Gibbs wrecks out of 2 races in a row in Sonoma

by Joseph Eigo & Jonathan Fjeld

SONOMA, Cali. —Ty Gibbs will hope for better luck at Iowa Speedway after crashing out of both NASCAR races at Sonoma Raceway.

Gibbs raced Saturday in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and Sunday in the Cup Series. His best finish was 35th.

Gibbs’ No. 19 Xfinity Series car started Saturday doing well, taking off on the front row alongside polesitter Shane van Gisbergen. Early in the first stage, Gibbs showed some of the best speed in the field. He was the only one who could keep pace with van Gisbergen early on.

Van Gisbergen chose to take the stage one win. Meanwhile, Gibbs decided to short pit and cruised to the stage two victory.

He looked to be in prime position to race for the win. However, a bad pit stop put him in 14th to start the final stage. 

This immediately showed its consequences. On the first lap of the final stage, a pileup involved Gibbs. The damage was enough to end his bid for the win for good.

Gibbs entered Sunday with high prospects to leave Saturday behind him, starting 10th in the NASCAR Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350.

Prospects were just that. On lap 16, Gibbs hit the newly installed inside wall in turn 11. That sent him into the Jersey barrier entering turn one, breaking his right-front shock and upper control arm, ending his day.

Gibbs joined teammate Denny Hamlin in the garage, finishing 37th. Hamlin blew an engine on lap 2, finishing 38th.

Teammate Martin Truex Jr. didn’t fare much better. He finished 27th after running out of gas while running second entering the final corner.

They weren’t barren of a Top-10 finish as Christopher Bell quietly finished ninth.

Iowa Speedway Outlook

Iowa Speedway is next. Joe Gibbs Racing has seven Xfinity Series wins there with Sam Hornish (2) and current Cup Series drivers Christopher Bell (2), Kyle Busch, Erik Jones and Ryan Preece.

The Xfinity Series’ HyVee Perks 250 will go green just after 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday. The Cup Series’ Iowa Corn 350 powered by Ethanol goes green Sunday, Father’s Day, just after 7 p.m. ET (USA, MRN, Sirius XM NASCAR Radio).