for sure, but it's part of it. It's just the way it goes.

It's out of my control that the guys are stuffing it in the fence, which I've almost done that like eight times today, so I can say that.

Yeah, it's frustrating, but at the same time, it's out of my control, so I feel like the more I'm frustrated about it, them I'm just at that point kind of being a little selfish or just being a little bit petty, I guess.

Q. When you guys made the decision to pit before the end of Stage 2, was the expectation you guys thought everyone would come down? Was it a surprise to see that many cars stay out?

TY GIBBS: Yeah, it was, but it made it fun because we had to work our way through, and everybody then just followed and put rain tires on -- dry tires on. I feel like if everybody put dry tires on with the way the conditions were, it would have been a crapshoot.

I'm kind of glad that half put rain tires on, but at the same time I wish the 48 took drys so we could catch him. But whatever, congrats to them.

Q. I want to talk about the moment earlier in the race where Larson just barrelled into Turn 6. He almost barely got you. Did you see that in your mirror?

TY GIBBS: Yeah, I felt it. I think he just barely touched me, so I'm glad I didn't get collected there. Just pushing your entries, and the brake bias is really important, especially in rain racing. If you have a lot of front brake tune or have some front brake tune and you catch a puddle or whatever, that thing takes off. That thing is like a rocket, so you've got to watch out and just be aware of it. I was definitely glad that I didn't get collected there. It was a close one.