Gibbs upsets McDowell, completes first NASCAR All-Star Race

In the NASCAR All-Star Race, Ty Gibbs finished the best of the three drivers who advanced from the Open race.

He didn’t get there without ruffling some feathers, though.

Gibbs earned the Open pole and led the first 43 laps. Then, during the lap 40 competition caution, he dropped back.

Then, after a lap 51 caution, Gibbs raced Michael McDowell on lap 58. Exiting turn four, Gibbs bumped McDowell into Justin Haley who both crashed into the turn four wall.

Gibbs drove away, scot-free. However, it wasn’t the last time he’d hear from McDowell.

Gibbs took the lead from Josh Berry on lap 68. Then, on lap 77, Gibbs caught McDowell, who limped around at minimum speed with his wrecked car.

McDowell bumped into Gibbs and moved him up the track, opening the door for Berry to retake the lead.

Gibbs held on for second and made the All-Star Race. Meanwhile, McDowell finished 13th, three laps down, upset with the young gun.

“Ty just plowed into me, just knocked me into the 31 and spun us both out, and got a lot of damage from that. We ended up on the short side of it. It sucks. I feel like we had a pretty fast Gr8 Auctions Ford Mustang,” McDowell said, “but at the same time, all that stuff comes around, man. You get away with it a few times, but it comes around.”

“I don’t have a budget for the fine, otherwise, I would not be standing here, I’d be standing down there.”

While McDowell stood aside, Gibbs started 23rd in the All-Star Race.

Gibbs ran just outside of the top 10. Then, in the final 91 laps, he moved from 12th to ninth and finished just behind Daniel Suarez and Erik Jones.

Meanwhile, Open winner Josh Berry finished 15th, one lap down. Fan vote winner Noah Gragson finished 23rd, two laps down, with a damaged car.