PHOENIX, Ariz.: Joe Gibbs Racing vice chairman and chief operating officer Coy Gibbs – who son Ty, won the 2022 Xfinity Series championship on Saturday afternoon at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway passed away Sunday morning.
He was 49.
Before the start of Sunday’s Championship 4 NASCAR Cup Series race, the organization released a statement:
“It is with great sorrow that Joe Gibbs Racing confirms that Coy Gibbs (co-owner) went to be with the Lord in his sleep last night. The family appreciates all the thoughts and prayers and asks for privacy at this time.”
Gibbs was on-hand at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway Saturday afternoon to watch his son compete for the Championship 4 Xfinity Series title. After winning the pole and winning both stages and leading 125 of the race’s 200 laps.
The 20-year-old withstood challenges from JR Motorsports drivers Noah Gragson and Justin Allgaier to win his seventh race of the season and his first NASCAR national series championship.
“I’ve been through this before in multiple sports. Ty hasn’t,” Coy Gibbs said after the race. “So, it was more watching him and seeing how he’s going to react during the day. I think he’s just doubled down and did his job after making a huge mistake last week.
“It was fun to watch that.”
Coy, the youngest son of NASCAR and National Football League Hall of Famer Joe Gibbs, is a former NASCAR driver and assistant coach with the NFL’s Washington Commanders.
Gibbs was a linebacker at Stanford University from 1991 to 1994.
Gibbs made his NASCAR debut in the Truck Series in 2000 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, sharing the driving duties of the No. 18 Chevrolet with his brother, J.D., who died in January 2019 from complications following a long battle with a degenerative neurological disease, also at the age of 49.
In 2001, Coy began racing full-time in the Truck Series, posting two top-five finishes, and then finishing 10th in the series standings the following year. In 2003, he replaced Mike McLaughlin in what is now the Xfinity Series, with two consecutive top-10 finishes at Texas Motor Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway.
In 2004, after Joe Gibbs was re-hired as Washington’s coach, he joined the team as an Offensive Quality Control assistant, serving in that role until 2007.
Coy Gibbs founded the JGRMX team in 2008 and in 2016 was named to his current role of vice chairman and COO and overseeing the organization’s NASCAR programs.
Coy Gibbs is survived by his wife, Heather and their four children Ty, Case, Jett and Elle.
Condolences from both NASCAR and Toyota were quickly offered after the devastating announcement:
“We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of Coy Gibbs. On behalf of the France Family and all of NASCAR, I extend my deepest condolences to Joe, Pat, Heather, the Gibbs family and everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing on the loss of Coy, a true friend and racer.” — Jim France, NASCAR Chairman and CEO
“Racing is a family and the relationships within the entire garage go so much deeper than on-track competition. Today, we lost a dear part of our family. The loss of Coy Gibbs is devastating to everyone at Toyota and TRD. Our deepest condolences and prayers are with Joe, Pat, Heather, Ty, Case, Jett and Elle and the entire Gibbs family and Joe Gibbs Racing family.” ~ David Wilson, President, TRD U.S.A. (Toyota Racing Development)
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