Inside the strategy that turned Ty Gibbs into a legit NASCAR title threat

It wasn’t that long ago, June 28th, that Tyler Allen played it safe at Sonoma Raceway and Ty Gibbs really wished his crew chief had been more aggressive.

At the time, Allen took what looked like a car capable of challenging Shane Van Gisbergen for the win but took a more conservative strategy that led to a second-place finish. Allen, not knowing if they would have enough to take on SVG on a road course elected to get stage points and retain a spot inside the top five of the championship standings.

Allen was playing a long game, recognizing there would come a time and place to be aggressive for Gibbs, and Sunday at Iowa Speedway was just the moment.

Gibbs was running third behind Christopher Bell and Ryan Blaney approaching the final green flag pit cycle. Blaney undercut Bell but couldn’t blend back in front of the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 20.

Allen gambled further, taking two tires, and coming out ahead of both of them. Earlier in the race, Bell was able to pass Blaney for the lead on four tires versus two, but Allen tasked Gibbs with aggressively defending the lead.

Bell made several attempts but Gibbs put on a defensive clinic. Why couldn’t he get Gibbs the way he got Blaney earlier in the race.

“I don’t know,” Bell said. “I was just sliding around a lot more whenever I was behind Ty than I was with Ryan. So anytime that I tried to push the car, I just slid and could never get there.”

But also give credit Gibbs, who aggressively blocked and drove Bell up the track, doing whatever it took to retain the lead. His second career victory was earned.

“I got loose into 3 and the lap cars were kind of difficult to pass,” Gibbs said. “So I just got loose and covered the line, and he, I think, had a moment behind me. And we were just so close, and I think he missed a little bit off of 2 and I got it, so it worked out.”

Allen said he was leaning towards a two-tire call the entire time. It was the only thing that would allow them to jump Bell and Blaney.

“It was a matter of when we were going to take them,” Allen said. “The 11 (Hamlin) had pit behind us. We didn’t want them to jump us. We knew the 20 was getting close, and I knew he was leaning four.

“At that time, I heard the 20 say ‘pit,’ so we pit, and I took rights knowing I would jump him and that Ty was going to have a lot of work to do.”

And work he did.

Meanwhile, Bell really wishes they had taken two tires too, and made what their teammates did a moot point.

Could he have made two tires work at the end?

“Absolutely.”

What gave him certainty?

“We saw guys stay out all day and they were fine,” Bell said. “I took two tires at one point and felt fine. I stayed out and felt fine.”

So, should they have?

“Yeah.”

His crew chief, Adam Stevens, said he and his war room in Huntersville, North Carolina went back and forth on it that entire run.

“We tried to get the biggest gap we could on them,” Stevens told Motorsport.com. “We expected (Blaney) to take four since he took rights at the stage and he suffered on his rights as well. He was not nearly as strong as he was.

“We were going to have more laps on our lefts than what he had on prior to his stop under green so I would think they would not be able to hang on late.”

He was also concerned about a late caution and what would happen if there was a restart with four fresher tires behind him at the end.

“It was one of those calls,” Stevens said. “I felt like if the 54 took two, he would jump us and we would come out a couple of seconds behind, which we did. We quickly closed that gap and with 40 to go, we were right there with him, and we just didn’t have enough to pass him. Everything played out about how I expected except not making the pass.”

And that was a credit to Gibbs, who is suddenly second in the championship standings and would reset to 25 points behind Hamlin if this order remains steady through the next three races.

“I think we’re both pretty close,” Gibbs said.” I think that the big thing from (Hamlin) to mine is that Denny is just such a great driver and has so much experience. He’s probably one of the best guys in the world. Obviously, he’s been in (position) to win the title a bunch but won a ton of races.”

And now, with two wins and momentum, Gibbs is right there with him, not that he’s getting ahead of himself.

“Week to week for me but I obviously want to win the title.”